EXECRATION (eks'il-kra'shiin). The Greek word so rendered, Karcipa kat-ah'rah, curse, occurs in Num. xxiii:8; xxiv:9; Josh. vi:26; I Sam. xvii:43. It is used also in profane authors to denote the im precations which it was customary among ancient nations to pronounce upon their enemies for the purpose of calling down the divine wrath, brand ing them with infamy, and exciting against them the passions of the multitude.
(1) By Priests. These imprecations were chiefly pronounced by priests, enchanters, or prophets (see B.NLA.% ). The Athenians made use of them against Philip of Macedon. They con vened an assembly, in which it was decreed that all statues, inscriptions, or festivals among them, in any way relating to him or his ancestors, should be destroyed, and every other possible reminis cence of him profaned ; and that the priests, as often as they prayed for the success of the Athe nian affairs, should pray for the ruin of Philip. It was also customary, both among the Grrcks and Romans, after having destroyed cities in war, the revival of whose strength they dreaded. to pronounce execrations upon those who should rebuild them.
(2) Against Rebuilding. The Romans pub lished a decree full of execrations against those who should rebuild Carthage (Zonaras, Annal.). An incident somewhat analogous is related (Josh. vi :26) after the taking of Jericho. From the words 'and Joshua adjured them at that time,' it is likely that he acted under a divine intimation that Jericho should continue in ruins, as a monu ment of the divine displeasure and a warning to posterity. The words 'cursed he the man (the in
dividual) before the Lord that riseth up and buildeth this city Jericho,' although transformed into an execration by the word supplied by the translators, amount to no more than a prediction that 'he shall lay the foundation thereof in his firstborn, and in his youngest son shall he set up the gates of it,' that is, he shall meet with so many impediments to his undertaking that he shall outlive all his children, dying in the course of nature before he shall complete it.
(3) In the Psalms. The execrations in Ps. lxxxiii, probably written on the occasion of the confederacy against Jehoshaphat, and other in stances of a like nature, partake of the execra tions of the heathens in nothing but form, being the inspired predictions or denunciations of divine vengeance against the avowed enemies of the God of Israel, notwithstanding the proofs they had witnessed of his supremacy ; and the object of these imprecations, as in many other instances, is charitable, namely, their conversion to the true religion (verse 18 ; see also Ps. lix :12). J. F. D.