8 They are soaked by mountain rains and huddle[a] in the rocks because they lack shelter. 9 The fatherless child is snatched[b] from the breast,[c] the infant of the poor is taken as a pledge.[d] 10 They go about naked, without clothing, and go hungry while they carry the sheaves.[e]
Job 24:9tn The verb with no expressed subject is here again taken in the passive: “they snatch” becomes “[child] is snatched.”
Job 24:9tn This word is usually defined as “violence; ruin.” But elsewhere it does mean “breast” (Isa 60:16; 66:11), and that is certainly what it means here.
Job 24:9tc The MT has a very brief and strange reading: “they take as a pledge upon the poor.” This could be taken as “they take a pledge against the poor” (ESV). Kamphausen suggested that instead of עַל (ʿal, “against”) one should read עוּל (ʿul, “suckling”). This is supported by the parallelism. “They take as pledge” is also made passive here.
Job 24:10sn The point should not be missed—amidst abundant harvests, carrying sheaves about, they are still going hungry.
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