For various reasons I have been studying the Book of Job in the Bible. I am fascinated by these characters (like Jesus Christ himself) who exist in both the Christian and the Islamic scriptures (Job is a prophet in the Qu’ran). But what is the story of Job really about? In the Bible’s version, he is a good man, living righteously. Cunning old Satan convinces God that Job is only respectful to him in the way a Sicilian villager is respectful to a mafioso – because he provides ‘protection’. So God removes Job’s protection, allowing Satan to take his wealth, his children, and his physical health, and all this in order to get Job to curse God. But the worst Job will do is curse the day of his birth. Moral of the story? Job was truly a good man. But God knew that anyway, so why did he put Job through such misery? Job tries to get an answer out of God, but the latter blusters and bullies and browbeats Job into submission, like an old-fashioned teacher caught out in the classroom. It is nevertheless a meditative text, particularly for those going through the wars in one way or another.