Job 3:8

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.
• English Standard Version (ESV)Let those curse it who curse the day, who are ready to rouse up 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—may thick darkness seize it; may it not be included among the days of the year nor be entered in any of the months. 7May that night be barren; may no shout of joy be heard in it. May those who curse days curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan. 9May its morning stars become dark; may it wait for daylight in vain and not see the first rays of dawn, 10for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me to hide trouble from my eyes.

Job 3:8 word by word

יִקְּבֻ֥הוּ אֹרְרֵי־י֑וֹם הָ֝עֲתִידִ֗ים עֹרֵ֥ר לִוְיָתָֽן׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Let them curseנָקַבnâqab · to pierceH5344
• it that curseאָרַר'ârar · to curseH779
• the dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
• who are readyעָתִיד‛âthîyd · readyH6264
• to raise upעוּר‛ûr · to rouseH5782
• their mourningלִוְיָתָןlivyâthân · LeviathanH3882

Cross-references for Job 3:8

• 2 Chronicles 35:25Jeremiah composed laments for Josiah, and to this day all the male and female singers commemorate Josiah in the laments. These became a tradition in Israel and are written in the Laments.
• Jeremiah 9:17This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Consider now! Call for the wailing women to come; send for the most skillful of them.
• Amos 5:16Therefore this is what the Lord, the Lord God Almighty, says: “There will be wailing in all the streets and cries of anguish in every public square. The farmers will be summoned to weep and the mourners to wail.
• Matthew 11:17“ ‘We played the pipe for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’
• Mark 5:38When they came to the home of the synagogue leader, Jesus saw a commotion, with people crying and wailing loudly.
• Job 41:1“Can you pull in Leviathan with a fishhook or tie down its tongue with a rope?

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

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Despondency
• Prayer

In the dictionaries

• Above
• Dig
• Leviathan
• Poetry
• Roaring
• Safety
• Solitary
• Astronomy
• Job, Book of
• Magic; Magician

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