To curse, signifies to imprecate, to call for mischief upon, or
wish evil to, any one. Noah cursed his grandson Canaan, Gen. ix, 25:
Jacob cursed the fury of his two sons, Gen. xlix, 7: Moses enjoins the
people of Israel to denounce curses against the violaters of the law,
Deut. xxvii, 15, 16, &c. Joshua pronounced a curse upon him who should
undertake to rebuild Jericho. These curses were such as were either
ordained by God himself, and pronounced by men under the influence of
his Spirit; or they were predictions of certain evils which would happen
to individuals, or to a people, uttered in the form of imprecations.
They were not the effects of passion, impatience, or revenge; and,
therefore, were not things condemned by God in his law, like the cursing
mentioned, Exodus xxi, 17, xxii, 28, Leviticus xix, 14.
wish evil to, any one. Noah cursed his grandson Canaan, Gen. ix, 25:
Jacob cursed the fury of his two sons, Gen. xlix, 7: Moses enjoins the
people of Israel to denounce curses against the violaters of the law,
Deut. xxvii, 15, 16, &c. Joshua pronounced a curse upon him who should
undertake to rebuild Jericho. These curses were such as were either
ordained by God himself, and pronounced by men under the influence of
his Spirit; or they were predictions of certain evils which would happen
to individuals, or to a people, uttered in the form of imprecations.
They were not the effects of passion, impatience, or revenge; and,
therefore, were not things condemned by God in his law, like the cursing
mentioned, Exodus xxi, 17, xxii, 28, Leviticus xix, 14.