curse
qe.la.lah denotes a curse, especially an adverse outcome set against blessing, and also a spoken or public curse.
The dominant use presents an adverse outcome set before Israel in contrast with blessing and connected with obedience or disobedience. Other verses use the noun for a spoken imprecation or for a people, city, or land made into a public object of cursing, reproach, and desolation.
Senses in use
-
Adverse outcome contrasted with blessing · dominant
In Deuteronomy 11:26 and Deuteronomy 11:28, the singular noun stands in the alternatives set before the people, with the latter linked to not obeying the LORD's commandments. Deuteronomy 28:15 and Deuteronomy 28:45 use the plural for consequences that come upon, pursue, and overtake those who do not keep the commandments; Deuteronomy 30:19 again places it beside life, death, and blessing.
-
Spoken imprecation directed at someone · common
In Genesis 27:12, the noun is what the speaker fears bringing upon himself rather than blessing, while Genesis 27:13 has his mother take that curse upon herself. In 1 Kings 2:8 the APB renders the clause about Shimei's act as "he cursed me with a grievous curse," and Judges 9:57 says Jotham's curse came upon the men of Shechem.
-
A public condition or formula of cursing · common
In Jeremiah 24:9, Jerusalem's people are made an object of distress, reproach, proverb, taunt, and curse among kingdoms. Jeremiah 29:22 describes a curse taken up by the Judean captives in Babylon in a saying about Zedekiah and Ahab; Jeremiah 44:12 similarly places it with an oath, horror, and reproach. Zechariah 8:13 contrasts having been a curse among the nations with becoming a blessing.
In the Anselm Project Bible: The APB commonly uses "curse" or "curses," including the contrast with blessing and descriptions of public reproach. In some verses, such as Deuteronomy 23:6 and Deuteronomy 29:26, its contribution is not separately visible in the supplied English translation.