קְלָלָה33 H7045
curse, malediction — a solemn pronouncement invoking harm, often set opposite blessing in covenantal contexts
Qelalah denotes a spoken curse — a formal invocation of divine punishment or a state of being accursed — and appears 33 times in the Hebrew Bible, frequently paired as the polar opposite of berakhah ('blessing'). The theological framework is covenantal: Deuteronomy sets 'the blessing and the curse' before Israel as the two possible outcomes of obedience or disobedience (Deut 11:26-28; 30:1, 19), and Joshua reads both from Mounts Gerizim and Ebal (Josh 8:34). In the patriarchal narratives, Rebekah reassures Jacob that she will bear any curse meant for him (Gen 27:12-13). Proverbs observes that 'a groundless curse does not alight' (Prov 26:2), while Jeremiah uses the word repeatedly to describe the fate of nations and cities that become bywords of horror — 'a desolation and a curse' (Jer 24:9; 25:18; 29:22; 44:22). The theological gravity of the concept is reflected across languages: Spanish 'maldicion,' French 'malediction,' German 'Fluch.'
Senses
1. curse, malediction — A solemn pronouncement invoking divine harm or the resulting state of being accursed. Most often paired antithetically with berakhah ('blessing') in covenantal formulae (Deut 11:26-28; Josh 8:34). Covers Rebekah's willingness to bear Jacob's curse (Gen 27:12-13), the groundless curse of Prov 26:2, Shimei's grievous curse against David (1 Kgs 2:8), and Jeremiah's repeated use of the word for nations that become objects of horror and execration (Jer 24:9; 25:18; 29:22). 33×
AR["اللَّعنَة", "اللَّعْنَةَ", "لَعنَةً", "لَعْنَةً", "لَعْنَةٌ", "وَ-اللَّعنَةِ", "وَ-لِ-سَبٍّْ", "وَ-لِللَّعْنَةِ", "وَاللَّعْنَةَ", "وَاللَّعْنَةُ", "وَلَعْنَةً", "وَلِلَّعْنَةِ"]·ben["অভিশাপ", "অভিশাপটি", "এবং-অভিশাপ", "এবং-অভিশাপের-জন্য", "এবং-শাপ-রূপে", "এবং-শাপে", "এবং-সেই-অভিশাপ", "ও-অভিশাপে"]·DE["Fluch", "[קללה]", "cursing", "der-verfluchen", "ein-verfluche", "einen-Fluch", "mit-cursing", "und-der-verfluchen", "und-verfluchen", "und-zum-Fluch"]·EN["a-curse", "and-a-curse", "and-curse", "and-for-a-curse", "and-the-curse", "curse", "cursing", "the-curse", "with-cursing"]·FR["et-le-malédiction", "et-le-maudire", "et-malédiction", "le-malédiction", "malédiction", "un-maudis", "קללה"]·heb["ה-קללה", "ו-ה-קללה", "ו-ל-קללה", "ו-קללה", "קללה"]·HI["और-के-लिए-धिक्कार", "और-के-लिए-शाप", "और-शाप", "और-शाप-के-लिए", "और-शाप-को", "और-श्राप", "शाप", "शाप-से"]·ID["dan-kutuk", "dan-kutuk-itu", "dan-kutukan", "dan-menjadi-kutukan", "dan-sebagai-kutukan", "dan-sumpah-serapah", "kutuk", "kutuk-itu", "kutukan"]·IT["[קללה]", "e-il-maledire", "e-maledire", "e-maledizione", "il-maledire", "maledire", "maledizione", "un-maledici", "un-maledire"]·jav["Lan-kutukan", "ipat-ipat", "ipatan", "kutukan", "laknat", "lan-dados-ipat", "lan-kangge-laknat", "lan-kanggé-pitenah", "lan-kutukan", "lan-laknat", "supata", "supata-punika"]·KO["그-저주를", "그리고-그-저주", "그리고-그-저주는", "그리고-그-저주를", "그리고-에-저주로", "그리고-에-저주를-위하여", "그리고-저주로", "그리고-저주를", "저주-를", "저주가", "저주로", "저주를"]·PT["E-a-maldição", "a-maldição", "de-maldição", "e-a-maldição", "e-em-maldição", "e-maldição", "e-para-imprecação", "e-para-maldição", "e-por-maldição", "maldição"]·RU["-проклятие", "И-проклятие", "и-в-проклятие", "и-поношением", "и-проклятие", "и-проклятием", "проклятие", "проклятием"]·ES["la-maldición", "maldición", "y-a-maldición", "y-la-maldición", "y-maldición", "y-para-maldición", "y-por-imprecación", "y-por-maldición"]·SW["Na-laana", "laana", "na-kwa-shutuma", "na-laana", "na-shutuma"]·TR["lanet", "laneti", "lanetle", "ve-için-lanet", "ve-küfür-", "ve-lanet", "ve-lanete", "ve-laneti"]·urd["اور-بددعا-کے-لیے", "اور-لعنت", "اور-لعنت-کے-لئے", "اور-ملامت", "لعنت", "لعنت-کو"]
Gen 27:12, Gen 27:13, Deut 11:26, Deut 11:28, Deut 11:29, Deut 21:23, Deut 23:5, Deut 27:13, Deut 28:15, Deut 28:45, Deut 29:27, Deut 30:1 (+21 more)
Related Senses
H0559 1. say, speak, tell (5297×)G3004 1. say, tell, speak (2226×)H1696 1. speak, say, tell (Piel) (1105×)H7121 1. call, summon, name (575×)H6680 1. command, order, charge (483×)H6030b 1. answer, respond, reply (289×)G2980 1. speak, talk (277×)H5046 1. Hifil: to tell, report (237×)G0611 1. answer or respond verbally (232×)H1288 1. Piel: bless, invoke blessing (227×)H7650 1. swear, take an oath (Niphal) (154×)H3789 1. Qal passive participle: written, recorded (112×)H1984b 1. praise, laud (Piel) (111×)H7592 1. ask, inquire, question (96×)H3034 1. give thanks, praise (Hifil) (94×)G1321 1. teach, instruct actively (92×)H3789 2. Qal active: write, compose (89×)G1125 1. to write, compose (a letter or document) (84×)H5046 2. Hifil: to declare, proclaim (79×)H7892a 1. song, musical composition (78×)
BDB / Lexicon Reference
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…