Directions

Job complains that he can't find God; he goes east, west, north, and south, but no God. Job is an ancient story. How long have there been four main directions?

There are an infinite number of directions. I understand the concept of east and west; sunrise and sunset are important daily events everywhere. For someone living in or near arctic regions, south and north would have similar annual importance. Did this concept of north and south migrate with some early nomads to more temperate regions?

Or is perpendicularity a human condition. One etymology of north suggests that it comes from the word for "left" and speculates that the concept derives from facing a rising sun. Right hand, left hand: I suppose these concepts are as natural as rising and setting sun. Is that the connection? Why do we reduce an infinite number of directions to just four?

While on directions, what about the "four corners of the earth"? It assumes a flat earth, of course, and predates awareness of our globe. But I wonder how people perceived this: if they have four directions, are the corners in those directions? Or would those directions have "end zones" perpendicular to the direction? Was flat earth a diamond or a square?