If you’ve ever wondered what the Bible has to say about curses, you’re in luck. This article is going to cover some of the most famous biblical curses, and what they mean for you today.
What’s more, there are many different kinds of curses: some were meant to be lasting punishments; others were intended to be temporary but still hurtful; and still others were said as jokes or as a way to make someone stop doing something they were doing.
Before we get started, though, let’s get one thing straight: this isn’t a list of things that have been said by God or Jesus or any other religious figure. Instead, these are curses that were laid on people by other people—and sometimes even by themselves!
A curse is a negative or evil spell. Curses can be cast on people, places, or things.
The Bible tells us that God sometimes curses people and things in His wrath. We see this in some of the stories in the Old Testament.
In this blogpost, we will discuss 5 of the most well-known curses in the Bible.
Curses of The Bible
I’ll bless those who bless you, but I’ll curse the one who curses you, and through you all the people of the earth will be blessed.”
ISV, NASB, AM, WEB
Verse Concepts
Gen 27:29
Tools
May people serve and bow before you; may you be master over your brothers; may your mother’s sons bow before you; may anyone who curses you be cursed; and may anyone who blesses you be blessed.”
ISV, AM, WEB
Verse Concepts
Exo 21:17
Tools
“Whoever curses his father or his mother must be put to death.
HCSB, ISV, NASB, AM, LEB, WEB
Verse Concepts
Lev 20:9
Tools
“If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or mother; his blood is on his own hands.
HCSB, ISV, NASB, NET, AM, LEB, WEB
Verse Concepts
Lev 24:11
Tools
And the son of the Israelite woman said evil against the holy Name, with curses; and they took him to Moses. His mother’s name was Shelomith, the daughter of Dibri, of the tribe of Dan.
BBE
Verse Concepts
Lev 24:15
Tools
And tell the Israelites: If anyone curses his God, he will bear the consequences of his sin.
HCSB, ISV, NASB, NET, AM, LEB, WEB
Verse Concepts
Num 5:23
Tools
And the priest shall write these curses in a book, and he shall blot them out with the bitter water:
KJV, HCSB, DARBY, NASB, ASV, NET, AM, LEB, WEB, BBE
Verse Concepts
Num 23:7
Tools
And in the words which the Lord had given him he said, From Aram Balak has sent for me, the king of Moab from the mountains of the East: come, put curses on Jacob for me and be angry with Israel.
BBE
Verse Concepts
Num 23:8
Tools
How may I put curses on him who is not cursed by God? how may I be angry with him with whom the Lord is not angry?
BBE
Verse Concepts
Num 23:13
Tools
And Balak said to him, Come with me now into another place from which you will not be able to see them all, but only the outskirts of them; and you will send curses on them from there.
BBE
Verse Concepts
Num 24:9
Tools
“He couches, he lies down as a lion,And as a lion, who dares rouse him?Blessed is everyone who blesses you,And cursed is everyone who curses you.”
NASB, NET, AM, WEB
Verse Concepts
Deut 11:29
Tools
“When the LORD brings you to the land that you are about to enter to inherit, repeat the blessings on Mount Gerizim and the curses on Mount Ebal.
ISV
Verse Concepts
Deut 23:4
Tools
Because they gave you no bread or water on your way, when you came out of Egypt: and they got Balaam, the son of Peor, from Pethor in Aram-naharaim to put curses on you
Breaking Curses Bible Verses
BBE
Verse Concepts
Deut 28:15
Tools
But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee:
KJV, HCSB, ISV, DARBY, NASB, ASV, NET, AM, LEB, WEB, BBE
Verse Concepts
Deut 28:20
Tools
The Lord will send against you curses, confusion, and rebuke in everything you do until you are destroyed and quickly perish, because of the wickedness of your actions in abandoning Me.
HCSB, NASB, AM
Verse Concepts
Deut 28:45
Tools
Moreover all these curses shall come upon thee, and shall pursue thee, and overtake thee, till thou be destroyed; because thou hearkenedst not unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which he commanded thee:
KJV, HCSB, ISV, YLT, DARBY, NASB, ASV, NET, AM, LEB, WEB, BBE
Verse Concepts
Deut 28:46
Tools
These curses will be a sign and a wonder against you and your descendants forever.
HCSB, ISV, NET
Verse Concepts
Deut 29:20
Tools
The LORD will not spare him, but then the anger of the LORD and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him, and the LORD shall blot out his name from under heaven.
KJV, ISV, NET, AM, LEB, BBE
Verse Concepts
Deut 29:21
Tools
And the LORD shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of Israel, according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law:
KJV, HCSB, ISV, DARBY, NASB, ASV, NET, AM, LEB, WEB, BBE
Verse Concepts
Deut 29:27
Tools
And the anger of the LORD was kindled against this land, to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book:
KJV, ISV, NET, AM, LEB
Verse Concepts
Deut 30:1
Tools
“When all these things happen to you—the blessings and curses I have set before you—and you come to your senses while you are in all the nations where the Lord your God has driven you,
HCSB, ISV, NET, AM
Verse Concepts
Deut 30:7
Tools
And the LORD thy God will put all these curses upon thine enemies, and on them that hate thee, which persecuted thee.
KJV, HCSB, ISV, DARBY, NASB, ASV, NET, AM, LEB, WEB, BBE
Verse Concepts
Deut 30:19
Tools
I call heaven and earth to testify against you today! I’ve set life and death before you today: both blessings and curses. Choose life, that it may be well with you you and your children.
ISV, AM
Verse Concepts
Josh 8:34
Tools
Afterward, Joshua read aloud all the words of the law—the blessings as well as the curses—according to all that is written in the book of the law.
HCSB, ISV, NET, LEB
Verse Concepts
1 Sam 3:13
Tools
I will make him know that I am about to judge his household forever because of the iniquity that he knew, for his sons [were] bringing curses on themselves, but he did not rebuke them.
LEB
Verse Concepts
1 Sam 17:43
Tools
And the Philistine said to David, Am I a dog, that you come out to me with sticks? And the Philistine put curses on David by all his gods.
BBE
Verse Concepts
2 Sam 16:5
Tools
When King David got to Bahurim, a man belonging to the family of the house of Saul was just coming out. His name was Shimei son of Gera, and he was yelling curses as he approached.
HCSB, NET, BBE
Verse Concepts
2 Sam 16:7
Tools
As he yelled curses, Shimei said, “Leave! Leave! You man of bloodshed, you wicked man!
Curses In The Bible Deuteronomy
NET, BBE
2 Sam 16:10
Tools
The king replied, “Sons of Zeruiah, do we agree on anything? He curses me this way because the Lord told him, ‘Curse David!’ Therefore, who can say, ‘Why did you do that?’”
HCSB, NASB, NET, LEB, WEB
Verse Concepts
2 Sam 16:12
Tools
Perhaps the Lord will see my affliction and restore goodness to me instead of Shimei’s curses today.”
HCSB, ISV
Verse Concepts
2 Sam 16:13
Tools
So David and his men went on their way. But Shimei kept going along the side of the hill opposite him, yelling curses as he threw stones and dirt at them.
NET
Verse Concepts
1 Kgs 2:8
Tools
“Keep an eye on Shimei son of Gera, the Benjaminite from Bahurim who is with you. He uttered malicious curses against me the day I went to Mahanaim. But he came down to meet me at the Jordan River, and I swore to him by the Lord: ‘I will never kill you with the sword.’
HCSB
Verse Concepts
2 Chron 34:24
Tools
Thus saith the LORD, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the curses that are written in the book which they have read before the king of Judah:
KJV, HCSB, DARBY, NASB, ASV, AM, LEB, WEB, BBE
Job 3:8
Tools
Let whoever curses days curse it those who are ready to awaken monsters.
ISV
Verse Concepts
Psa 10:3
Tools
For the wicked one boasts about his own cravings;the one who is greedy curses and despises the Lord.
HCSB, NASB, NET, AM, LEB
Verse Concepts
Psa 10:7
Tools
Their mouth is full of curses, lies, and oppression, their tongues spread trouble and iniquity.
ISV, NASB, NET
Verse Concepts
Psa 59:7
Tools
See, hate is dropping from their lips; curses are on their tongues: they say, Who gives attention to it?
BBE
Verse Concepts
Psa 59:12
Tools
For the sin of their mouths and the words of their lips,let them be caught in their pride.They utter curses and lies.
HCSB, ISV, NASB, NET, LEB, WEB, BBE
Verse Concepts
Psa 62:4
Tools
They spend all their time planning how to bring him down. They love to use deceit; they pronounce blessings with their mouths, but inwardly they utter curses. (Selah)
NET
Verse Concepts
Psa 102:8
Tools
All day long my enemies taunt me; those who mock me use my name in their curses.
NET
Verse Concepts
Psa 109:17
Tools
He loved to curse may his curses return upon him! He took no delight in blessing others so may blessings be far from him.
ISV, NET
Verse Concepts
Psa 109:18
Tools
He wore curses like a garment may they enter his inner being like water and his bones like oil.
