Uttering curses with the desire to inflict pain upon someone is as old as humanity. The Bible calls for the death penalty for cursing parents or dignitaries. No one was permitted to curse the people of God, as Balak attempted to do. A curse against evil was a different matter, as in the case of Joshua's pronouncing a curse on anyone trying to rebuild Jericho. Jesus teaches that the proper response we must have toward someone cursing us is to bless them. The Levites reminded the people that they would be cursed if they sinned against God's laws, pronouncing these warnings from mount Ebal, threatening defeat, disease, desolation, deprivation, deportation, and death. These curses will fall on anyone who breaks God's commandments. The curse of failing to keep the law is the death penalty. Christ's having become that curse for us, taking on the penalties that we have deserved. Sadly, our people is reaping the national curses threatened in Deuteronomy 28 as a result of turning away from God.