TO CURSE — the ordinary Hebrew verb, and the one Balak actually uses. ⭐ Numbers 22:6 is where it matters, because the chapter puts it against a second curse-verb in the space of five verses: Balak asks Balaam to arar Israel, Balaam repeats the request to God using qabab instead, and God’s refusal at v12 goes back to Balak’s original word. Only the NWT 1984 and TNM 1987 print two different words there; the other eleven versions consulted print one. ⚠ Hebrew has at least four curse-words and this dictionary keeps them apart rather than lumping them: arar, qabab, alah (the curse that is a sworn oath) and qalal (to make light of, to treat as of no weight). Arar is the one Genesis uses of the ground for Adam’s sake and of Cain, and the one behind Abraham’s promise at Genesis 12:3 — which Balak quotes back, almost word for word, without knowing whose formula it is. → first discussed at Num 22:6