Book Of Job: Accusing Angel And The Serpent Essay, Research Paper

The Accusing Angel and the Snake: One in the Same?

The Book of Job is a really complex interlingual rendition in which two images of immoralities are presented. Steven Mitchell calls them the Accusing Angel ( Accuser ) and the Serpent. They are both really powerful and portrayed as supernatural existences. His first mention to the Accusing Angel appears early on, nevertheless mentions throughout the narrative do non be. Unlike the Accusing Angel, the Serpent is mentioned throughout the book. Disturbing imagination and thoughts from the unnamable voice from the whirlwind aid to give the reader an accurate perceptual experience of the Serpent. Although the context in which they are presented is different, the manner that both are talked about, and defined, are really similar and take the reader to believe that the two may be the same entity.

The Accusing Angel, one of the aforesaid immoralities, is first mentioned in The Book of Job on? the twenty-four hours when angels [ come ] to attest before the lord. ? The Accusing Angel came with the other angels and God made it a point to advert his faithful retainer, Job, to him. In this context, the Accusing Angel is described as a fallen angel, which could specify the Accusing Angel as Lucifer or Satan. Mitchell references in his interlingual rendition that the Accusing Angel? came excessively, ? on the twenty-four hours when the other angels had to do an visual aspect before the Lord. The intension of the phrase? came excessively, ? in this context, leads one to believe that the Accusing Angel was non invited, or does non regularly attend. If the Accusing Angel was non invited, or does non on a regular basis attend this meeting, he must be a fallen angel, or an angel who has fallen from the graces of God. Then, the Accusing Angel, when asked? Where have you come from? ? by the Lord, responds that he was walking about on Earth, looking here and at that place. The reference of Earth as the topographic point of rolling points once more to the definition of Satan, who was the angel banished to earth.

Even though Satan and Lucifer may look like equivalent word, there is a little difference in their definitions. Satan is defined as? the antagonist of God and Godhead of immoralities? while Lucifer is defined as? a fallen Rebel archangel, the Devil. ? By these definitions it is possible to give either name to the Accusing Angel. The Accusing Angel fits the description of? the antagonist of God? because he is sent to torture Job and prove his religion. The Accusing Angel could besides be depicted as an antagonist because of the manner he tempts God into leting him to prove Job. The Accusing Angel says that Job must be protected by some sort of Godhead power and that if he was to fall into difficult times, he would? cuss [ God ] to [ His ] face. ? The Accusing Angel besides fits the definition of Lucifer because of the thought that the Accusing Angel is a fallen angel. Therefore, the definition of Accusing Angel is a combination of Satan and Lucifer.

Mitchell besides uses the image of a Serpent to portray immorality in his rendition of The Book of Job. The Serpent is non described in great item until later in the narrative, but the description given is extended. The first reference of the Serpent is by Job when he issues his? curse. ? Job says, ? Let the magicians wake the Serpent to blare [ the twenty-four hours I was born ] with ageless blight. ? Job introduces the Serpent as highly powerful, but does non give the reader any information sing where it came from or what aim it serves. However, by adverting magicians in the same sentence, Job creates the thought of mystical power and charming strength. The 2nd reference of the Serpent comes when Bildad the Shuhite says that? [ God ] shattered the Ocean with his breath and pierced the primeval Serpent. ? This comparing, of God to the Serpent, brings the power of the Serpent into context. If God was needed, or is one of the lone 1s who can pierce the Serpent, it can be assumed that the Serpent is a formidable opposition and being. The usage of the word primeval is interesting because it brings a new apprehension to the Serpent? s character. ? Primeval? is defined as? of or associating to the earliest ages, bing in or prevailing from the beginning. ? This definition means that the Serpent is non merely a formidable opposition, but one who has lasted throughout the ages, and existed in the beginning. The 3rd and most descriptive reference of the Ser

pent comes from the Unnamable. The voice from the whirlwind describes to Job the amazing power of the Serpent and relates the thought that? hope is a lie. ? God tells Job that the Serpent is so strong that hope entirely is non plenty. The unnamable besides offers a description of the Serpent which portrays it as indestructible and overmastering. The voice says that? no 1 on Earth is [ the Serpent? s ] equal, a animal without fright. ?

The Serpent, or? aboriginal Serpent, ? is defined as? the Devil, a unreliable person. ? This definition relates to the definitions of both Satan and Lucifer because they normally correspond to the thought of the Devil or a character that is? the tempter of mankind. ? Unfortunately a job exists because of the fact that The Book of Job is a rendition and a interlingual rendition by Steven Mitchell. In The New Open Bible, New American Standard, the transition where the unnamable Tells Job of the Serpent, the Serpent is replaced with the word Leviathan which is defined as? a sea monster represented as an antagonist defeated by Yahweh in assorted biblical accounts. ? This is a comparable definition to that of the snake, and in some respects it is even more descriptive because of the manner that it deals with the Serpent being a? sea monster? and an? adversary. ? The New Open Bible besides contains a description of the word Leviathan and it? s relation to the remainder of the Bible, every bit good as the image of the crocodile. ? Leviathan, ? harmonizing top to The New Open Bible, appears merely six clip in the Old Testament, nevertheless it has become a beginning of contention. ? Leviathan? is a word for anything big and powerful and is? thought to be derived from a verb significance? to twist. ? ? Some bookmans believe that the description of the Serpent is truly a poetic description of the Nile crocodile, nevertheless the transition? no 1 Earth is his equal? seems to depict a being more powerful than a crocodile.

Another thought of a Serpent appears in the first book of the bible which might assist do the comparing between the Serpent and the Devil. In Genesis, the snake, who is normally known as immorality, and perchance as the Satan or the tempter, tempts adult male into eating fruit from the out tree. It ends up that God punishes all three, Adam, Eve and the Serpent. The Serpent receives a rough penalty for his function as God condemns the snake to traveling approximately on his abdomen and makes his the most curst of all animate beings. This narrative from the bible is really good known and can assist expose the thought that snakes can be used to stand for immorality.

The thought of the snake in Genesis provides us with an add-on to the definition of the Serpent in The Book of Job. Not merely is a snake a symbol for the Satan and perfidy, but it can besides be seen as a symbol of enticement. This add-on to the definition completes the thought of the Accusing Angel. Not merely does the Accusing Angel contain parts of the definitions of Satan and Lucifer, but of the Serpent every bit good. The Accusing Angel is? the accuser, ? is a? fallen angel, ? and can be seen as a? tempter. ? A scene where the Accusing Angels tempting is recognizable is when the Serpent negotiations to God and gets His blessing to assail Job and prove Job? s religion.

Mitchell? s interlingual rendition, or rendition, is interesting because of the words he chose to utilize. Many different significances can be drawn from each single transition because of the fact that it is a interlingual rendition, and many other texts, including most Bibles, chose other words than those chosen by Mitchell. The words he chose to depict immorality in his narrative, to depict two existences, are really similar and one could reason that the two are the same being. The lone job with this premise are the ocular associations that already exist in people? s heads. It seems impossible that an angel, something noted for its winged build and beatific visual aspect, or a fallen angel, viz. Satan, who is characterized as a ruddy devil, could be the same as the Serpent, which is described as a sea monster. Although modern constructs of the Satan have changed, and the Satan has become more monster like, it can still be difficult to conceive of the Satan, who was an angel, to look like a sea monster. Once ocular intensions are put aside, it is possible to substitute the two characters.

Bibliography

Mitchell, Steven. & # 8221 ; The Book Of Job & # 8221 ; New York, New York 1937