Job knew about God before the Book of Genesis was written, as he said,
"I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You"
(Job 42:5).
Commandment 1:
2 "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
3 "You shall have no other gods before Me. (Exodus 20:2-3)
The Book of Job states:
21 Blessed be the name of the LORD (Job 1:21).
28 This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgement,
For I would have denied God who is above (Job 31:28).
1 The Job answered the LORD and said: 'I know that You can do everything,
and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You' (Job 42:1-2).
28 And to man He said, 'Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
and to depart from evil is understanding' (Job 28:28).
What is interesting about Job 28:28 is that Job said that this is what God said to man
and there is no record of this being said in Genesis (which is the primary biblical book
with information prior to the story of Job), thus this verse proves that God spoke to
humankind prior to Moses in at least one way that was not recorded in Genesis.
Thus this refutes the argument that none prior to Mount Sinai could have known what
the commandments were! If there were no commandments in effect, how could denying
God be an iniquity deserving of judgement?
Commandment 2:
4 "You shall not make for yourself a carved image -- any likeness of anything that is
in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth;
5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous
God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations
of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep
My commandments. (Exodus 20:4-6)
The Book of Job states:
27 If I have observed the sun when it shines, or the moon moving in its brightness,
so that my heart has been secretly enticed, and my mouth has kissed my hand;
28 This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgement,
For I would have denied God who is above (Job 31:27-28).
Observing of the sun and moon, whereby one is enticed, as well kissing one's own hand,
are believed by most commentators to have been practices associated with idolatry.
an iniquity deserving of judgement
Commandment 3:
7 "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord
will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. (Exodus 20:7)
The Book of Job states:
5 It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts (Job 1:5).
21 Blessed be the name of the LORD (Job 1:21).
9 Curse God and die! (Job 2:9).
10 In all this, Job did not sin with his lips (Job 2:10).
The third commandment is clearly shown in Job to have been understood.
It is clear that before Mount Sinai one could 'sin with his lips,' and that 'sin' was
known to exist then (after Mount Sinai, God did tell the Israelites that the people
who used to live in the land sinned by violating this command, Leviticus 18:21,27).
21And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech,
neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the Lord.
26Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit
any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that
sojourneth among you: 27(For all these abominations have the men of the land done,
which were before you, and the land is defiled . Leviticus 18:21,27
Commandment 4:
8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all
your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall
do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your
female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six
days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and
rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
(Exodus 20:8-11)
The Book of Job states:
13 So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no
one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great (Job 2:13).
Job 2:13 supports the concept that the week was being observed prior to Mount Sinai.
It is consistent with the two accounts in Genesis that a week was used as a period of
rejoicing (Gen 29:22,27-28) and grieving (Genesis 50:10).
1 Is there not a time of hard service for man on the earth (Job 7:1).
Job 7:1 supports the concept of "six days shall you labor" (Exodus 20:8)
which is part of the fourth commandment.
5 That the triumping of the wicked is short...
20 Because he knows no quietness in his heart (Job 20:5,20).
Job 20:20 supports the concept found in Hebrews 4:3-6
that those do who disobey "shall not enter My rest."
21 Now aquaint yourself with Him, and be at peace (Job 22:21).
Where as Job 22:21 supports the related concept that "we who believed do enter
that rest...There remains therefore a rest (Greek sabbitismos, 'a sabbath observance')
for the people of God" (Hebrews 4:3,9).
4 Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth? (Job 38:4).
In Job 38:4, God says He 'laid the foundations of the earth' which is similar to the
concept in Exodus 20:11 'For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth,
the sea, and all that is in them'. Thus in Job we see the nearly all the concepts of the
fourth commandment.
Commandment 5:
12 "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land
which the Lord your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12)
The Book of Job states:
21 His sons come to honor (Job 14:21).
5 He who speaks flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children will fail (Job 17:5).
8 But the mighty man possessed the land, and the honorable man dwelt in it (Job 22:8).
These verses support the concept that one is to be honorable, children are to honor their
father, and that the children are to become honorable, whereas the fifth commandment
says to give honor (Exodus 20:12) which implies that parents are to be honorable.
Commandment 6:
13 "You shall not murder. (Exodus 20:13)
The Book of Job states:
14 The murderer rises with the light; He kills the poor and needy;
And in the night he's like a thief (Job 24:14).
39 If I have eaten its fruit without money, or caused its owners to lose their lives;
40 Then let thistles grow instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley (Job 31:39-40).
These scriptures clearly support the concept that Job and his companions considered murder
to be wrong. Job 24:14 is similar to a teaching by Jesus tieing in murder and thievery together:
10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. (John 10:10).
Job knew of this connection thousands of years before Jesus stated it as recorded by John.
Commandment 7:
14 "You shall not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14)
The Book of Job states:
15 The eye of the adulterer waits for the twilight, saying, 'No eye will see me';
and he disguises his face (Job 24:15).
1 I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?
(Job 31:1).
9 "If my heart has been enticed by a woman, Or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door,
10 Then let my wife grind for another, And let others bow down over her. 11 For that would
be wickedness; Yes, it would be iniquity deserving of judgment. 12 For that would be a fire
that consumes to destruction, And would root out all my increase. (Job 31:9-12).
These scriptures clearly support the concept that Job and his companions knew adultery
was prohibited and an 'iniquity deserving of judgement.'
Commandment 8:
15 "You shall not steal. (Exodus 20:15)
The Book of Job states:
5 Is not your wickedness great, and your iniquity without end? 6 For you have taken pledges
from your brother for no reason, and stripped the naked of their clothing (Job 22:5-6).
14 And in the night he's like a thief (Job 24:14).
39 If I have eaten its fruit without money, or caused its owners to lose their lives;
40 Then let thistles grow instead of wheat, and weeds instead of barley (Job 31:39-40).
These scriptures clearly support the concept that Job and his companions
considered stealing to be wrong.
Commandment 9:
16 "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (Exodus 20:16)
The Book of Job states:
28 I would never lie to your face (Job 6:28).
15:35 They conceive trouble and bring forth futility; Their womb prepares deceit.
24:25 Now if it is not so, who will prove me a liar and make my speech worth nothing?
27:4 My lips will not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit (Job 27:4).
34:6 Should I lie concerning my right? (Job 34:6).
36:4 For truly my words are not false (Job 36:4).
These scriptures clearly support the concept that Job and his companions
considered 'bearing false witness' to be wrong.
Commandment 10:
17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife,
nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything
that is your neighbor's." (Exodus 20:17)
The Book of Job states:
2 And envy slays a simple one (Job 5:2).
12 Why does your heart carry you away, and what do your eyes wink at, that you turn
your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth? (Job 15:12-13).
15:1 They conceive trouble and bring forth futility (Job 15:35).
31:1 I have made a covenant with my eyes; Why then should I look upon a young woman?
9 "If my heart has been enticed by a woman, Or if I have lurked at my neighbor's door,
10 Then let my wife grind for another, And let others bow down over her. 11 For that
would be wickedness; Yes, it would be iniquity deserving of judgment. 12 For that would
be a fire that consumes to destruction, And would root out all my increase. (Job 31:9-12).
These scriptures clearly support the concept that Job and his companions considered
covetousness (or evil desire) to be wrong. Since Paul wrote, "I would not have known
sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law
had said, 'You shall not covet.' " (Rom 7:7), it is clear that the law against covetousness
must have been in effect prior to Mount Sinai.