New King James Version
Job 3:8
8May those curse it who curse the day, Those who are ready to arouse 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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Let those curse it who curse the day, who are ready to rouse up 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
6As for that night, may darkness seize it; May it not rejoice among the days of the year, May it not come into the number of the months. 7Oh, may that night be barren! May no joyful shout come into it! May those curse it who curse the day, Those who are ready to arouse Leviathan. 9May the stars of its morning be dark; May it look for light, but have none, And not see the dawning of the day; 10Because it did not shut up the doors of my mother’s womb, Nor hide sorrow 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 lamented for Josiah. And to this day all the singing men and the singing women speak of Josiah in their lamentations. They made it a custom in Israel; and indeed they are written in the Laments.
- Jeremiah 9:17Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Consider and call for the mourning women, That they may come; And send for skillful wailing women, That they may come.
- Amos 5:16Therefore the Lord God of hosts, the Lord, says this: “There shall be wailing in all streets, And they shall say in all the highways, ‘Alas! Alas!’ They shall call the farmer to mourning, And skillful lamenters to wailing.
- Matthew 11:17and saying: ‘We played the flute for you, And you did not dance; We mourned to you, And you did not lament.’
- Mark 5:38Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly.
- Job 41:1“Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook, Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower?
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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries