ANATHEMA ə năth’ ə mə (ἀνάθεμα, G353, / ἀνάθημα, G356, חֵ֫רֶמ֒, H3051; that which is devoted, dedicated, banned or cursed). Although the word occurs only once in KJV (1 Cor 16:22) the LXX uses it frequently, but not exclusively, to tr. ḥērem, a noun which occurs twenty-nine times in the OT. This word is used in two senses, both relating to the idea of devoting something to God. It would appear that Leviticus 27:28 is speaking about a person voluntarily dedicating some of his goods in a solemn way to Yahweh, while the following v. is speaking about someone who is to be destroyed. In contrast to the consecrated things of the earlier parts of the ch., neither of these devoted things can be redeemed. But they are different from each other for there is no reason why the items devoted in the first case should be devoted, whereas such a reason must surely be present in the second because of its eventuating in death to the one devoted. These represent two types: that which is dedicated and that which is set apart for destruction.

In the first class should be included the ḥērem which belongs to the priests (Num 18:14; Ezek 44:29). The rest of the examples are of the second type. The following are to be destroyed: idols (Deut 7:26); cities in Israel in which idolaters live (13:16); Canaanite cities and their goods (Josh 6:17, 18); Achan, who violated the previous ḥērem (Josh 7:1, 11-13; 22:20; 1 Chron 2:7); the Midianites (Num 31:7ff.); the Amalekites and their goods (1 Sam 15:21); Benhadad, king of Syria (1 Kings 20:42). The connection of the ḥērem with warfare is close, but Deuteronomy 20:10-18 makes it clear that not all warfare was to employ such severe destruction, but only that which was directed against the Canaanites and related peoples. On the question of why these things were to be destroyed, Snaith suggests that originally it was their connection with a god other than Yahweh, although there are some passages where this connection is no longer felt.

In non-Biblical Gr. the emphasis of anathema is upon the idea of dedicating something to deity and anatithēmi becomes used technically for offering up a votive offering. A possible exception to this emphasis is the use of anathema in a curse tablet, but the lateness of the text renders it disputed as to whether it is uninfluenced by Biblical usage.

In the NT one finds the two LXX uses continued: Luke 21:5 speaks of offerings, while the meaning “object devoted to destruction” is perpetuated in Romans 9:3; 1 Corinthians 12:3; 16:22; Galatians 1:8, 9. In Acts 23:14 the word is used of the curse which is to bring destruction.

Bibliography J. Behm, in TWNT (1933); N. Snaith, The Distinctive Ideas of the Old Testament (1944).