Job 21:21 Meaning and Explanation
“For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →Job argues a man feels nothing of his household's fate once his own life is cut short, so deferred punishment touches him little.
What Does Job 21:21 Mean?
Job completes his argument about delayed justice. A man takes no pleasure or pain in what happens to his house once he is dead and his allotted months are cut off. Therefore, Job reasons, punishing a sinner's children does not truly reach the sinner himself.
Beneath the argument lies a sober truth about mortality: a man's days are numbered and cut off, and he carries nothing earthly beyond them. This is why Job keeps pressing toward a justice that meets each person directly. It also quietly turns the heart toward eternity, for if reckoning is to be real, it must reach beyond the grave, into the hands of the God who holds the number of our months and the destiny of every soul.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 21:21
What does Job 21:21 mean?
Job argues a man feels nothing of his household's fate once his own life is cut short, so deferred punishment touches him little.