Qalal קָלַל

Qalal (Hebrew קָלַל, Strong's H7043) is a Hebrew verb meaning “to lighten”. It occurs 82 times in 79 verses of the Old Testament.

Definition

From the STEPBible Brief Lexicon of Hebrew (based on the abridged Brown-Driver-Briggs), STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0.

Translated as

Topics

• Cursing

Verses

Every verse with Qalal, with the English words that translate it highlighted (KJV or BSB; other translations show the KJV here).

Genesis

• Genesis 8:8
  Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground;Then Noah sent out a dove to see if the waters had receded from the surface of the ground.
• Genesis 8:11
  And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.And behold, the dove returned to him in the evening with a freshly plucked olive leaf in her beak. So Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth.
• Genesis 8:21
  And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.When the LORD smelled the pleasing aroma, He said in His heart, “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from his youth. And never again will I destroy all living creatures as I have done.
• Genesis 12:3
  And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.I will bless those who bless you and curse those who curse you; and all the families of the earth will be blessed through you.”
• Genesis 16:4
  And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived: and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.And he slept with Hagar, and she conceived. But when Hagar realized that she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress.
• Genesis 16:5
  And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee: I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes: the Lord judge between me and thee.Then Sarai said to Abram, “May the wrong done to me be upon you! I delivered my servant into your arms, and ever since she saw that she was pregnant, she has treated me with contempt. May the LORD judge between you and me.”

Exodus

• Exodus 18:22
  And let them judge the people at all seasons: and it shall be, that every great matter they shall bring unto thee, but every small matter they shall judge: so shall it be easier for thyself, and they shall bear the burden with thee.Have these men judge the people at all times. Then they can bring you any major issue, but all minor cases they can judge on their own, so that your load may be lightened as they share it with you.
• Exodus 21:17
  And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death.Anyone who curses his father or mother must surely be put to death.
• Exodus 22:28
  Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people.You must not blaspheme God or curse the ruler of your people.

Leviticus

• Leviticus 19:14
  Thou shalt not curse the deaf, nor put a stumblingblock before the blind, but shalt fear thy God: I am the Lord.You must not curse the deaf or place a stumbling block before the blind, but you shall fear your God. I am the LORD.
• Leviticus 20:9
  For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or mother; his blood shall be upon him.
• Leviticus 24:11
  And the Israelitish woman’s son blasphemed the name of the Lord, and cursed. And they brought him unto Moses: (and his mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan:)The son of the Israelite woman blasphemed the Name with a curse. So they brought him to Moses. (His mother’s name was Shelomith daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.)
• Leviticus 24:14
  Bring forth him that hath cursed without the camp; and let all that heard him lay their hands upon his head, and let all the congregation stone him.“Take the blasphemer outside the camp, and have all who heard him lay their hands on his head; then have the whole assembly stone him.
• Leviticus 24:15
  And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Whosoever curseth his God shall bear his sin.And you are to tell the Israelites, ‘If anyone curses his God, he shall bear the consequences of his sin.
• Leviticus 24:23
  And Moses spake to the children of Israel, that they should bring forth him that had cursed out of the camp, and stone him with stones. And the children of Israel did as the Lord commanded Moses.Then Moses spoke to the Israelites, and they took the blasphemer outside the camp and stoned him. So the Israelites did as the LORD had commanded Moses.

Deuteronomy

• Deuteronomy 23:4
  Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.For they did not meet you with food and water on your way out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram-naharaim to curse you.

Joshua

• Joshua 24:9
  Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you:Then Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, set out to fight against Israel. He sent for Balaam son of Beor to curse you,

Judges

• Judges 9:27
  And they went out into the fields, and gathered their vineyards, and trode the grapes, and made merry, and went into the house of their god, and did eat and drink, and cursed Abimelech.And after they had gone out into the fields, gathered grapes from their vineyards, and trodden them, they held a festival and went into the house of their god; and as they ate and drank, they cursed Abimelech.

1 Samuel

• 1 Samuel 2:30
  Wherefore the Lord God of Israel saith, I said indeed that thy house, and the house of thy father, should walk before me for ever: but now the Lord saith, Be it far from me; for them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed.Therefore, the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever. But now the LORD declares: Far be it from Me! For I will honor those who honor Me, but those who despise Me will be disdained.
• 1 Samuel 3:13
  For I have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.I told him that I would judge his house forever for the iniquity of which he knows, because his sons blasphemed God and he did not restrain them.
• 1 Samuel 6:5
  Wherefore ye shall make images of your emerods, and images of your mice that mar the land; and ye shall give glory unto the God of Israel: peradventure he will lighten his hand from off you, and from off your gods, and from off your land.Make images of your tumors and of the rats that are ravaging the land. Give glory to the God of Israel, and perhaps He will lift His hand from you and your gods and your land.
• 1 Samuel 17:43
  And the Philistine said unto David, Am I a dog, that thou comest to me with staves? And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.“Am I a dog,” he said to David, “that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods.
• 1 Samuel 18:23
  And Saul’s servants spake those words in the ears of David. And David said, Seemeth it to you a light thing to be a king’s son in law, seeing that I am a poor man, and lightly esteemed?But when Saul’s servants relayed these words to David, he replied, “Does it seem trivial in your sight to be the son-in-law of the king? I am a poor man and lightly esteemed.”

2 Samuel

• 2 Samuel 1:23
  Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided: they were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.Saul and Jonathan, beloved and delightful in life, were not divided in death. They were swifter than eagles, they were stronger than lions.
• 2 Samuel 6:22
  And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.and I will humiliate and humble myself even more than this. Yet I will be honored by the maidservants of whom you have spoken.”
• 2 Samuel 16:5
  And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came.As King David approached Bahurim, a man from the family of the house of Saul was just coming out. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and as he approached, he kept yelling out curses.
• 2 Samuel 16:7
  And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial:And as he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Get out, get out, you worthless man of bloodshed!
• 2 Samuel 16:9
  Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head.Then Abishai son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and cut off his head!”
• 2 Samuel 16:10
  And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the Lord hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so?But the king replied, “What have I to do with you, O sons of Zeruiah? If he curses me because the LORD told him, ‘Curse David,’ who can ask, ‘Why did you do this?’”
• 2 Samuel 16:11
  And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the Lord hath bidden him.Then David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son, my own flesh and blood, seeks my life. How much more, then, this Benjamite! Leave him alone and let him curse me, for the LORD has told him so.
• 2 Samuel 16:13
  And as David and his men went by the way, Shimei went along on the hill’s side over against him, and cursed as he went, and threw stones at him, and cast dust.So David and his men proceeded along the road as Shimei went along the ridge of the hill opposite him. As Shimei went, he yelled curses, threw stones, and flung dust at David.
• 2 Samuel 19:21
  But Abishai the son of Zeruiah answered and said, Shall not Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the Lord’s anointed?But Abishai son of Zeruiah said, “Shouldn’t Shimei be put to death for this, because he cursed the LORD’s anointed?”
• 2 Samuel 19:43
  And the men of Israel answered the men of Judah, and said, We have ten parts in the king, and we have also more right in David than ye: why then did ye despise us, that our advice should not be first had in bringing back our king? And the words of the men of Judah were fiercer than the words of the men of Israel.“We have ten shares in the king,” answered the men of Israel, “so we have more claim to David than you. Why then do you despise us? Were we not the first to speak of restoring our king?” But the men of Judah pressed even harder than the men of Israel.

1 Kings

• 1 Kings 2:8
  And, behold, thou hast with thee Shimei the son of Gera, a Benjamite of Bahurim, which cursed me with a grievous curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but he came down to meet me at Jordan, and I sware to him by the Lord, saying, I will not put thee to death with the sword.Keep an eye on Shimei the son of Gera, the Benjamite from Bahurim who is with you. He called down bitter curses against me on the day I went to Mahanaim, but when he came down to meet me at the Jordan, I swore to him by the LORD: ‘I will never put you to the sword.’
• 1 Kings 12:4
  Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.“Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you should lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”
• 1 Kings 12:9
  And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?He asked them, “What message do you advise that we send back to these people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”
• 1 Kings 12:10
  And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.The young men who had grown up with him replied, “This is how you should answer these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you should make it lighter.’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist!
• 1 Kings 16:31
  And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.And as if it were not enough for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam son of Nebat, he even married Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Sidonians, and he then proceeded to serve and worship Baal.

2 Kings

• 2 Kings 2:24
  And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them.Then he turned around, looked at them, and called down a curse on them in the name of the LORD. Suddenly two female bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys.
• 2 Kings 3:18
  And this is but a light thing in the sight of the Lord: he will deliver the Moabites also into your hand.This is a simple matter in the sight of the LORD, and He will also deliver the Moabites into your hand.
• 2 Kings 20:10
  And Hezekiah answered, It is a light thing for the shadow to go down ten degrees: nay, but let the shadow return backward ten degrees.“It is easy for the shadow to lengthen ten steps,” answered Hezekiah, “but not for it to go back ten steps.”

2 Chronicles

• 2 Chronicles 10:4
  Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore ease thou somewhat the grievous servitude of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we will serve thee.“Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you should lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”
• 2 Chronicles 10:9
  And he said unto them, What advice give ye that we may return answer to this people, which have spoken to me, saying, Ease somewhat the yoke that thy father did put upon us?He asked them, “What message do you advise that we send back to these people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”
• 2 Chronicles 10:10
  And the young men that were brought up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou answer the people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it somewhat lighter for us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father’s loins.The young men who had grown up with him replied, “This is how you should answer these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you should make it lighter.’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist!

Nehemiah

• Nehemiah 13:2
  Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.because they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but had hired Balaam to call down a curse against them (although our God had turned the curse into a blessing).
• Nehemiah 13:25
  And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves.I rebuked them and called down curses on them. I beat some of these men and pulled out their hair. Then I made them take an oath before God and said, “You must not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters as wives for your sons or for yourselves!

Job

• Job 3:1
  After this opened Job his mouth, and cursed his day.After this, Job opened his mouth and cursed the day of his birth.
• Job 7:6
  My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle, and are spent without hope.My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle; they come to an end without hope.
• Job 9:25
  Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good.My days are swifter than a runner; they flee without seeing good.
• Job 24:18
  He is swift as the waters; their portion is cursed in the earth: he beholdeth not the way of the vineyards.They are but foam on the surface of the water; their portion of the land is cursed, so that no one turns toward their vineyards.
• Job 40:4
  Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.“Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth.

Psalms

• Psalm 37:22
  For such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth; and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off.Surely those He blesses will inherit the land, but the cursed will be destroyed.
• Psalm 62:4
  They only consult to cast him down from his excellency: they delight in lies: they bless with their mouth, but they curse inwardly. Selah.They fully intend to cast him down from his lofty perch; they delight in lies; with their mouths they bless, but inwardly they curse. Selah
• Psalm 109:28
  Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.Though they curse, You will bless. When they rise up, they will be put to shame, but Your servant will rejoice.

Proverbs

• Proverbs 14:6
  A scorner seeketh wisdom, and findeth it not: but knowledge is easy unto him that understandeth.A mocker seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge comes easily to the discerning.
• Proverbs 20:20
  Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.Whoever curses his father or mother, his lamp will be extinguished in deepest darkness.
• Proverbs 30:10
  Accuse not a servant unto his master, lest he curse thee, and thou be found guilty.Do not slander a servant to his master, or he will curse you, and you will bear the guilt.
• Proverbs 30:11
  There is a generation that curseth their father, and doth not bless their mother.There is a generation of those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.

Ecclesiastes

• Ecclesiastes 7:21
  Also take no heed unto all words that are spoken; lest thou hear thy servant curse thee:Do not pay attention to every word that is spoken, or you may hear your servant cursing you.
• Ecclesiastes 7:22
  For oftentimes also thine own heart knoweth that thou thyself likewise hast cursed others.For you know in your heart that many times you yourself have cursed others.
• Ecclesiastes 10:10
  If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct.If the axe is dull and the blade unsharpened, more strength must be exerted, but skill produces success.
• Ecclesiastes 10:20
  Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.Do not curse the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich even in your bedroom, for a bird of the air may carry your words, and a winged creature may report your speech.

Isaiah

• Isaiah 8:21
  And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward.They will roam the land, dejected and hungry. When they are famished, they will become enraged; and looking upward, they will curse their king and their God.
• Isaiah 9:1
  Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those in distress. In the past He humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future He will honor the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations:
• Isaiah 23:9
  The Lord of hosts hath purposed it, to stain the pride of all glory, and to bring into contempt all the honourable of the earth.The LORD of Hosts planned it, to defile all its glorious beauty, to disgrace all the renowned of the earth.
• Isaiah 30:16
  But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.“No,” you say, “we will flee on horses.” Therefore you will flee! “We will ride swift horses,” but your pursuers will be faster.
• Isaiah 49:6
  And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.He says: “It is not enough for You to be My Servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the protected ones of Israel. I will also make You a light for the nations, to bring My salvation to the ends of the earth.”
• Isaiah 65:20
  There shall be no more thence an infant of days, nor an old man that hath not filled his days: for the child shall die an hundred years old; but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed.No longer will a nursing infant live but a few days, or an old man fail to live out his years. For the youth will die at a hundred years, and he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed.

Jeremiah

• Jeremiah 4:13
  Behold, he shall come up as clouds, and his chariots shall be as a whirlwind: his horses are swifter than eagles. Woe unto us! for we are spoiled.Behold, he advances like the clouds, his chariots like the whirlwind. His horses are swifter than eagles. Woe to us, for we are ruined!
• Jeremiah 4:24
  I beheld the mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and all the hills moved lightly.I looked at the mountains, and behold, they were quaking; all the hills were swaying.
• Jeremiah 6:14
  They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.They dress the wound of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all.
• Jeremiah 8:11
  For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.They dress the wound of the daughter of My people with very little care, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace at all.
• Jeremiah 15:10
  Woe is me, my mother, that thou hast borne me a man of strife and a man of contention to the whole earth! I have neither lent on usury, nor men have lent to me on usury; yet every one of them doth curse me.Woe to me, my mother, that you have borne me, a man of strife and conflict in all the land. I have neither lent nor borrowed, yet everyone curses me.

Ezekiel

• Ezekiel 8:17
  Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger: and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.“Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see this? Is it not enough for the house of Judah to commit the abominations they are practicing here, that they must also fill the land with violence and continually provoke Me to anger? Look, they are even putting the branch to their nose!
• Ezekiel 21:21
  For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with images, he looked in the liver.For the king of Babylon stands at the fork in the road, at the junction of the two roads, to seek an omen: He shakes the arrows, he consults the idols, he examines the liver.
• Ezekiel 22:7
  In thee have they set light by father and mother: in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow.Father and mother are treated with contempt. Within your walls the foreign resident is exploited, the fatherless and the widow are oppressed.

Jonah

• Jonah 1:5
  Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.The sailors were afraid, and each cried out to his own god. And they threw the ship’s cargo into the sea to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down to the lowest part of the vessel, where he lay down and fell into a deep sleep.

Nahum

• Nahum 1:14
  And the Lord hath given a commandment concerning thee, that no more of thy name be sown: out of the house of thy gods will I cut off the graven image and the molten image: I will make thy grave; for thou art vile.The LORD has issued a command concerning you, O Nineveh: “There will be no descendants to carry on your name. I will cut off the carved image and cast idol from the house of your gods; I will prepare your grave, for you are contemptible.”

Habakkuk

• Habakkuk 1:8
  Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.Their horses are swifter than leopards, fiercer than wolves of the night. Their horsemen charge ahead, and their cavalry comes from afar. They fly like a vulture, swooping down to devour.

Notes

1. Definition and verse list from STEPBible's tagged Hebrew Old Testament (TAHOT) and Greek New Testament (TAGNT) and Brief Lexicons, STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0.
2. English renderings from the public-domain KJV with Strong's numbers (eBible.org) and the Berean Standard Bible interlinear (public domain).