Job 24:21

24:21 He preys on the barren and childless woman,

and does not treat the widow well.


tc The form in the text is the active participle, “feed; graze; shepherd.” The idea of “prey” is not natural to it. R. Gordis (Job, 270) argues that third he (ה) verbs are often by-forms of geminate verbs, and so the meaning here is more akin to רָעַע (raa’, “to crush”). The LXX seems to have read something like הֵרַע (hera’, “oppressed”).

tn Heb “the childless [woman], she does not give birth.” The verbal clause is intended to serve as a modifier here for the woman. See on subordinate verbal clauses GKC 490 §156.d, f.