Arar אָרַר

Arar (Hebrew אָרַר, Strong's H779) is a Hebrew verb meaning “to curse”. It occurs 63 times in 52 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

• Curses

Verses

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

Genesis

• Genesis 3:14
  And the Lord God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:So the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, cursed are you above all livestock and every beast of the field! On your belly will you go, and dust you will eat, all the days of your life.
• Genesis 3:17
  And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;And to Adam He said: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat, cursed is the ground because of you; through toil you will eat of it all the days of your life.
• Genesis 4:11
  And now art thou cursed from the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother’s blood from thy hand;Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has opened its mouth to receive your brother’s blood from your hand.
• Genesis 5:29
  And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed.And he named him Noah, saying, “May this one comfort us in the labor and toil of our hands caused by the ground that the LORD has cursed.”
• Genesis 9:25
  And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.he said, “Cursed be Canaan! A servant of servants shall he be to his brothers.”
• 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 27:29
  Let people serve thee, and nations bow down to thee: be lord over thy brethren, and let thy mother’s sons bow down to thee: cursed be every one that curseth thee, and blessed be he that blesseth thee.May peoples serve you and nations bow down to you. May you be the master of your brothers, and may the sons of your mother bow down to you. May those who curse you be cursed, and those who bless you be blessed.”
• Genesis 49:7
  Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel: I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel.Cursed be their anger, for it is strong, and their wrath, for it is cruel! I will disperse them in Jacob and scatter them in Israel.

Exodus

• 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.

Numbers

• Numbers 5:18
  And the priest shall set the woman before the Lord, and uncover the woman’s head, and put the offering of memorial in her hands, which is the jealousy offering: and the priest shall have in his hand the bitter water that causeth the curse:After the priest has the woman stand before the LORD, he is to let down her hair and place in her hands the grain offering of memorial, which is the grain offering for jealousy. The priest is to hold the bitter water that brings a curse.
• Numbers 5:19
  And the priest shall charge her by an oath, and say unto the woman, If no man have lain with thee, and if thou hast not gone aside to uncleanness with another instead of thy husband, be thou free from this bitter water that causeth the curse:And he is to put the woman under oath and say to her, ‘If no other man has slept with you and you have not gone astray and become defiled while under your husband’s authority, may you be immune to this bitter water that brings a curse.
• Numbers 5:22
  And this water that causeth the curse shall go into thy bowels, to make thy belly to swell, and thy thigh to rot: And the woman shall say, Amen, amen.May this water that brings a curse enter your stomach and cause your belly to swell and your thigh to shrivel.’ Then the woman is to say, ‘Amen, Amen.’
• Numbers 5:24
  And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causeth the curse: and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter.He is to have the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and it will enter her and cause her bitter suffering.
• Numbers 5:27
  And when he hath made her to drink the water, then it shall come to pass, that, if she be defiled, and have done trespass against her husband, that the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, and become bitter, and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot: and the woman shall be a curse among her people.When he has made her drink the water, if she has defiled herself and been unfaithful to her husband, then the water that brings a curse will enter her and cause bitter suffering; her belly will swell, her thigh will shrivel, and she will become accursed among her people.
• Numbers 22:6
  Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land: for I wot that he whom thou blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.So please come now and put a curse on this people, because they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I may be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land; for I know that those you bless are blessed, and those you curse are cursed.”
• Numbers 22:12
  And God said unto Balaam, Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed.But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You are not to curse this people, for they are blessed.”
• Numbers 23:7
  And he took up his parable, and said, Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.And Balaam lifted up an oracle, saying: “Balak brought me from Aram, the king of Moab from the mountains of the east. ‘Come,’ he said, ‘put a curse on Jacob for me; come and denounce Israel!’
• Numbers 24:9
  He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee.He crouches, he lies down like a lion; like a lioness, who dares to rouse him? Blessed are those who bless you and cursed are those who curse you.”

Deuteronomy

• Deuteronomy 27:15
  Cursed be the man that maketh any graven or molten image, an abomination unto the Lord, the work of the hands of the craftsman, and putteth it in a secret place. And all the people shall answer and say, Amen.‘Cursed is the man who makes a carved idol or molten image—an abomination to the LORD, the work of the hands of a craftsman—and sets it up in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
• Deuteronomy 27:16
  Cursed be he that setteth light by his father or his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.‘Cursed is he who dishonors his father or mother.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
• Deuteronomy 27:17
  Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour’s landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.‘Cursed is he who moves his neighbor’s boundary stone.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
• Deuteronomy 27:18
  Cursed be he that maketh the blind to wander out of the way. And all the people shall say, Amen.‘Cursed is he who lets a blind man wander in the road.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
• Deuteronomy 27:19
  Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.‘Cursed is he who withholds justice from the foreigner, the fatherless, or the widow.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
• Deuteronomy 27:20
  Cursed be he that lieth with his father’s wife; because he uncovereth his father’s skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen.‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his father’s wife, for he has violated his father’s marriage bed.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
• Deuteronomy 27:21
  Cursed be he that lieth with any manner of beast. And all the people shall say, Amen.‘Cursed is he who lies with any animal.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
• Deuteronomy 27:22
  Cursed be he that lieth with his sister, the daughter of his father, or the daughter of his mother. And all the people shall say, Amen.‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his sister, the daughter of his father or the daughter of his mother.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
• Deuteronomy 27:23
  Cursed be he that lieth with his mother in law. And all the people shall say, Amen.‘Cursed is he who sleeps with his mother-in-law.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
• Deuteronomy 27:24
  Cursed be he that smiteth his neighbour secretly. And all the people shall say, Amen.‘Cursed is he who strikes down his neighbor in secret.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
• Deuteronomy 27:25
  Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.‘Cursed is he who accepts a bribe to kill an innocent person.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
• Deuteronomy 27:26
  Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.‘Cursed is he who does not put the words of this law into practice.’ And let all the people say, ‘Amen!’
• Deuteronomy 28:16
  Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country.
• Deuteronomy 28:17
  Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store.Your basket and kneading bowl will be cursed.
• Deuteronomy 28:18
  Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.The fruit of your womb will be cursed, as well as the produce of your land, the calves of your herds, and the lambs of your flocks.
• Deuteronomy 28:19
  Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out.You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.

Joshua

• Joshua 6:26
  And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord, that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho: he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it.At that time Joshua invoked this solemn oath: “Cursed before the LORD is the man who rises up and rebuilds this city, Jericho; at the cost of his firstborn he will lay its foundations; at the cost of his youngest he will set up its gates.”
• Joshua 9:23
  Now therefore ye are cursed, and there shall none of you be freed from being bondmen, and hewers of wood and drawers of water for the house of my God.Now therefore you are under a curse and will perpetually serve as woodcutters and water carriers for the house of my God.”

Judges

• Judges 5:23
  Curse ye Meroz, said the angel of the Lord, curse ye bitterly the inhabitants thereof; because they came not to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty.‘Curse Meroz,’ says the angel of the LORD. ‘Bitterly curse her inhabitants; for they did not come to help the LORD, to help the LORD against the mighty.’
• Judges 21:18
  Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin.But we cannot give them our daughters as wives.” For the Israelites had sworn, “Cursed is he who gives a wife to a Benjamite.”

1 Samuel

• 1 Samuel 14:24
  And the men of Israel were distressed that day: for Saul had adjured the people, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food until evening, that I may be avenged on mine enemies. So none of the people tasted any food.Now the men of Israel were in distress that day, for Saul had placed the troops under an oath, saying, “Cursed is the man who eats any food before evening, before I have taken vengeance on my enemies.” So none of the troops tasted any food.
• 1 Samuel 14:28
  Then answered one of the people, and said, Thy father straitly charged the people with an oath, saying, Cursed be the man that eateth any food this day. And the people were faint.Then one of the soldiers told him, “Your father bound the troops with a solemn oath, saying, ‘Cursed is the man who eats food today.’ That is why the people are faint.”
• 1 Samuel 26:19
  Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the Lord have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the Lord; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the Lord, saying, Go, serve other gods.Now please, may my lord the king hear the words of his servant: If the LORD has stirred you up against me, then may He accept an offering. But if men have done it, may they be cursed in the presence of the LORD! For today they have driven me away from sharing in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, ‘Go, serve other gods.’

2 Kings

• 2 Kings 9:34
  And when he was come in, he did eat and drink, and said, Go, see now this cursed woman, and bury her: for she is a king’s daughter.Then Jehu went in and ate and drank. “Take care of this cursed woman,” he said, “and bury her, for she was the daughter of a king.”

Job

• Job 3:8
  Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning.May it be cursed by those who curse the day— those prepared to rouse Leviathan.

Psalms

• Psalm 119:21
  Thou hast rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.You rebuke the arrogant— the cursed who stray from Your commandments.

Jeremiah

• Jeremiah 11:3
  And say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,You must tell them that this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Cursed is the man who does not obey the words of this covenant,
• Jeremiah 17:5
  Thus saith the Lord; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.This is what the LORD says: “Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind, who makes the flesh his strength and turns his heart from the LORD.
• Jeremiah 20:14
  Cursed be the day wherein I was born: let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.Cursed be the day I was born! May the day my mother bore me never be blessed.
• Jeremiah 20:15
  Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad.Cursed be the man who brought my father the news, saying, “A son is born to you,” bringing him great joy.
• Jeremiah 48:10
  Cursed be he that doeth the work of the Lord deceitfully, and cursed be he that keepeth back his sword from blood.Cursed is the one who is remiss in doing the work of the LORD, and cursed is he who withholds his sword from bloodshed.

Malachi

• Malachi 1:14
  But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and my name is dreadful among the heathen.“But cursed is the deceiver who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but sacrifices a defective animal to the Lord. For I am a great King,” says the LORD of Hosts, “and My name is to be feared among the nations.
• Malachi 2:2
  If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, to give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.If you do not listen, and if you do not take it to heart to honor My name,” says the LORD of Hosts, “I will send a curse among you, and I will curse your blessings. Yes, I have already begun to curse them, because you are not taking it to heart.
• Malachi 3:9
  Ye are cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation.You are cursed with a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing Me.

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).