Cursing and Imprecation

[קָלַל82] vb. be slight, swift, trifling (prob. orig. be light; NH [קָלַל], קַל, קִלֵּל = BH; Assyrian ḳalálu ii. despise, dishonour; so Tel Am (appar. Canaanism); Arabic قَلَ�� be small, scanty; Sab. קללם scanty Hal 143, 8 f. (cf. FellZMG liv (1900), 246); Ethiopic ቀለለ: be light, small, easy; ii. despise; 𝔗 קְלַל, Syriac ܩܰܠ, = BH; also (v. Pilp., etc.) Arabic قَلْقَلَ shake, ቈልቈለ: vibrate, whirl (of sword), ቀልቀለ: v. be shaken;—SchwallyZAW xi (1891), 170 ff. thinks shake original, v. מַקֵּל);— †Qal Pf. 2 ms. קַלּוֹתָ Na 1:14; 1 s. קַלֹּתִי Jb 40:4; 3 pl. קַלּוּ Gn 8:11 +; Impf. 3 fs. וַתֵּקַל 16:4; 1 s. וָאֵקֵל v 5; 3 mpl. יֵקָֽ֑לּוּ 1 S 2:30;— 1. be slight, of water, be abated, from off (מֵעַל) earth Gn 8:3, 11 (J). 2. be swift, c. מִן comp., of warriors 2 S 1:23, horses Je 4:13; Hb 1:8; one’s days Jb 7:6; 9:25. 3. trifling, i.e. of little account, of pers. Gn 16:4, 5 (J; both c. בְּעֵינֶיהָ); 1 S 2:30; Na 1:4; Jb 40:4. †Niph. Pf. 3 ms. נָקֵל (Ges§ 67 times) 2 K 20:10 +, וְנָקַל consec. 2 K 3:18; נָקָ֑ל Pr 14:6; 1 s. consec. וּנְקַלֹּתִי 2 S 6:22; Impf. 3 mpl. יִקַּ֫לּוּ Is 30:16; Pt. f. (עַל־)נְקַלָּה Je 6:14 + 2 times;— 1. shew oneself swift Is 30:16 (‖ עַל־קַל נִרְכָּ֑ב). 2. appear trifling, 1 S 18:23 (בְּעֵינֵיכֶם; Inf. subj., cf. Dr), c. מִן comp. be too trifling Is 49:6, especially of sin 1 K 16:31 (Inf. subj.), and (c. מִן comp.) Ez 8:17; easy 2 K 3:18 (בְּעֵנַי), 20:10 (c. Inf.), Pr 14:6; Pt. (as subst.) c. עַל in adv. phr. עַל־נְקַלָּה lightly i.e. superficially, Je 6:14; 8:11. 3. be lightly esteemed 2 S 6:22 (‖ שָׁפָל; opp. אִכָּכֵ֑דָה). Pi.40 Pf. 3 ms. קִלֵּל 2 S 19:22 +, etc.; Impf. יְקַלֵּל Lv 20:9 +, etc.; Imv. ms. קַלֵּל 2 S 16:10; Inf. cstr. קַלֵּל Gn 8:21 Jos 24:9, etc.; Pt. מְקַלֵּל Ex 21:17 +; sf. כֻּלֹּה מקללוני Je 15:10, read מְקַלְלַוְנִי! (Baer); err. for כֻּלְּהֶם קִלְלוּנִי JDMich Gf Gie Du al., etc.;—curse (prop. make contemptible): 1. c. acc. pers. homin. Ex 21:17 (E), Gn 12:3 (J), Lv 19:14 (H), Ju 9:27; 2 S 16:9 + 16 times; קִלְלַנִי קְלָלָה 1 K 2:8; obj. om. 2 S 16:5, 7, 10, 11, 13 ψ 62:5; 109:28 (opp. בֵּרַךְ); acc. pers. + ב of oath 1 S 17:43; 2 K 2:24; c. ב of oath alone Is 8:21. 2. c. acc. dei Ex 22:27 (E), Lv 24:15 (H), 1 S 3:13 (reading אֱלֹהִים for לָהֶם, 𝔊 Comm.), + (obj. om.) Lv 24:11, 14, 23. 3. c. acc. rei Gn 8:21 (י׳ subj.), Jb 3:1. †Pu. Impf. 3 ms. יְקֻלָּ֑ל Is 65:20 be cursed by death; 3 fs. תְּקֻלַּל Jb 24:18 their portion is cursed; Pt. pl. sf. מְקֻלָּלָיו ψ 37:22 those cursed by him (opp. מְבֹרָכָיו). †Hiph. Pf. 3 ms. הֵקַל Is 8:23; 2 ms. sf. הֱקִלֹּתַנִי 2 S 19:44 (van d. H. הֲ-); 3 pl. הֵקַלּוּ Ez 22:7; Impf. 3 ms. יָקֵל 1 S 6:5; Imv. ms. הָקֵל Ex 18:22 +; Inf. cstr. id., Is 23:9 Jon 1:5;— 1. make light, lighten, יָקֵל אֶת־יָדוֹ מֵעֲלֵיכֶם 1 S 6:5 he will lighten his hand from upon you; c. מֵעַל pers. alone, make light from upon one, lighten one’s burden Ex 18:22 (E), Jon 1:5; 1 K 12:10 = 2 Ch 10:10; + מִן partit. 1 K 12:4, 9 = 2 Ch 10:4, 9. 2. treat with contempt, acc. pers. 2 S 19:44; Is 23:9; Ez 22:7; dir. caus. bring contempt, dishonour Is 8:23 (opp. הִכְבִּיד). †Pilp. Pf. 3 ms. 1. shake קִלְקַל בַּחִצִּים Ez 21:26 (in divination). 2. (peculiarly) whet Ec 10:10 (proposes move quickly to and fro). †Hithpalp. reflex. of 1: Pf. 3 pl. הִתְקַלְקָ֑לוּ Je 4:24 hills shook themselves, shook.

[אָרַר] vb. curse (Assyrian arâru ZimBP 68; on relation of meanings bind & curse in Assyrian v. DlPr 101)—Qal Pf. 1 s. וְאָרוֹתִ֫י, אָרוֹתִיהָ Mal 2:2; Impf. 2 ms. תָּאֹר Ex 22:27 Nu 22:6, 12; אָאֹר Gn 12:3; Imv. אָ֫רָה־ Nu 22:6; 23:7; אוֹרוּ, אֹרוּ & Inf. abs. אָרוֹר all Ju 5:23; Pt. אֹרְרֵי Jb 3:8; אֹרְרֶיךָ Gn 27:29 Nu 24:9; אָרוּר Gn 3:14 + 36 times etc.;—curse ‖ בֵּרֵךְ bless, chiefly in poetic & legal sources of JED & later imitations: Gn 12:3; 27:29 (J) Nu 22:6, 12; 23:7; 24:9 (E) Ex 22:27 (E) Mal 2:2; אֹרוּ אָרוֹר ישְׁבֶיהָ = curse for ever her inhabitants Ju 5:23; אֹרְרֵי יוֹם cursers of the day (magicians whose imprecations made days unlucky) Jb 3:8. Pt. pass. אָרוּר, chiefly as exclamation, ‖ בָּרוּךְ Gn 3:14, 17; 4:11; 9:25; 27:29; 49:7 Nu 24:9 (E, poet.) Dt 27:15–26 Ju 21:18 1 S 14:24, 28; 26:19 Je 11:3; 17:5; 20:14, 15; 48:10(×2) Mal 1:14; אֲרוּרִים הַשֹּׁגִים מִמִּצְוֹתֶיךָ cursed be those who wander from thy commands ψ 119:21 (𝔊 𝔖 Jer De Ri), הָאֲרוּרָה הַזֹּאת this cursed woman 2 K 9:34. †Niph. Pt. נֵאָרִים cursed Mal 3:9. †Pi. Pf. 3 ms. sf. אֵרֲרָהּ curse, lay under a curse Gn 5:29 (J); Pt. הַמַּיִם הַמְאָרְרִים the curse-bringing waters Nu 5:18–27 (P 6 times waters destroying the perjured adulteress drinking them). †Hoph. Impf. יוּאָ֑ר be cursed Nu 22:6 (E).

† זָעַם vb. be indignant (cf. Aramaic (rare) ܙܥܰܡ blame, & n. ܙܽܘܥܳܡܳܐ; Arabic تَزَغَّمَ onomatop., of roar of camel, angry speech, v. Frey, De on ψ 7:12)—Pf. ז׳ Nu 23:8 + 3 times; זָעַמְתָּה Zc 1:12; Impf. אֶזְעֹם Nu 23:8; 3 pl. sf. יִזְעָמוּהוּ Pr 24:24; Imv. זֹעֲמָה Nu 23:7 (for זָֽעָמֳה Ges§ 64, (2)); Pt. act. זֹעֵם ψ 7:12; pass. cstr. זְעוּם Pr 22:14; f. זְעוּמָה Mi 6:10;— Qal 1. be indignant, have indignation, of hostile prince עַל בְּרִית קוֹדֶשׁ Dn 11:30; elsewhere of Yahweh, who is אֵל זֹעֵם ψ 7:12 (‖ שׁוֹפֵט), c. acc. of enemy Is 66:14; cities of Judah Zc 1:12; people Mal 1:4; a man Pr 22:14. 2. is prob. denom. from זַעַם (v. Buhl). express indignation in speech, denounce, curse (‖ יִקְּבֻהוּ Pr 24:24; ‖ אֶקֹּב and אָֽרָה־ Nu 23:7, 8(×2) (E); אֵיפַת רָזוֹן זְעוּמָה Mi 6:10 an ephah of scantiness, denounced, or cursed. Niph. Pt. pl. פָּנִים נִזְעָמִים Pr 25:23 face stirred with indignation.

† II. אָלָה vb. swear, curse (cf. I. אלה? so Thes LagOr ii. 3)— Qal Pf. 1 K 8:31 (= 2 Ch 6:22 all Vrss Th Bö Bä Kp reading וְאָלָה); אָלִית Ju 17:2; Inf. abs. אָלֹה Ho 4:2; אָלוֹת Ho 10:4. 1. swear, take oath before God 1 K 8:31 (= 2 Ch 6:22); in covenants Ho 4:2; 10:4 (falsely). 2. curse Ju 17:2. Hiph. Impf. וַיֹּ֫אֶ֗ל 1 S 14:24; Inf. לְהַאֲלֹתוֹ 1 K 8:31 = 2 Ch 6:22 adjure, put under oath.

ἐπικατ-άρᾱτος [ᾰρ], ον, accursed, LXX+NT

† II. [נָקַב] vb. curse (perhaps akin to I. נקב; perhaps secondary format. from קָבַב, q.v. for forms יִקֹּב, קֹב, etc.);— Qal Inf. sf. נָקְבוֹ שֵׁם Lv 24:16; Pt. נֹקֵב שֵׁם י׳ v 16 (on text v. Di, GeiUrschrift 274 DalmanAdonai 44 f.).