Complete Bible Study Guide

What Does the Bible Say About Curses?

12 Scripture references with full text and commentary

Understanding Curses in the Bible

Explore what the Bible says about curses. This collection of 12 key Scripture passages reveals God's wisdom and guidance on this important theme.

12
Total Verses
10
Old Testament
2
New Testament

Top 10 Verses About Curses

  1. 1
    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;
    KJV
  2. 2
    Exodus 22:2
    If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.
    KJV
  3. 3
    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.
    KJV
  4. 4
    Deuteronomy 28:1
    And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
    KJV
  5. 5
    Deuteronomy 28:47
    Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;
    KJV
  6. 6
    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.
    KJV
  7. 7
    Psalms 84:11
    For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
    KJV
  8. 8
    Psalms 127:3
    Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
    KJV
  9. 9
    Proverbs 26:2
    As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.
    KJV
  10. 10
    Ezekiel 18:20
    The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.
    KJV

Subtopics of Curses

blessings and curses
breaking curses
breaking generational curses
financial curses
generation curses
generational curses

Old Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Curses? (10 Verses)

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;
If a thief be found breaking up, and be smitten that he die, there shall no blood be shed for him.
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.
And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth:
Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things;
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.
For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.
As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come.
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

New Testament: What Does the Bible Say About Curses? (2 Verses)

For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:

How to Study What the Bible Says About Curses

  1. 1

    Begin by reading through every verse listed on this page, noting which ones speak most directly to your current season of life. Write them down and revisit them throughout the week.

  2. 2

    Use a concordance or the search tools on this site to find additional passages about curses. Look for patterns across both the Old and New Testaments to gain a complete picture of what God reveals on this subject.

  3. 3

    Study the context of each verse. Read the surrounding chapter to understand who was speaking, who the audience was, and what circumstances prompted the passage. Context prevents misapplication.

  4. 4

    Memorise at least one key verse about curses and meditate on it daily. Scripture memory transforms thinking and equips you to apply God's Word in real-time situations.

Practical Application

Studying what the Bible says about curses is only the beginning. Scripture is meant to be lived out in daily obedience and faith. Here are practical steps to apply these truths:

  • Identify one area of your life where the biblical teaching on curses needs to be applied more consistently. Write a specific, actionable step you can take this week.

  • Share what you have learned about curses with a fellow believer or in a small group setting. Teaching others solidifies your own understanding and encourages mutual growth.

  • Pray through the key verses about curses, asking God to reveal how His Word applies to your relationships, decisions, and daily habits.

How Well Do You Know What the Bible Says About Curses?

You have studied 12 verses about curses. Now test your knowledge with chapter-by-chapter quizzes covering the books where these verses appear.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the Bible say about curses?
Explore what the Bible says about curses. This collection of 12 key Scripture passages reveals God's wisdom and guidance on this important theme. The Bible contains 12 key verses about curses spanning both Old and New Testaments.
How many Bible verses about curses are there?
There are 12 key Bible verses about curses compiled in this study guide, drawn from books across both the Old and New Testaments.
What is the best verse about curses?
One of the most well-known and frequently cited verses about curses is 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 sha..."
Where in the Bible does it talk about curses?
Curses is discussed throughout the Bible in both the Old and New Testaments. You can find 12 references to this topic across multiple books including the Psalms, Proverbs, the Gospels, and the Epistles.

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