The Hebrew qelalah (קְלָלָה) means "curse" or "cursing," derived from the verb qalal (H7043, to be slight, swift, to curse). A qelalah is the opposite of berakah (H1293, blessing) — a declaration of harm, diminishment, or divine disfavor. It can be pronounced by humans (Jacob's fear of receiving a curse, Genesis 27:12), by God against sin and disobedience (Deuteronomy 28), or by creation itself against violators of covenant.
Qelalah is the negative counterpart to covenant blessing, forming the "curse and blessing" structure of Deuteronomy 27–28. The Levites pronounce twelve curses (qelalah) on Mount Ebal for covenant violations, and the people respond "Amen" — acknowledging the justice of God's judgment on sin. Paul quotes Deuteronomy 27:26 in Galatians 3:10 to argue that all humanity stands under the curse of the law (since none can keep it perfectly), but Christ became a curse (katara) for us to redeem us (Galatians 3:13). The cross transforms qelalah into berakah — the curse absorbed by Christ releases blessing.