ABSTRACT
The topics of blessing and curse play a fundamental role in the Biblical texts that give an account of the founding of monotheistic religion. They seem to be inseparably linked to the complex of revelation, covenant and faith that forms the centre of the new religion established at Mt. Sinai. The book of Deuteronomy deals extensively with blessings and curses, and the books of Exodus and Numbers are very explicit concerning the ambivalence of the new religion, implying belief and disbelief, loyalty and betrayal, promise and punishment, success and collapse.
