Job Bos
Dutch businessman
Boy Old & New Testament Very common
he that weeps or cries
אִיּוֹב Ἰώβ iy.yov
Job (Hebrew: אִיּוֹב, iy.yov) means “he that weeps or cries”, by traditional interpretation. It appears in 54 verses across 3 books of the Bible. In 2025 it was given to 49 children in the United States. Use is falling away. Around 3,399 Americans have been given it since 1880. Appears with Barachel in Job 32.
One person in scripture bears this name.
| Measure | Value | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Given in 2025 | 49 | Falling |
| All-time total | 3,399 | Since records begin in 1880 |
| Peak | 89 in 2004 | Its highest year on record |
| Strongest state | TX | Highest share relative to births |
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| First appears | Job 1:1 |
| Last appears | James 5:11 |
| Cross-references | 1,052 linked passages |
A man living at the time of Exile and Return, first mentioned at Job.1.1
Also named: Iōb (Ἰώβ "Job" G2492)
§ Job = "hated"
a patriarch, the subject of the book of Job
Job, a blameless and upright man from Uz, endured severe trials and maintained his faith in God.
Job was a man from the land of Uz, described as blameless, upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil (Job.1.1). He was blessed with seven sons, three daughters, and great wealth (Job.1.2-3). However, God allowed Satan to test Job's faith through a series of severe trials, including the loss of his children, wealth, and health (Job.1.6-2.10).
Throughout his suffering, Job maintained his integrity and did not sin against God (Job.1.22; 2.10). He engaged in a lengthy dialogue with his three friends - Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar - who came to comfort him but ultimately accused him of wrongdoing (Job.2.11-31.40). A fourth friend, Elihu, also spoke to Job, emphasizing God's justice and sovereignty (Job.32-37).
Finally, God spoke to Job, challenging him to understand the mysteries of creation and divine wisdom (Job.38-41). Job acknowledged God's power and repented of his questioning (Job.42.1-6). In the end, God restored Job's fortunes, giving him twice as much as he had before, and blessed him with seven more sons and three more daughters (Job.42.10-17).
Job's story is a testament to faith in the face of adversity, and he is mentioned alongside Noah and Daniel as an example of righteousness (Ezk.14.14,20). His perseverance is also commended in the New Testament (Jas.5.11). The book of Job grapples with the question of suffering and the sovereignty of God, ultimately showcasing God's wisdom and the importance of trust in Him.
Job appears in 53 verses. Here are some of the most notable:
There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
Job 1:1And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
Job 1:5And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Job 1:8Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Job 1:9And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:
Job 1:14Dutch businessman
Apple Inc. co-founder; the surname derives from the biblical name