### Core Meaning & Semantic Range
The Hebrew word **qâbab**, represented by `{{H6895}}`, is a primitive root defined as to scoop out, or figuratively, to malign or execrate by stabbing with words. It is also used idiomatically to mean "at all." This specific term for **curse** appears 8 times across 8 unique verses, with all occurrences found in the book of Numbers.
### Biblical Occurrences & Contextual Analysis
The use of `{{H6895}}` is exclusively found within the narrative of Balak and Balaam. Balak, king of Moab, repeatedly summons the prophet Balaam for the express purpose of placing a **curse** upon the Israelites. Balak's plea, "come now, **curse** me them" [[Numbers 22:11]], underscores the belief in the tangible power of such an utterance. The word's intensity is highlighted when Balaam asks, "How shall I curse, whom God hath not **cursed**?" [[Numbers 23:8]], showing that a human curse is nullified by God's own will. The narrative climaxes with Balak's frustration when Balaam blesses Israel instead, exclaiming, "I called thee to **curse** mine enemies, and, behold, thou hast altogether blessed them" [[Numbers 24:10]].
### Related Words & Concepts
Several related words help clarify the concept of cursing and its opposite, blessing:
* `{{H1288}}` **bârak**: This word means **to bless** and is the direct counterpart to `qâbab` in the Balaam story. It is used when Balak complains that Balaam has "blessed them altogether" instead of cursing them [[Numbers 23:11]].
* `{{H2194}}` **zâʻam**: Meaning to be enraged or **defy**, this term expresses extreme anger and indignation. It appears in parallel with cursing when Balaam asks, "or how shall I **defy**, whom the LORD hath not defied?" [[Numbers 23:8]].
* `{{H5344}}` **nâqab**: This term, meaning to puncture or **curse**, is used alongside `{{H6895}}`. In [[Numbers 23:8]], Balaam uses both words to question his ability to act against God's will. In a different context, it can also mean to pierce or name, as in a bag with **holes** [[Haggai 1:6]].
### Theological Significance
The theological weight of `{{H6895}}` is centered on the conflict between human will and divine sovereignty.
* **The Power of the Spoken Word:** The repeated requests by Balak for Balaam to **curse** `{{H6895}}` Israel reveal a deep-seated belief that spoken maledictions could affect the physical world and determine the outcome of battles [[Numbers 22:11]].
* **Divine Authority over Curses:** The primary lesson from the use of `{{H6895}}` is that God's authority is supreme. A curse from a man, even a prophet, has no power if it contradicts God's own disposition toward His people [[Numbers 23:8]].
* **Malign Intent:** The figurative meaning of "stabbing with words" implies a deeply hostile and destructive intent. Balak is not seeking a general ill-omen but a specific, targeted execration against the people God has chosen to bless [[Numbers 22:17]].
### Summary
In summary, `{{H6895}}` is a potent and specific term for cursing that means to execrate or malign. Its concentrated use in the book of Numbers provides a dramatic illustration of the futility of human curses in the face of God's sovereign blessing. It functions within a specific semantic field of words related to blessing, cursing, and defiance, ultimately teaching that divine will cannot be subverted by the malevolent words of man.
TRV