The origin of negative thermal expansion (NTE) in the bond frustrated ZnCr 2 Se 4 has been explored. ESR and FTIR document an ideal paramagnetic state above 100 K, below which ferromagnetic clusters coexist with the paramagnetic state down to T N . By fitting the inverse susceptibility above 100 K using a modified paramagnetic Curie-Weiss law, an exponentially changeable exchange integral J is deduced. In the case of the variable J, magnetic exchange and lattice elastic energy couple with each other effectively via magnetoelastic interaction in the ferromagnetic clusters, where NTE occurs at a loss of exchange energy while a gain of lattice elastic one.