Job 3:8

Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.

Let them curse {H5344} it that curse {H779} the day {H3117}, who are ready {H6264} to raise up {H5782} their mourning {H3882}.

may those who curse days curse it, those who[se curses] could rouse Livyatan;

May it be cursed by those who curse the dayโ€” those prepared to rouse Leviathan.

Let them curse it that curse the day, Who are ready to rouse up leviathan.

Commentary

In Job 3:8, Job continues his intense lament, wishing for the complete annihilation of the day of his birth. This verse is a dramatic plea for darkness and oblivion to consume that significant day, illustrating the profound depth of his despair and suffering.

Context

This verse is part of Job's initial outburst of grief and frustration, following the devastating loss of his children, wealth, and health. After seven days of silent mourning with his friends, Job breaks his silence in Chapter 3, not with a prayer or a question, but with a curse against the day he was born. His words are not merely a wish for death, but a desire for his very existence to be retroactively undone, invoking powerful, even mythical, entities to ensure that day is forever marked by darkness and sorrow. This raw expression of agony sets the stage for the extensive theological discussions that follow in the book of Job concerning the nature of suffering and divine justice.

Key Themes

  • Profound Despair: Job's language reflects an overwhelming and comprehensive sorrow, wishing for the erasure of his very beginning. It's a wish for non-existence rather than continued suffering.
  • The Power of Curses: The phrase "Let them curse it that curse the day" alludes to ancient beliefs in the efficacy of curses and perhaps to professional sorcerers or those believed to have power over cosmic events.
  • Cosmic Imagery and Chaos: The invocation of those "ready to raise up their mourning" carries significant ancient Near Eastern mythological undertones, connecting Job's personal agony to forces of primordial chaos.

Linguistic Insights

The KJV phrase "who are ready to raise up their mourning" translates a Hebrew phrase that has been a subject of much scholarly discussion. The Hebrew word for "mourning" here is Livyatan (ืœึดื•ึฐื™ึธืชึธืŸ), commonly translated as "Leviathan." In this context, some interpretations suggest Job is invoking those who are capable of stirring up this mythical sea monster, a symbol of chaos and primeval darkness. This adds a layer of ancient cosmology, implying a desire for the day of his birth to be consumed by such chaos, similar to how God is depicted as conquering Leviathan in other biblical texts. It portrays Job's wish for his birth day to be utterly blotted out by forces associated with ultimate disorder.

Practical Application

Job's extreme lament, while specific to his unique and intense suffering, resonates with the universal human experience of profound grief and questioning. It reminds us that the Bible does not shy away from portraying the raw, unfiltered emotions of despair, even to the point of cursing one's own existence. For those undergoing severe trials, this verse validates the depth of their pain and the natural human tendency to question and lament. While Job's initial response is one of despair, the broader narrative of the book of Job ultimately points towards persevering through inexplicable suffering and finding renewed trust in God's sovereignty, as seen in Job's earlier, more pious declaration, "The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away." This verse, however, captures the agonizing reality of human suffering before the light of acceptance may break through.

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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated โ€” the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Job 41:1

    ยถ Canst thou draw out leviathan with an hook? or his tongue with a cord [which] thou lettest down?

  • Job 41:10

    None [is so] fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?

  • Job 41:25

    When he raiseth up himself, the mighty are afraid: by reason of breakings they purify themselves.

  • Matthew 11:17

    And saying, We have piped unto you, and ye have not danced; we have mourned unto you, and ye have not lamented.

  • Mark 5:38

    And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly.

  • Amos 5:16

    ยถ Therefore the LORD, the God of hosts, the Lord, saith thus; Wailing [shall be] in all streets; and they shall say in all the highways, Alas! alas! and they shall call the husbandman to mourning, and such as are skilful of lamentation to wailing.

  • 2 Chronicles 35:25

    And Jeremiah lamented for Josiah: and all the singing men and the singing women spake of Josiah in their lamentations to this day, and made them an ordinance in Israel: and, behold, they [are] written in the lamentations.
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