The prosperity of the wicked is a clear sign of divine injustice in biblical and ancient Near Eastern literature and is a major factor in Job challenging the traditional wisdom view regarding the righteous judgment of God. The language and imagery used by the author of Job to depict the prosperity of the wicked correspond to language and imagery utilized to discuss similar topics in other ancient Near Eastern literature—namely, Ludlul bel nemeqi, The Babylonian Theodicy, The Dialogue of Pessimism, and other compositions. This paper provides examples of how the language and imagery of the book of Job and other ancient Near Eastern literature illustrate the prosperity of the wicked. I conclude with suggestions concerning what can be learned by reading these compositions in conjunction with one another.
