At the beginning of Job, Job has 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, seven sons and three daughters.

At the end of his ordeal God blesses Job and doubles everything he had in the beginning so that Job now has14000 sheep, 6000 camels, 1000 oxen, 1000 female donkeys. But then God does not give Job fourteen sons and six daughters. God doesn't double his children which is not consistent. The story says Job then has seven more sons and three more daughters.

I was listening to a bible study and the guy claimed that Job's children really are "doubled" if you count the first seven sons and three daughters from the beginning of the story who died. Because they will be resurrected with Christ. In essence the children are asleep in Christ. Kind of gave a shimmer of the resurrection in the old testament. In other words, God doubled the animals because death is the end but for Humans it is not.

He called it a "remez" which is a jewish word for a hint of something deeper. Thought it was pretty cool. Its comforting to know that we will see loved ones again.

There are four ways to interpret Jewish texts.

1. Take it for what it is

2. Its a hint of something deeper

3. It requires inquisitive thought or proper perspective that isn't obvious

4. Let the mystery be, we can't know


Much of the old testament falls into the 1st and 2nd categories because many stories are both historical and a reflection of Jesus.

For example, looking at Genesis, most people interpret it as 1 or 3, sometimes 4.

Another example is King Saul calling up necromancers and he successfully spoke to Samuels ghost. That is something that kinda disrupts some people's ideas of the afterlife and it's timelines and the ability to interact with the spiritual side of creation. (I love John MacArthur but he probably would say such things aren't possible, so interpret it like #4 or at best #3.)

Interesting point!

And a sidenote, the Christian comedian John Crist has a bit about "how would you like to be Job's second set of kids?" Pretty funny.