Curses
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In the biblical context, curses are solemn utterances intended to invoke a supernatural power to inflict harm or punishment on someone or something. The concept of curses is woven throughout the Scriptures, reflecting both divine judgment and human invocation of harm.

Old Testament Context

Curses in the Old Testament often appear as a consequence of disobedience to God's commandments. In Deuteronomy 28, God sets forth blessings for obedience and curses for disobedience. The chapter outlines various curses that would befall the Israelites if they turned away from God, including disease, defeat, and exile. Deuteronomy 28:15 states, "But if you do not obey the LORD your God by carefully following all His commandments and statutes I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you."

The first curse recorded in the Bible is found in Genesis 3, where God curses the serpent, the ground, and pronounces consequences upon Adam and Eve following the Fall. Genesis 3:14-17 details these curses, highlighting the introduction of pain, toil, and mortality into human experience.

Curses also appear in the form of imprecations, where individuals call down divine judgment upon others. For example, in Numbers 22-24, Balak, the king of Moab, hires Balaam to curse the Israelites. However, God intervenes, and Balaam ends up blessing Israel instead.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, the concept of curses shifts focus with the advent of Christ. Jesus Christ, through His sacrificial death, becomes a curse for humanity to redeem them from the curse of the Law. Galatians 3:13 states, "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us. For it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.'"

The New Testament also warns against the misuse of curses. James 3:9-10 admonishes believers about the power of the tongue, stating, "With the tongue we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, this should not be!"

Theological Implications

Curses in the Bible underscore the seriousness of sin and the holiness of God. They serve as a reminder of the consequences of turning away from God's commandments. However, through Christ, believers are offered redemption and freedom from the ultimate curse of sin and death.

The Bible also emphasizes the power of words and the responsibility of believers to use their speech to bless rather than curse. This reflects a broader biblical principle of love and forgiveness, encouraging believers to leave judgment to God.

Practical Considerations

In practical terms, Christians are encouraged to focus on blessings rather than curses, reflecting the transformative power of the Gospel. The call to love one's enemies and pray for those who persecute (Matthew 5:44) stands in stark contrast to the invocation of curses, highlighting the radical nature of Christian love and forgiveness.

Overall, while curses are a significant biblical theme, the redemptive work of Christ offers a path to overcome the power of curses, emphasizing grace, mercy, and the hope of eternal life.
Greek
332. anathematizo -- to declare anathema, devote to destruction
... destruction. Part of Speech: Verb Transliteration: anathematizo Phonetic Spelling:
(an-ath-em-at-id'-zo) Short Definition: I curse, invoke curses Definition: I ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/332.htm - 7k

1944. epikataratos -- accursed
... destruction. Word Origin from epikataraomai (to invoke curses on) Definition
accursed NASB Word Usage cursed (2). accursed. From ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/1944.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew
779. arar -- to curse
... curse NASB Word Usage brings a curse (6), curse (8), curse is cursed (1), cursed
(40), cursed be those who curse (1), cursed is everyone who curses (1), cursed ...
/hebrew/779.htm - 6k

7043. qalal -- to be slight, swift or trifling
... swift or trifling NASB Word Usage abated (2), accursed (1), brought a curse (1),
contempt (1), contemptible (1), curse (15), cursed (16), curses (8), cursing (2 ...
/hebrew/7043.htm - 6k

3994. meerah -- a curse
... Word Origin from the same as arar Definition a curse NASB Word Usage curse (3),
curses (2). curse. From 'arar; an execration -- curse. see HEBREW 'arar. ...
/hebrew/3994.htm - 6k

7045. qelalah -- a curse
... Word Origin from qalal Definition a curse NASB Word Usage accursed (1), curse
(27), curses (2), cursing (3), imprecation (2). accursed,. ...
/hebrew/7045.htm - 6k

423. alah -- an oath
... Word Origin from alah Definition an oath NASB Word Usage adjuration (1), curse
(12), curses (6), oath (13). curse, cursing, execration, oath, swearing. ...
/hebrew/423.htm - 6k

1288. barak -- to kneel, bless
... those who bless (1), blessed is everyone who blesses (1), blesses (10), blessing
(1), boast (1), congratulates (1), curse (3), cursed (3), curses (1), greatly ...
/hebrew/1288.htm - 6k

Library

Whether it is Lawful to Curse Anyone?
... Objection 3: Further, he that curses another would seem to wish him some evil either
of fault or of punishment, since a curse appears to be a kind of ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/aquinas/summa theologica/whether it is lawful to 13.htm

David's Anger
... of David; that in order to prove them inspired, I ignored an element in them which
is plainly uninspired, wrong, and offensive; namely, the curses which he ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/david/sermon iii davids anger.htm

Listen Also to what I have to Say on this Other Expression which ...
... brought up with the Egyptians were thus severely pressed by the restrictive power
of the law, and they were unable to bear the penalties and the curses of the ...
/.../31 listen also to what.htm

Lo! Death for us on Satan, Inflicts Vengeance
... ministers."10. Manifold are Thy curses, and how shall I count them? Lo!
the sum of all thy curses, is on thy members."11. The evil ...
/.../ephraim/hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn lix lo death for.htm

Blessing and Cursing
... unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his
statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon ...
/.../kingsley/town and country sermons/sermon xi blessing and cursing.htm

Man's Misery by the Fall
... says, There remains nothing but a fearful looking for of fiery indignation.' Hebrews
10: While children of wrath we are heirs to all God's curses.' Galatians 3 ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a body of divinity/4 mans misery by the.htm

1 Timothy ii. 4-Jan
... [1162] Let not the tongue that has touched the Lord's Body utter anything offensive,
let it be kept pure, let not curses be borne upon it. ...
/.../homily vi 1 timothy ii.htm

The Difference of Some Customs of the Galileans from those of ...
... And in the same text is added, "If any vows generally by curses, he is loosed in
Judea; he is bound in Galilee, because the Galileans do not know the curses of ...
/.../lightfoot/from the talmud and hebraica/chapter 86 the difference of.htm

Concerning Satan and Death
... whole, am exceeding powerful."7. D., The Evil One prevails not over all those that
revile him: but for me he that has cursed me and he that curses me, come ...
/.../hymns and homilies of ephraim the syrian/hymn lii concerning satan and.htm

To the Rev. A. Brandram
... SPECIMENS OF THE HORRID CURSES IN USE AMONGST THE SPANISH GYPSIES. [Here follow
sixteen of these 'curses,' to each of which is added a rendering in English.]. ...
/.../borrow/letters of george borrow/to the rev a brandram 5.htm

Thesaurus
Curses (55 Occurrences)
...Curses (55 Occurrences). ... Matthew 26:74 Then with curses and oaths he declared, "I
do not know the man." Immediately a cock crowed, (WEY BBE NIV). ...
/c/curses.htm - 22k

Cursed (115 Occurrences)
... 1 Corinthians 4:12 And with our hands we do the hardest work: when they give us
curses we give blessings, when we undergo punishment we take it quietly; (See ...
/c/cursed.htm - 38k

Curse (211 Occurrences)
... Prophetical curses were sometimes pronounced by holy men (Genesis 9:25;
49:7; Deuteronomy 27:15; Joshua 6:26). Such curses are not ...
/c/curse.htm - 46k

Oaths (49 Occurrences)
... RSV NIV). Matthew 26:74 Then with curses and oaths he declared, "I do not
know the man." Immediately a cock crowed, (WEY BBE). Mark 6 ...
/o/oaths.htm - 21k

Blesses (18 Occurrences)
... Be lord over your brothers. Let your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone
who curses you. ... Everyone who curses you is cursed." (WEB NAS RSV). ...
/b/blesses.htm - 11k

Blessings (45 Occurrences)
... David.' (WEB ASV NAS RSV NIV). Romans 12:14 Invoke blessings on your
persecutors--blessings, not curses. (WEY). Romans 15:27 Yes, they ...
/b/blessings.htm - 19k

Josiah (51 Occurrences)
... It was a book in which were commands of Yahweh that had long been unknown or
disregarded, and along with these, fearful curses to follow the infraction of them ...
/j/josiah.htm - 42k

Peoples (305 Occurrences)
... (BBE). Genesis 12:3 I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him
who curses you. All ... you. Cursed be everyone who curses you. ...
/p/peoples.htm - 37k

Recorded (141 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 29:20 The Lord will have no mercy on him, but the wrath of the Lord
will be burning against that man, and all the curses recorded in this book will ...
/r/recorded.htm - 39k

Disaster (131 Occurrences)
... Deuteronomy 29:21 Yahweh will set him apart to evil out of all the tribes of Israel,
according to all the curses of the covenant that is written in this book ...
/d/disaster.htm - 36k

Resources
What are the curses God promised Israel for disobedience? | GotQuestions.org

What does the Bible say about breaking generational curses? | GotQuestions.org

What is the significance of Mount Ebal in the Bible? | GotQuestions.org

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Concordance
Curses (55 Occurrences)

Matthew 15:4
For God commanded,'Honor your father and your mother,' and,'He who speaks evil of father or mother, let him be put to death.'
(See NIV)

Matthew 26:74
Then with curses and oaths he declared, "I do not know the man." Immediately a cock crowed,
(WEY BBE NIV)

Mark 7:10
For Moses said, 'Honour thy father and thy mother' and again, 'He who curses father or mother, let him die the death.'
(WEY NIV)

Mark 14:71
But he broke out into curses and oaths, declaring, "I know nothing of the man you are talking about."
(WEY BBE NIV)

Luke 6:28
Give blessing to those who give you curses, say prayers for those who are cruel to you.
(BBE)

Romans 3:14
Whose mouth is full of curses and bitter words:
(BBE RSV)

Romans 12:14
Invoke blessings on your persecutors--blessings, not curses.
(WEY BBE)

1 Corinthians 4:12
And with our hands we do the hardest work: when they give us curses we give blessings, when we undergo punishment we take it quietly;
(BBE)

Colossians 3:8
But now it is right for you to put away all these things; wrath, passion, bad feeling, curses, unclean talk;
(BBE)

Genesis 12:3
I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you. All of the families of the earth will be blessed in you."
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)

Genesis 27:29
Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers. Let your mother's sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you. Blessed be everyone who blesses you."
(WEB RSV)

Exodus 21:17
"Anyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 20:9
"'For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death: he has cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)

Leviticus 24:11
And the son of the Israelite woman said evil against the holy Name, with curses; and they took him to Moses. His mother's name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.
(BBE)

Leviticus 24:15
You shall speak to the children of Israel, saying,'Whoever curses his God shall bear his sin.
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 5:23
"'The priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out into the water of bitterness.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Numbers 23:7
And in the words which the Lord had given him he said, From Aram Balak has sent for me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East: come, put curses on Jacob for me and be angry with Israel.
(BBE)

Numbers 23:8
How may I put curses on him who is not cursed by God? how may I be angry with him with whom the Lord is not angry?
(BBE)

Numbers 23:13
And Balak said to him, Come with me now into another place from which you will not be able to see them all, but only the outskirts of them; and you will send curses on them from there.
(BBE)

Numbers 24:9
He couched, he lay down as a lion, as a lioness; who shall rouse him up? Everyone who blesses you is blessed. Everyone who curses you is cursed."
(WEB NAS RSV)

Deuteronomy 11:29
And it shall come to pass, when the LORD thy God shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalt set the blessing upon mount Gerizim, and the curse upon mount Ebal.
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 23:4
Because they gave you no bread or water on your way, when you came out of Egypt: and they got Balaam, the son of Peor, from Pethor in Aram-naharaim to put curses on you.
(BBE)

Deuteronomy 27:13
and these shall stand upon mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 28:15
But it shall come to pass, if you will not listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command you this day, that all these curses shall come on you, and overtake you.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 28:20
The LORD will send upon thee cursing, discomfiture, and rebuke, in all that thou puttest thy hand unto to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the evil of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken Me.
(See NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 28:45
All these curses shall come on you, and shall pursue you, and overtake you, until you are destroyed; because you didn't listen to the voice of Yahweh your God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded you:
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 29:20
The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.
(KJV BBE WBS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 29:21
Yahweh will set him apart to evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that is written in this book of the law.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 29:27
And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book:
(KJV WBS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 30:1
And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt bethink thyself among all the nations, whither the LORD thy God hath driven thee,
(See NIV)

Deuteronomy 30:7
Yahweh your God will put all these curses on your enemies, and on those who hate you, who persecuted you.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Deuteronomy 30:19
I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before thee life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore choose life, that thou mayest live, thou and thy seed;
(See NIV)

Joshua 8:34
And afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law.
(See NIV)

1 Samuel 17:43
And the Philistine said to David, Am I a dog, that you come out to me with sticks? And the Philistine put curses on David by all his gods.
(BBE)

2 Samuel 16:5
And when King David came to Bahurim, a man of Saul's family named Shimei, the son of Gera, came out from there, calling curses after him.
(BBE)

2 Samuel 16:7
And Shimei said, with curses, Be gone, be gone, you man of blood, you good-for-nothing:
(BBE)

2 Samuel 16:10
The king said, "What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because Yahweh has said to him,'Curse David;' who then shall say,'Why have you done so?'"
(WEB NAS)

1 Kings 2:8
And, behold, there is with thee Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite, of Bahurim, who cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim; but he came down to meet me at the Jordan, and I swore to him by the LORD, saying: I will not put thee to death with the sword.
(See NIV)

2 Chronicles 34:24
Thus says Yahweh, Behold, I will bring evil on this place, and on its inhabitants, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah.
(WEB KJV JPS ASV BBE DBY WBS NAS RSV NIV)

Nehemiah 13:25
And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God: 'Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons, or for yourselves.
(See NIV)

Psalms 10:3
For the wicked boasts of his heart's cravings. He blesses the greedy, and condemns Yahweh.
(See NAS RSV)

Psalms 10:7
His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue is mischief and iniquity.
(See NAS NIV)

Psalms 37:22
For such as are blessed of Him shall inherit the land; and they that are cursed of Him shall be cut off.
(See NIV)

Psalms 59:7
See, hate is dropping from their lips; curses are on their tongues: they say, Who gives attention to it?
(BBE)

Psalms 59:12
For the sin of their mouth, and the words of their lips, let them be caught in their pride, for the curses and lies which they utter.
(WEB BBE NAS NIV)

Psalms 109:17
Yea, he loved cursing, and it came unto him; and he delighted not in blessing, and it is far from him.
(See RSV)

Psalms 109:28
They may give curses but you give blessing; when they come up against me, put them to shame; but let your servant be glad.
(BBE)

Proverbs 20:20
Whoever curses his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in blackness of darkness.
(WEB NAS RSV NIV)

Proverbs 28:27
One who gives to the poor has no lack; but one who closes his eyes will have many curses.
(WEB BBE YLT NAS NIV)

Proverbs 30:11
There is a generation that curses their father, and doesn't bless their mother.
(WEB NAS)

Ecclesiastes 7:21
Do not give ear to all the words which men say, for fear of hearing the curses of your servant.
(BBE)

Isaiah 51:7
Give ear to me, you who have knowledge of righteousness, in whose heart is my law; have no fear of the evil words of men, and give no thought to their curses.
(BBE)

Jeremiah 11:8
But they gave no attention and did not give ear, but they went on, every man in the pride of his evil heart: so I sent on them all the curses in this agreement, which I gave them orders to keep, but they did not.
(BBE NIV)

Jeremiah 15:10
Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have not lent, neither have men lent to me; yet every one of them doth curse me.
(See NAS NIV)

Daniel 9:11
And all Israel have been sinners against your law, turning away so as not to give ear to your voice: and the curse has been let loose on us, and the oath recorded in the law of Moses, the servant of God, for we have done evil against him.
(See NIV)

Subtopics

Curses

Related Terms

Curseth (11 Occurrences)

Curses (55 Occurrences)

Mightier (21 Occurrences)

Blessest (5 Occurrences)

Wot (10 Occurrences)

Peradventure (35 Occurrences)

Smite (230 Occurrences)

Cursers
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