ʼA·lahʹ, another Hebrew word rendered “oath” as well as “curse,” implies an oath that carries with it a curse as its penalty for violation of the oath, or because of the oath’s proving to be false.​—Ge 24:41, ftn; Nu 5:21, 23, 27; De 29:19-21; 2Ch 34:24; 1Ki 8:31, 32; see OATH.

In other cases a·naʹthe·ma is evidently used to refer to the declaring of an oath that, if not carried out or if proved false, was intended to result in a curse, as in the case of the 40 men who formed the oath-bound conspiracy to kill Paul. (Ac 23:12-15, 21) The words ka·ta·the·ma·tiʹzo and a·na·the·ma·tiʹzo are used in connection with Peter’s denial of Christ. (Mt 26:74; Mr 14:71) In effect, Peter was here saying that he wished he ‘might be cursed or set apart as evil if he knew the man.’