Job 21:21

21:21 For what is his interest ¹  in his home

after his death, ² 

when the number of his months

has been broken off? ³ 

Job 42:11

42:11 So they came to him, all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and they dined ⁴  with him in his house. They comforted him and consoled him for all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver ⁵  and a gold ring. ⁶ 

[21:21]  ¹ tn Heb “his desire.” The meaning is that after he is gone he does not care about what happens to his household (“house” meaning “family” here).

[21:21]  ² tn Heb “after him,” but clearly the meaning is “after he is gone.”

[21:21]  ³ tc The rare word חֻצָּצוּ (khutsatsu) is probably a cognate of hassa in Arabic, meaning “to cut off.” There is also an Akkadian word “to cut in two” and “to break.” These fit the context here rather well. The other Hebrew words that are connected to the root חָצַצ (khatsats) do not offer any help.

[42:11]  ⁴ tn Heb “ate bread.”

[42:11]  ⁵ tn The Hebrew word קְשִׂיטָה (qÿsitah) is generally understood to refer to a unit of money, but the value is unknown.

[42:11]  ⁶ sn This gold ring was worn by women in the nose, or men and women in the ear.