Job 3:8

8 May those who curse days[a] curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.

Job 3:8 in Other Translations

King James Version (KJV)
8 Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.
English Standard Version (ESV)
8 Let those curse it who curse the day, who are ready to rouse up Leviathan.
New Living Translation (NLT)
8 Let those who are experts at cursing— whose cursing could rouse Leviathan — curse that day.
The Message Bible (MSG)
8 May those who are good at cursing curse that day. Unleash the sea beast, Leviathan, on it.
American Standard Version (ASV)
8 Let them curse it that curse the day, Who are ready to rouse up leviathan.
GOD'S WORD Translation (GW)
8 Let those who curse the day (those who know how to wake up Leviathan ) curse that night.
Holman Christian Standard Bible (CSB)
8 Let those who curse [certain] days cast a spell on it, those who are skilled in rousing Leviathan.
New International Reader's Version (NIRV)
8 May people call down a curse on that day. May those who are ready to wake up the sea monster Leviathan curse that day.

Job 3:8 Meaning and Commentary

Job 3:8

Let them curse it that curse the day
Their own day, either their birthday, or any day on which evil befalls them; and now such as are used to this, Job would have them, while they were cursing their own day, to throw some curses upon his; or that curse the daylight in general, as adulterers and murderers, who are said to rebel against the light, see ( Job 24:13 Job 24:17 ) ; and as some Ethiopians, who lived near Arabia, and so known to Job, who supposed there was no God, and used to curse the sun when it rose and set, as various writers relate F7, called by others F8 Atlantes; or it may design such persons who were hired at funerals, to mourn for the dead, and who, in their doleful ditties and dirges, used to curse the day on which the person was born whom they lamented; or it may be rather the day on which he died; hence it follows:

who are ready to raise up their mourning;
who were expert at the business, and who could raise up a howl, as the Irish now do, or make a lamentation for the dead when they pleased; such were the mourning women in ( Jeremiah 9:17 Jeremiah 9:18 ) ; and those that were skilful of lamentation, ( Amos 5:16 ) ; some render the words, "who are ready to raise up Leviathan" {i}, and interpret it either of the whale, which, when raised up by the fishermen, they are in danger of their vessels being overturned, and their lives lost, and then they curse the day that ever they entered into such service, and exposed themselves to such danger; or of fish in general, and of fishermen cursing and swearing when they are unsuccessful: some understand this of astrologers, magicians, and enchanters, raising spirits, and particularly the devil, who they think is meant by Leviathan; but it seems best with a little alteration from Gussetius, and Schultens after him, to render the words thus,

``let the cursers of the day fix a name upon it; let those that are ready "to anything, call it" the raiser up of Leviathan;''

that is, let such who either of themselves are used to curse days, or are employed by others to do it, brand this night with some mark of infamy; let them ascribe all dreadful calamities and dismal things unto it, as the source and spring of them; which may be signified by Leviathan, that being a creature most formidable and terrible, of which an account is given in the latter part of this book; but many Jewish writers F11 render it "mourning", as we do.


FOOTNOTES:

F7 Diodor. Sic. l. 3. p. 148. Strabo, Geograph. l. 17. P. 565.
F8 Herodot. Melpomene, sive, l. 4. c. 184. Mela de Situ Orbis, l. 1. c. 8. Solin. Polyhistor, c. 44. Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 5. c. 8.
F9 (Ntywl) "Leviathanem", Schmidt, Michaelis. Mr. Broughton renders the words, "who hunt Leviathan."
F11 Vid. Aben Ezram & Gersom in loc. R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 1. 1. Aruch in voce (tywl) . So the word is used, T. Hieros. Moed Katon, fol. 80. 4.

Job 3:8 In-Context

6 That 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.
7 May that night be barren; may no shout of joy be heard in it.
8 May those who curse days curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.
9 May its morning stars become dark; may it wait for daylight in vain and not see the first rays of dawn,
10 for it did not shut the doors of the womb on me to hide trouble from my eyes.

Cross References 2

  • 1. Job 10:18; Jeremiah 20:14
  • 2. S Genesis 1:21; Job 41:1,8,10,25; Psalms 74:14; Psalms 104:26

Footnotes 1

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