3994. meerah
Lexical Summary
meerah: Rebellion, defiance

Original Word: מְאֵרָה
Part of Speech: Noun Feminine
Transliteration: merah
Pronunciation: may-raw'
Phonetic Spelling: (meh-ay-raw')
KJV: curse
NASB: curse, curses
Word Origin: [from H779 (אָרַר - cursed)]

1. an execration

Strong's Exhaustive Concordance
curse

From 'arar; an execration -- curse.

see HEBREW 'arar

NAS Exhaustive Concordance
Word Origin
from the same as arar
Definition
a curse
NASB Translation
curse (3), curses (2).

Brown-Driver-Briggs
מְאֵרָה noun feminine a curse Deuteronomy 28:20; Malachi 2:2; Malachi 3:9; construct מְאֵרַת Proverbs 3:33; plural מְאֵרוֺת Proverbs 28:27.

אֲרָרִי see הֲרָרִי.

Topical Lexicon
Semantic Range and Biblical Portrait

מְאֵרָה designates an expressed divine curse—a spoken, operative judgment proceeding directly from the covenant Lord. Unlike casual imprecations found elsewhere in Scripture, this term uniformly describes a curse that God Himself pronounces and enforces, thereby functioning as the antithesis of His blessing. Each occurrence emphasizes that the curse is neither arbitrary nor capricious; it is the lawful response of a holy God to covenant violation.

Occurrences and Literary Settings

Deuteronomy 28:20 anchors the word in the covenant treaty setting of Sinai–Moab. There, מְאֵרָה is part of a triad—“curses, confusion, and rebuke”—that will pursue Israel should they forsake the stipulations of the covenant. In the Wisdom corpus (Proverbs 3:33; 28:27) the term moves into the sphere of everyday life, illustrating that divine judgment is not merely national but also personal, touching households and individual ethics. Malachi 2:2 and 3:9 return to a covenant‐lawsuit framework in the post-exilic community, confirming that exile had not nullified God’s standards.

Covenant Dynamics in Deuteronomy 28

Deuteronomy 28:20 sets the theological baseline: “The LORD will send on you curses, confusion, and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed”. Here, מְאֵרָה is covenantal litigation language. Blessing and curse stand as two mutually exclusive destinations (compare Deuteronomy 28:1–14 with 28:15–68). The curse is personal (“the LORD will send”) and pervasive (“in everything you put your hand to”), revealing that no facet of national life is immune when the covenant is breached. Historically, Israel’s later experiences—famine, defeat, and exile—mirror this pronouncement, validating the predictive power of the passage and the moral coherency of biblical history.

Wisdom Literature Perspective

Proverbs applies the same covenant principle to individual conduct. “The curse of the LORD is on the house of the wicked, but He blesses the home of the righteous” (Proverbs 3:33). Righteousness and wickedness are depicted not as mere social constructs but as spiritual orientations with tangible outcomes: blessing or מְאֵרָה. Proverbs 28:27 adds an ethical focus: “He who gives to the poor will lack nothing, but he who closes his eyes to them receives many curses”. Social irresponsibility becomes a trigger for divine judgment, underscoring that generosity toward the needy is covenantally significant.

Prophetic Diagnosis and Remedy

Malachi exposes post-exilic Judah’s priestly negligence and communal robbery. “If you do not listen… I will send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings” (Malachi 2:2). Priestly indifference toward God’s name converts blessing into מְאֵרָה—a reversal of Numbers 6:24–26. Later, “You are cursed with a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing Me” (Malachi 3:9) moves the charge from clergy to laity. The prophet’s remedy is repentance and restored tithes, indicating that the curse is reversible by grace through obedience (Malachi 3:10–12).

Theological Trajectory and New Testament Resonance

Though מְאֵרָה itself does not appear in the New Testament, its concept informs Paul’s assertion that “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). The apostle draws on the covenantal pattern: human failure invites divine curse; divine mercy provides substitutionary relief. The cross therefore stands as the climactic antidote to מְאֵרָה, satisfying justice while extending blessing to “all the families of the earth” (Genesis 12:3).

Ministry Implications

1. Preaching and Teaching: מְאֵרָה reminds congregations that God’s moral order has consequential teeth. Pastoral exposition should connect obedience to blessing and disobedience to divine censure, without veering into works-based legalism.

2. Social Ethics: Proverbs links neglect of the poor with curses, challenging believers to integrate mercy ministries into congregational life lest they invert blessing into judgment.

3. Worship and Stewardship: Malachi’s focus on dishonored offerings and withheld tithes urges careful evaluation of worship practices and financial faithfulness as matters of covenant loyalty.

4. Discipleship: The comprehensive scope of מְאֵרָה warns against compartmentalized spirituality. Holiness in family, vocation, and public life are inseparable from spiritual well-being.

Eschatological Horizon

Scripture culminates with the promise, “No longer will there be any curse” (Revelation 22:3). The final removal of every מְאֵרָה confirms God’s redemptive intent and encourages steadfastness. Until that consummation, the biblical testimony to מְאֵרָה stands as both caution and catalyst—calling God’s people to covenant fidelity, social justice, and gospel proclamation grounded in the atoning work of Christ.

Forms and Transliterations
בַּמְּאֵרָה֙ במארה הַמְּאֵרָ֔ה הַמְּאֵרָ֤ה המארה מְאֵרַ֣ת מְאֵרֽוֹת׃ מארות׃ מארת bam·mə·’ê·rāh bammə’êrāh bammeeRah ham·mə·’ê·rāh hammə’êrāh hammeeRah mə’êraṯ mə’êrōwṯ mə·’ê·raṯ mə·’ê·rō·wṯ meeRat meeRot
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Interlinear GreekInterlinear HebrewStrong's NumbersEnglishman's Greek ConcordanceEnglishman's Hebrew ConcordanceParallel Texts
Englishman's Concordance
Deuteronomy 28:20
HEB: בְּ֠ךָ אֶת־ הַמְּאֵרָ֤ה אֶת־ הַמְּהוּמָה֙
NAS: will send upon you curses, confusion,
KJV: shall send upon thee cursing, vexation,
INT: will send the LORD curses confusion and rebuke

Proverbs 3:33
HEB: מְאֵרַ֣ת יְ֭הוָה בְּבֵ֣ית
NAS: The curse of the LORD is on the house
KJV: The curse of the LORD
INT: the curse of the LORD the house

Proverbs 28:27
HEB: עֵ֝ינָ֗יו רַב־ מְאֵרֽוֹת׃
NAS: his eyes will have many curses.
KJV: his eyes shall have many a curse.
INT: his eyes many curses

Malachi 2:2
HEB: בָכֶם֙ אֶת־ הַמְּאֵרָ֔ה וְאָרוֹתִ֖י אֶת־
NAS: then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse
KJV: I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse
INT: of hosts will send the curse will curse your blessings

Malachi 3:9
HEB: בַּמְּאֵרָה֙ אַתֶּ֣ם נֵֽאָרִ֔ים
NAS: You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing
KJV: Ye [are] cursed with a curse: for ye have robbed
INT: A curse You are cursed

5 Occurrences

Strong's Hebrew 3994
5 Occurrences


bam·mə·’ê·rāh — 1 Occ.
ham·mə·’ê·rāh — 2 Occ.
mə·’ê·raṯ — 1 Occ.
mə·’ê·rō·wṯ — 1 Occ.

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