Curses and Anathema

† אָלָה n.f. oath Gn 26:28 +; sf. אָלָתִי, אָלָתוֹ Gn 24:41 + (4 times); pl. אָלוֹת Dt 29:20 + (4 times) 1. oath in testimony Lv 5:1 Nu 5:21(×2) (P) Pr 29:24; בא באלה come into an oath Ne 10:30; הביא באלה bring into an oath Ez 17:13; נשׂא אלה 1 K 8:31 (= 2 Ch 6:22). 2. oath of covenant Gn 24:41(×2); 26:28 (J) Dt 29:11, 13; בזה אלה despise an oath Ez 16:59; 17:16, 18, 19. 3. curse (a) from God Nu 5:23 (P) Dt 29:18, 19, 20; 30:7 2 Ch 34:24 Is 24:6 Je 23:10 Dn 9:11 Zc 5:3; (b) from men Jb 31:30 ψ 10:7; 59:13. 4. execration in the phrase היה לאלה become an execration Nu 5:27 (P) Je 29:18; 42:18; 44:12.

קְלָלָה33 n.f. curse;—abs. ק׳ Gn 27:12 +; cstr. קִלְלַת Ju 9:57 +; sf. קִלְלָֽתְךָ Gn 27:13, קִלְלָתוֹ 2 S 16:12 (van d. H. Kt קללתי, so We Dr Löhr); pl. קְלָלוֹת Dt 28:15, 45;—curse, Gn 27:12, 13 (J); often opp. בְּרָכָה, Dt 11:26, 28; 23:6 = Ne 13:2, + 8 times Dt., Jos 8:34 (D), Ju 9:57 ψ 109:17, 18 Pr 27:14; קִלְלַת חִנָּם Pr 26:2 a groundless curse, cf. 2 S 16:12; קְלָלָה נִמְרֶצֶת 1 K 2:8 a grievous curse; = a formula of cursing Je 29:22; = object of curse, קִלְלַת אֱלֹהִים תָּלוּי Dt 21:23, שַׁמָּה וּקְלָלָה 2 K 22:19, cf. Je 24:9; 25:18 + 6 times Je, Zc 8:13.

† I. חֵ֫רֶם n.m. Lv 27:28 1. devoted thing. 2. devotion, ban;—ח׳ abs. Jos 6:17 + 24 times (most read חֶרֶם Zc 14:11, Baer חֵרֶם); חֶ֑רֶם Jos 7:1; sf. חֶרְמִי 1 K 20:42 Is 34:5;—thing devoted to י׳: 1. thing hostile to theocracy, and therefore (in the strictest application) to be either destroyed, or, in the case of certain objects (e.g. silver and gold, vessels of brass and iron Jos 6:19, 24), set apart to sacred uses; especially a. of a Canaan. city, as Jericho, incl. all inhab. (except Rahab’s family) and spoil Jos 6:17, 18(×2); 7:1, 11, 15; Achan by taking מִן־הַחֵרֶם made (camp of) Isr. ח׳ 7:12 cf. 6:18, and became himself ח׳, and was stoned and, with his family and possessions, incl. the spoil, was burnt 7:1, 11, 12, 13(×2) (all JE except 7:1 P; cf. v 15, 24, 25); מָעַל מַעַל בַּח׳ committed unfaithfulness in the matter of the devoted thing is term for the sin Jos 7:1 22:20 (both P), cf. מָעַל בַּח׳ 1 Ch 2:7; Saul and Isr. spared Agag king of Amalek and רֵאשִׁית הַח׳ i.e. of the spoil (sheep and oxen), wh. should have been utterly destroyed 1 S 15:21 (cf. v 3, 8; Saul rejected by י׳ for this v 11, 26); so an idolatr. city in Isr. should become ח׳, with all its contents, and be utterly destroyed Dt 13:17 (cf. v 13, 15, 16). b. of individuals, one having relic of Canaanit. god in his house should become ח׳, the relic being ח׳ Dt 7:26(×2); every human being who became ח׳ should be killed Lv 27:29(×2) (P; v. Di). 2. appar. (so Di) anything devoted to sanctuary under specially stringent conditions Lv 27:28 (v. Di; and cf. Ezr 10:8); a field consecrated to י׳ becomes under certain conditions כִּשְׂדֵה הַח׳ Lv 27:21; every ח׳ is קֹדֶשׁ קָֽדָשִׁים ליהוה v 28, and no ח׳ that a man may devote, whether man, beast or field, may be sold or redeemed v 28; every such ח׳ (as in case of metals and metal objects Jos 6:17, 19) went to Aaron and his sons Nu 18:14 (P), to Zadokite priests Ez 44:29. 3. devotion, ban, involving destruction; אִישׁ חֶרְמִי 1 K 20:42 man under my (י׳’s) ban (of Benhadad); עַם חֶרְמִי Is 34:5 (of Edom); נתן לַח׳ Is 43:28 fig. of י׳’s giving over Jud. to Chald.; ח׳ not to be in future Zc 14:11; פֶּן־אָבוֹא וְהִכֵּיתִי אֶת־הָאָרֶץ ח׳ Mal 3:24 smite the land with a ban, i.e. utterly destroy it.

ἀνάθεμα, poetry ἄνθεμα, ατος, τό, (ἀνατίθημι) properly, like{ἀνάθημα}, anything dedicated, Refs 3rd c.BC+ __2 anything devoted to evil, an accursed thing, LXX; of persons. NT __II curse, Refs 1st c.AD+

κατ-άρα [ᾰρ], Ionic dialect κατ-άρη, ἡ, curse, κατάρας ποιέεσθαί τινι to lay curses upon one, NT+5th c.BC+; τὴν κ. ἀναγράψαι, στηλιτεῦσαι, Refs 1st c.BC+ 2.354b; cursing, Refs 1st c.BC+ O.

† מְאֵרָה n.f. a curse Dt 28:20 Mal 2:2; 3:9; cstr. מְאֵרַת Pr 3:33; pl. מְאֵרוֹת Pr 28:27.

ἀρά, Ionic dialect ἀρή, ἡ, prayer, Refs 8th c.BC+; ἀρὴν ἐποιήσαντο παῖδα γενέσθαι Ἀρίστωνι offered prayers that a child should be born, Refs 5th c.BC+ __2 vow, Refs __3 curse, imprecation, ἐξ ἀρέων μητρὸς.. ἥ ῥα θεοῖσι πόλλ᾽ ἀχέουσ᾽ ἠρᾶτοRefs 8th c.BC+; frequently in Trag., mostly in plural, Refs 5th c.BC+; ἀρὰς ἀρᾶσθαι,προστιθέναι, ἐξανιέναι, Refs 5th c.BC+: also in singular, πατρὸς δ᾽ ἀ. κρανθήσεταιRefs 5th c.BC+, etc.: in plural, imprecations, frequently in Inscrr. on those who shall mutilate or remove them, Refs 2nd c.BC+ __II Ἀρά personified as the goddess of destruction and revenge, ὦ πότνι᾽ Ἀρὰ σεμναί τε θεῶν παῖδες ἘρινύεςRefs 5th c.BC+ is their own name γῆς ὑπα; Ἀρά τ᾽ Ἐρινὺς πατρὸς ἡ μεγασθενήςRefs 5th c.BC+ [Epic dialect always ᾱρ, Attic dialect always ᾰρ.] (From ἀρϝᾱ, compare κάταρ ϝος.)

κατανά-θεμα, ατος, τό, curse, NT; and κατανα-θεμᾰτίζω, curse, NT.Mat.26.74, both variants for καταθ-.

† תַּאֲלָה sf. תַּאֲלָֽתְךָ, n.f. curse La 3:65.