Land of Uz
The Land of Uz (Hebrew: ארץ עוץ) is a location mentioned in the Old Testament, most prominently in the Book of Job, which begins, "There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job".[1] Scholars have not identified any actual country which corresponds to Uz.
According to the Dead Sea document, The War Scroll, the land of Uz is mentioned as existing somewhere beyond the Euphrates possibly in relation to Aram. In Column 2 verse 11, it is noted, "they shall fight against the rest of the sons of Aramea: Uz, Hul, Togar, and Mesha, who are beyond the Euphrates."
Uz is sometimes identified with the kingdom of Edom, roughly in the area of modern-day southwestern Jordan and southern Israel.[2] Lamentations 4:21 reads: "Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz" Other locations proposed for Uz include more southern Arabia, especially Dhofar, said to be the home of the original Arabs;[3] Bashan in modern-day southern Syria/western Jordan; Arabia east of Petra, Jordan;[4] and even modern-day Uzbekistan.[5]
The name Uz is mentioned several times in the Bible. In Genesis, Uz is the son of Aram, a direct descendant of Shem.[6] In Genesis 36:28 and 1 Chronicles 1:42, Uz is a son of Dishan, and in 1 Chronicles 1:17, Uz is a son of Shem.
References
- ↑ Job 1:1
- ↑ "The Land of Uz" WebBible Encyclopedia
- ↑ G. Wyman Bury. The land of Uz. (1911 (original), 1998 reprint)
- ↑ "Where Was Uz?" by Wayne Blank, Daily Bible Study
- ↑ "Uzbekistan Is Book of Job Land of Uz Where Ice Age Climate Explains the Environment Described" by James I. Nienhuis, Dancing from Genesis
- ↑ Genesis 10:23
