The purpose of this study is to investigate how legal metaphors are used, developed and valuated through the book of Job. By the method of close reading I analyze the speeches of Job in order to investigate if and how the legal metaphors maintain tension between source and main domain, if they are meaningful, are used in a creative way and developed through the book of Job. The legal language is used by the prophets to explain the suffering of the people by ascribing God to the roles of prosecutor and judge who punishes the people for their violation of the covenant. In the book of Job the friends of Job represent tradition. They promote the theory of retribution and claim that Job is being judged and punished for his sins. Job breaks with the tradition and wish es to meet God in court, and assigns different legal roles to God; plaintiff, accused, witness, his legal representative and the criminal. Through out the book of Job the tension between God and all these different roles is maintained and discussed. Job cannot meet God in court because they are unequal and there is no one who has authority over God. To behold God criminally accused seems inappropriate because God is the foundation of justice. However Job keeps using the metaphors in his complaint before God. The oath in chapter 31 shows the absurdity to put all different legal roles of God into one model but nevertheless shows how the legal metaphors are useful as a language of complaint. In the speeches of God there are no legal metaphors and Job is responding by admitting his limitation in explaining the works of God and by promising to be quiet. The friends of Job are being rebuked for having talked wrong about God. They used the legal metaphors to explain God and the works of God. The legal metaphors are not to be used as explanatory models but provide a platform for the innocent to form their complaint for vindication.

I denna uppsats analyseras två olika böcker. Ödehuset är skriven utifrån ett evangeliskt kristet perspektiv och är en modern roman, medan Jobs Bok tillhör den hebreiska Bibeln och är en gammal religiös urkund. Syftet med uppsatsen är att visa på och jämföra hur lidandets problem gestaltas i dessa två böcker och hur dessa gestaltningar relaterar till olika lösningsförslag på lidandets problem. Genom en narrativ analys-modell och med fokus på karaktärer i form av protagonist och antagonist finns ett moment i analysen som undersöker hur olika lösningsförslag gestaltas. För att visa hur lidandets problem gestaltas i de två böckerna har två sammanfattningar gjorts efter en modell med fem stadier med fokus på intrig. Resultatet visar att de två böckerna ger svar av olika karaktär.    Ödehuset som gestaltar lidandets problem genom en dotter som blir bortrövad och mördad, ger ett tydligt svar på lidandets problem. Det beror på människans strävan efter makt och självfixering, vilket är en direkt konsekvens av den fria viljan människan besitter. Jobs Bok som gestaltar lidandets problem genom att Gud sätter Job på prov där han förlorar sina barn och sin rikedom ger istället svaret att Guds plan är större än vad människor kan förstå. Människor får lita på att Gud har rätt och detta inte behöver ifrågasättas. Det är värt att av fri vilja leva rättfärdigt, men man gör klokast i att inte förblindas av rikedomarnas bekvämlighet.

This study in Old Testament exegesis is focused on two interpretations of three central passages in the book of Job, by C.G. Jung in Answer to Job (1952) and Leo Perdue in Wisdom in Revolt – Metaphorical Theology in the Book of Job (1991). The study examines the questions addressed to the book of Job by Jung and Perdue respectively, and the expectations that are imbedded in their readings. The concepts of "horizon of expectation" and "gaps" from Reception theory are central to the interpretation.  More particularly, the study examines the interpretations by Jung and Perdue of two passages in the book of Job where there is a verbal confrontation between Job and God, and the very last sequence of the book, the epilogue. These scenes also represent what W. Iser calls "gaps" (Leerstellen) in the narration, ambiguous passages, designed to activate the reader’s participation in the interpretation of a text. In the study, the horizon of expectations of Jung and Perdue respectively, is outlined and compared. The results show that, while the theologian Perdue is interested in the psychological aspects of Job’s process in relation to God, Jung, the psychologist, paradoxically is focused on the theological question of God’s character and being.  The study’s point of outlook is that in each interpretation of a text, the reader’s horizon of expectation is embedded. When it comes to Bible commentary, layers of historical contexts and theological tradition shape the interpretative work. Nevertheless, each reader also confronts the text anew while reading, within the frames of his own experiences and expectations.