ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Imprecations (Bible)

Imprecations are like angry words, or curses, that are written in the Bible. They are often directed towards people who have done something wrong, or who are considered enemies of God's people.

So, imagine you have a favorite toy, and someone takes it from you without your permission. You might feel angry and want to say mean things to that person. Well, when people in the Bible felt angry or wronged, they sometimes wrote imprecations.

These words ask God to punish the person who did wrong, and sometimes they can be very harsh. For example, in Psalm 109, the writer asks God to make the person who wronged them "like a stillborn child" and for "his children to be wandering beggars."

It's important to remember that these imprecations were written in a different time and place, and they are not necessarily how we should think or act today. As Christians, we are called to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us, rather than wishing harm upon them.