English Standard Version
Job 3:8
8Let those curse it who curse the day, who are ready to rouse up Leviathan.
Job 3:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.
- New International Version (NIV)May those who curse days curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.
- New King James Version (NKJV)May those curse it who curse the day, Those who are ready to arouse Leviathan.
- New Living Translation (NLT)Let those who are experts at cursing— whose cursing could rouse Leviathan— curse that day.
Context of Job 3:8
6That night—let thick darkness seize it! Let it not rejoice among the days of the year; let it not come into the number of the months. 7Behold, let that night be barren; let no joyful cry enter it. Let those curse it who curse the day, who are ready to rouse up Leviathan. 9Let the stars of its dawn be dark; let it hope for light, but have none, nor see the eyelids of the morning, 10because it did not shut the doors of my mother's womb, nor hide trouble from my eyes.
Read all of Job 3Job 3:8 word by word
יִקְּבֻ֥הוּ אֹרְרֵי־י֑וֹם הָ֝עֲתִידִ֗ים עֹרֵ֥ר לִוְיָתָֽן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 3:8
- 2 Chronicles 35:25Jeremiah also uttered a lament for Josiah; and all the singing men and singing women have spoken of Josiah in their laments to this day. They made these a rule in Israel; behold, they are written in the Laments.
- Jeremiah 9:17Thus says the Lord of hosts: "Consider, and call for the mourning women to come; send for the skillful women to come;
- Amos 5:16Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of hosts, the Lord: "In all the squares there shall be wailing, and in all the streets they shall say, 'Alas! Alas!' They shall call the farmers to mourning and to wailing those who are skilled in lamentation,
- Matthew 11:17"'We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.'
- Mark 5:38They came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and Jesus saw a commotion, people weeping and wailing loudly.
- Job 41:1"Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook or press down his tongue with a cord?
Commentaries on Job 3:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8Let them curse it that curse the day - This translation is scarcely intelligible. I have waded through a multitude of interpretations, without being able to collect from them such a notion of the verse as could appear to me probable. Schultens, Rosenmller, and after them Mr. Good, have labored much to make it plain. They think the custom of sorcerers who had execrations for peoples, places, things, days, etc., is here referred to; such as Balaam, Elymas…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Let them curse it who curse the day - This entire verse is exceedingly difficult, and many different expositions have been given of it. It seems evident that it refers to some well-known class of persons, who were accustomed to utter imprecations, and were supposed to have the power to render a day propitious or unpropitious - persons who had the power of divination or enchantment. A belief in such a power existed early in the world, and has prevailed in…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 8The phrase those who curse the day refers to people paid to curse, like Balaam (Numbers 22–24).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 88. them ... curse the day--If "mourning" be the right rendering in the latter clause of this verse, these words refer to the hired mourners of the dead (Jr 9:17). But the Hebrew for "mourning" elsewhere always denotes an animal, whether it be the crocodile or some huge serpent (Is 27:1), such as is meant by "leviathan." Therefore, the expression, "cursers of day," refers to magicians, who were believed to be able by charms to make a day one of evil omen…Read the comment
Topics related to Job 3:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Job 3
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries