WG: Curse
Overview
The curse concept in Hebrew Scripture involves seven primary words — three verbs of cursing with distinct nuances, two curse-nouns, one indignation verb, and the antonym barak (bless) which frequently appears in formal opposition.
Word Group Members
| Strong's |
Word |
Transliteration |
POS |
Occurrences |
Role in Concept |
Library Entry |
| H779 |
אָרַר |
ʼârar |
verb |
52 |
Formal execration — covenant curse formula |
H779-arar.md |
| H7043 |
קָלַל |
qalal |
verb |
79 |
Make light of, belittle, curse (broader range) |
TODO(need H7043 study) |
| H6895 |
קָבַב |
qabab |
verb |
9 |
Pierce/scoop with words — Balaam narrative |
TODO(need H6895 study) |
| H423 |
אָלָה |
ʼalah |
noun |
32 |
Oath-imprecation, self-invoked curse |
H423-alah.md |
| H3994 |
מְאֵרָה |
meʼerah |
noun |
5 |
Abstract curse result (derived from ʼârar) |
TODO(need H3994 study) |
| H2194 |
זָעַם |
zaʻam |
verb |
11 |
Foam at mouth, be indignant, denounce |
TODO(need H2194 study) |
| H1288 |
בָּרַךְ |
barak |
verb |
289 |
Bless — polar antonym in curse-blessing pairs |
H1288-barak.md |
Relationships
Shared Roots
- ʼârar (H779) and meʼerah (H3994) — same root א-ר-ר; verb and derived noun
Co-occurrence (appear in same verses)
| Word A |
Word B |
Shared Verses |
Typical Context |
| ʼârar (H779) |
barak (H1288) |
6 |
Blessing-curse antithesis: Gen 12:3, Num 24:9 |
| qalal (H7043) |
barak (H1288) |
5 |
Gen 12:3 "curse him that curseth thee" |
| qabab (H6895) |
barak (H1288) |
3 |
Balaam oracle: Num 23:11, 23:25, 24:10 |
| ʼârar (H779) |
qalal (H7043) |
2 |
Gen 12:3 — both curse verbs in one verse |
| ʼârar (H779) |
meʼerah (H3994) |
2 |
Mal 2:2 — verb and noun together |
| qabab (H6895) |
zaʻam (H2194) |
1 |
Num 23:8 — "How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed?" |
| ʼârar (H779) |
ʼalah (H423) |
1 |
Num 5:27 — sotah ordeal combines curse-state with oath |
LXX Overlaps
| Hebrew Words |
Shared Greek |
Notes |
| ʼârar + qalal + qabab |
καταράομαι (G2672) |
Greek conflates three distinct Hebrew curse-verbs into one |
| ʼârar + qalal |
ἐπικατάρατος (G1944) |
Both can be rendered by this adjective |
| barak (antonym) + ʼârar |
εὐλογέω (G2127) |
barak's primary LXX equivalent; appears in same verses as arur |
Roles in the Concept
- Formal covenant curse: ʼârar (אָרַר) — the primary, weightiest curse verb; used in divine pronouncements (Gen 3) and covenant formulae (Deut 27-28)
- Contempt/belittlement curse: qalal (קָלַל) — to make light of, treat as insignificant; broader semantic range including non-curse uses
- Piercing-word curse: qabab (קָבַב) — to scoop out / hollow with words; rare, almost exclusively in the Balaam cycle
- Oath-curse: ʼalah (אָלָה) — sworn imprecation, self-invoked; the curse bound to an oath
- Curse-result: meʼerah (מְאֵרָה) — the abstract state of being under a curse; derived from ʼârar
- Indignation/denouncement: zaʻam (זָעַם) — divine wrath/foaming expressed verbally; more emotional than legal
- Antonym/counterpart: barak (בָּרַךְ) — to bless; structurally paired with ʼârar in covenant contexts
Key Passages Where Multiple Group Words Appear Together
- Gen 12:3 — [H779 ʼârar + H7043 qalal + H1288 barak] "I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee" — three group members in one verse
- Num 23:7-8 — [H779 ʼârar + H6895 qabab + H2194 zaʻam] Balaam's oracle: "Come, curse me Jacob" (arah) / "How shall I curse (qabab), whom God hath not cursed? how shall I defy (zaʻam), whom the LORD hath not defied?"
- Mal 2:2 — [H779 ʼârar + H3994 meʼerah + H1288 barak] "I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already"
Generated from: gather_word_group_data.py, search_relationships.py
Last updated: 2026-05-03