אָרַר (H779) — Hebrew Lexicon

אָרַר

𐤀𐤓𐤓

ʼârar

H779 verb

SILEX Entry

Root אָרר to curse, to utter a curse, to invoke harm or misfortune

Definition

To utter a curse upon, to invoke harm or misfortune upon someone or something; to pronounce a formal ousting, ban, or malediction. In specific contexts, refers to placing a person, community, or object outside of the blessing or favor—typically through a spoken formula. The term can indicate both ritual and personal expressions of curse, encompassing legal, social, and religious dimensions.

Semantic Range

to curse, to invoke a binding malediction, to place under ban, to denounce with a curse, to outlaw ritually, to utter a formal wish of harm

Root / Etymology

From the root אָרַר (ארר), which at the root level means 'to curse, bind with a curse, denounce.' The form is a verbal root and appears in several derived nouns and participles, e.g., מְאָרֵר (m’orer), 'one who curses.'

Historical & Contextual Notes

In the Hebrew Bible, אָרַר is used for both informal and formal acts of cursing. It is the typical verb for pronouncing a curse in covenantal contexts (e.g., Genesis 12:3, Deuteronomy 27:15-26), in which being cursed means being placed outside divine favor or subject to misfortune, often contrasted with being blessed (בָּרַךְ). The word does not denote profanity or vulgar language, but rather a ritualized or legally binding utterance with presumed effect. It appears in narrative (e.g., the curse of Cain in Genesis 4:11), prophetic (Jeremiah 11:3), and legal materials. Later rabbinic tradition sometimes distinguishes between different types of curses (imprecations, bans, etc.), but in biblical usage אָרַר consistently conveys invocation of misfortune through a verbal formula. Some English translations use 'curse' broadly, but the full range also includes malediction, ban, and placing under threat or sanction. The meaning should be distinguished from חרם ('herem'), which often indicates something banned or devoted to destruction, and from קלל ('qll'), which connotes mocking, belittling, or cursing in a lighter or contemptuous sense. The act of cursing could occur in private or public, and was sometimes associated with ritual gestures or formulae.

Original Strong's Gloss (1890)

a primitive root; to execrate; [idiom] bitterly curse.

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Root Family

ארר (ʾ-r-r) — to curse, to utter a curse, to invoke harm or misfortune

Strong's	Lemma	SIBI-P1
H3994	מְאֵרָה	in the curse

Word Forms

20 distinct forms

SIDANCE	Surface	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1	Occurrences
`H779-05`	אָר֤וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed	curse-bound one	31
`H779-10`	הַ/מְאָֽרֲרִֽים	hameararim	`HTd/Vprmpa`	the cursing	the curse-invokers	5
`H779-18`	וְ/אָר֥וּר	vearur	`HC/Vqsmsa`	and cursed	and cursed one	4
`H779-07`	אֲרוּרִ֣ים	arurim	`HVqsmpa`	cursed	cursed ones	3
`H779-16`	תָאֹֽר	taor	`HVqi2ms`	you shall curse	you will curse	3
`H779-02`	אָֽרָ/ה	arah	`HVqv2ms/Sh`	curse	Invoke a curse!	2
`H779-15`	א֣וֹרוּ	oru	`HVqv2mp`	Curse	Curse!	2
`H779-14`	אֹרְרֶ֣י/ךָ	orereykha	`HVqrmpc/Sp2ms`	who curse you	your cursers	1
`H779-03`	אָר֖וֹר	aror	`HVqa`	curse	to utter a curse	1
`H779-08`	אֵֽרְרָ֖/הּ	ererah	`HVpp3ms/Sp3fs`	he has cursed	he has cursed her	1
`H779-17`	וְ/אָרוֹתִ֖י	vearoti	`HC/Vqq1cs`	and I will curse	and I cursed	1
`H779-09`	הָ/אֲרוּרָ֤ה	haarurah	`HTd/Vqsfsa`	the cursed [woman]	the cursed one	1
`H779-19`	וְ/אֹרְרֶ֖י/ךָ	veorereykha	`HC/Vqrmpc/Sp2ms`	those who curse you	your cursers	1
`H779-11`	הַ/מְאָרְרִ֤ים	hamearerim	`HTd/Vprmpa`	that cause the curse	the ones who curse	1
`H779-01`	אָאֹ֑ר	aor	`HVqi1cs`	I will curse	I will curse	1
`H779-06`	אֲרוּרָ֤ה	arurah	`HVqsfsa`	cursed	cursed one	1
`H779-12`	נֵֽאָרִ֔ים	nearim	`HVNsmpa`	are cursed	youths	1
`H779-13`	אֹרְרֵי	orerey	`HVqrmpc`	who curse	cursers of	1
`H779-04`	אָרוֹתִ֔י/הָ	arotiha	`HVqp1cs/Sp3fs`	I have cursed them	I cursed her	1
`H779-20`	יוּאָֽר	yuar	`HVHi3ms`	is-cursed	he will be put under a curse	1

Occurrences in Scripture

63 total occurrences

SIDANCE	Reference	Word	Transliteration	Morphology	Common	SIBI-P1
`H779-05`	Genesis 3:14	אָר֤וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-06`	Genesis 3:17	אֲרוּרָ֤ה	arurah	`HVqsfsa`	cursed	cursed one
`H779-05`	Genesis 4:11	אָר֣וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-08`	Genesis 5:29	אֵֽרְרָ֖/הּ	ererah	`HVpp3ms/Sp3fs`	he has cursed	he has cursed her
`H779-05`	Genesis 9:25	אָר֣וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-01`	Genesis 12:3	אָאֹ֑ר	aor	`HVqi1cs`	I will curse	I will curse
`H779-14`	Genesis 27:29	אֹרְרֶ֣י/ךָ	orereykha	`HVqrmpc/Sp2ms`	who curse you	your cursers
`H779-05`	Genesis 27:29	אָר֔וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	be cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Genesis 49:7	אָר֤וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed be	curse-bound one
`H779-16`	Exodus 22:27	תָאֹֽר	taor	`HVqi2ms`	you shall curse	you will curse
`H779-10`	Numbers 5:18	הַ/מְאָֽרֲרִֽים	hameararim	`HTd/Vprmpa`	that bring the curse	the curse-invokers
`H779-10`	Numbers 5:19	הַֽ/מְאָרֲרִ֖ים	hameararim	`HTd/Vprmpa`	that brings the curse	the curse-invokers
`H779-11`	Numbers 5:22	הַ/מְאָרְרִ֤ים	hamearerim	`HTd/Vprmpa`	that cause the curse	the ones who curse
`H779-10`	Numbers 5:24	הַ/מְאָֽרֲרִ֑ים	hameararim	`HTd/Vprmpa`	the cursing	the curse-invokers
`H779-10`	Numbers 5:24	הַֽ/מְאָרֲרִ֖ים	hameararim-2	`HTd/Vprmpa`	the cursing	the curse-invokers
`H779-10`	Numbers 5:27	הַ/מְאָֽרֲרִים֙	hameararim	`HTd/Vprmpa`	that-bring-the-curse	the curse-invokers
`H779-02`	Numbers 22:6	אָֽרָ/ה	arah	`HVqv2ms/Sh`	curse	Invoke a curse!
`H779-16`	Numbers 22:6	תָּאֹ֖ר	taor	`HVqi2ms`	you-curse	you will curse
`H779-20`	Numbers 22:6	יוּאָֽר	yuar	`HVHi3ms`	is-cursed	he will be put under a curse
`H779-16`	Numbers 22:12	תָאֹר֙	taor	`HVqi2ms`	you shall curse	you will curse
`H779-02`	Numbers 23:7	אָֽרָ/ה	arah	`HVqv2ms/Sh`	curse	Invoke a curse!
`H779-19`	Numbers 24:9	וְ/אֹרְרֶ֖י/ךָ	veorereykha	`HC/Vqrmpc/Sp2ms`	those who curse you	your cursers
`H779-05`	Numbers 24:9	אָרֽוּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	will be cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Deuteronomy 27:15	אָר֣וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Deuteronomy 27:16	אָר֕וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Deuteronomy 27:17	אָר֕וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed [be]	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Deuteronomy 27:18	אָר֕וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Deuteronomy 27:19	אָר֗וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Deuteronomy 27:20	אָר֗וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed [be he]	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Deuteronomy 27:21	אָר֕וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed [be he]	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Deuteronomy 27:22	אָר֗וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed [be]	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Deuteronomy 27:23	אָר֕וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Deuteronomy 27:24	אָר֕וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed [be]	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Deuteronomy 27:25	אָרוּר֙	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed [be]	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Deuteronomy 27:26	אָר֗וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Deuteronomy 28:16	אָר֥וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-18`	Deuteronomy 28:16	וְ/אָר֥וּר	vearur	`HC/Vqsmsa`	and cursed	and cursed one
`H779-05`	Deuteronomy 28:17	אָר֥וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed shall be	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Deuteronomy 28:18	אָר֥וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Deuteronomy 28:19	אָר֥וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-18`	Deuteronomy 28:19	וְ/אָר֥וּר	vearur	`HC/Vqsmsa`	and cursed	and cursed one
`H779-05`	Joshua 6:26	אָר֨וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-07`	Joshua 9:23	אֲרוּרִ֣ים	arurim	`HVqsmpa`	cursed	cursed ones
`H779-15`	Judges 5:23	א֣וֹרוּ	oru	`HVqv2mp`	Curse	Curse!
`H779-15`	Judges 5:23	אֹ֥רוּ	oru-2	`HVqv2mp`	Curse	Curse!
`H779-03`	Judges 5:23	אָר֖וֹר	aror	`HVqa`	curse	to utter a curse
`H779-05`	Judges 21:18	אָר֕וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	1 Samuel 14:24	אָר֣וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	1 Samuel 14:28	אָר֥וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-07`	1 Samuel 26:19	אֲרוּרִ֥ים	arurim	`HVqsmpa`	cursed	cursed ones
`H779-09`	2 Kings 9:34	הָ/אֲרוּרָ֤ה	haarurah	`HTd/Vqsfsa`	the cursed [woman]	the cursed one
`H779-05`	Jeremiah 11:3	אָר֣וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Jeremiah 17:5	אָר֤וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Jeremiah 20:14	אָר֣וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed be	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Jeremiah 20:15	אָר֣וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed be	curse-bound one
`H779-05`	Jeremiah 48:10	אָר֗וּר	arur	`HVqsmsa`	Cursed [is]	curse-bound one
`H779-18`	Jeremiah 48:10	וְ/אָר֕וּר	vearur	`HC/Vqsmsa`	and cursed [is]	and cursed one
`H779-18`	Malachi 1:14	וְ/אָר֣וּר	vearur	`HC/Vqsmsa`	and-cursed	and cursed one
`H779-17`	Malachi 2:2	וְ/אָרוֹתִ֖י	vearoti	`HC/Vqq1cs`	and I will curse	and I cursed
`H779-04`	Malachi 2:2	אָרוֹתִ֔י/הָ	arotiha	`HVqp1cs/Sp3fs`	I have cursed them	I cursed her
`H779-12`	Malachi 3:9	נֵֽאָרִ֔ים	nearim	`HVNsmpa`	are cursed	youths
`H779-07`	Psalms 119:21	אֲרוּרִ֑ים	arurim	`HVqsmpa`	the cursed	cursed ones
`H779-13`	Job 3:8	אֹרְרֵי	orerey	`HVqrmpc`	who curse	cursers of

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