Deuteronomy 23:4

Deuteronomy 23:4 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.
• New International Version (NIV)For they did not come to meet you with bread and water on your way when you came out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram Naharaim to pronounce a curse on you.
• English Standard Version (ESV)because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.
• New King James Version (NKJV)because they did not meet you with bread and water on the road when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you.

Context of Deuteronomy 23:4

2No one of illegitimate birth may enter the Lord’s assembly; none of his descendants, even to the tenth generation, may enter the Lord’s assembly. 3No Ammonite or Moabite may enter the Lord’s assembly; none of their descendants, even to the tenth generation, may ever enter the Lord’s assembly. This is because they did not meet you with food and water on the journey after you came out of Egypt, and because Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram-naharaim was hired to curse you. 5Yet the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam, but he turned the curse into a blessing for you because the Lord your God loves you. 6Never pursue their welfare or prosperity as long as you live.

Deuteronomy 23:4 word by word

עַל־דְּבַ֞ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹא־קִדְּמ֤וּ אֶתְכֶם֙ בַּלֶּ֣חֶם וּבַמַּ֔יִם בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ בְּצֵאתְכֶ֣ם מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וַאֲשֶׁר֩ שָׂכַ֨ר עָלֶ֜יךָ אֶת־בִּלְעָ֣ם בֶּן־בְּע֗וֹר מִפְּת֛וֹר אֲרַ֥ם נַהֲרַ֖יִם לְקַֽלְלֶֽךָּ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Becauseדָּבָרdâbâr · word: becauseH1697
• they metקָדַםqâdam · to meetH6923
• you not with breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• and with waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• in the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
• when ye came forthיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: comeH3318
• out of Egyptמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
• and because they hiredשָׂכַרώâkar sâkar · to hireH7936
• against thee Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
• the sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
• of Beorבְּעוֹרbe‛ôr · BeorH1160
• of Pethorפְּתוֹרpethôr · PethorH6604
• of Mesopotamiaאֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם'ăram nahărayim · MesopotamiaH763
• to curseקָלַלqâlal · to lightenH7043

Cross-references for Deuteronomy 23:4

• Deuteronomy 2:28You can sell us food in exchange for silver so we may eat, and give us water for silver so we may drink. Only let us travel through on foot,
• Genesis 14:17After Abram returned from defeating Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him, the king of Sodom went out to meet him in the Shaveh Valley (that is, the King’s Valley).
• 1 Samuel 25:11Am I supposed to take my bread, my water, and my meat that I butchered for my shearers and give them to these men? I don’t know where they are from.”
• 1 Kings 18:4and took a hundred prophets and hid them, fifty men to a cave, and provided them with food and water when Jezebel slaughtered the Lord’s prophets.
• Isaiah 63:9In all their suffering, he suffered, and the angel of his presence saved them. He redeemed them because of his love and compassion; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of the past.
• Zechariah 2:8For the Lord of Armies says this: “In pursuit of his glory, he sent me against the nations plundering you, for whoever touches you touches the pupil of my eye.
• Matthew 25:40“And the King will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
• Acts 9:4Falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
• Numbers 22:5he sent messengers to Balaam son of Beor at Pethor, which is by the Euphrates in the land of his people. Balak said to him, “Look, a people has come out of Egypt; they cover the surface of the land and are living right across from me.
• Nehemiah 13:2because they did not meet the Israelites with food and water. Instead, they hired Balaam against them to curse them, but our God turned the curse into a blessing.

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 23:4

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 3-5Verses 3-5 This law forbids only the naturalization of those against whom it is directed. It does not forbid their dwelling in the land; and seems to refer rather to the nations than to individuals. It was not understood at any rate to interdict marriage with a Moabitess; compare Rth 1:4 ; Rth 4:13 . Ruth however, and her sister were doubtless proselytes. Deuteronomy 23:4 Compare the marginal reference. The Moabites and the Ammonites are to be regarded as…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 4Pethor is now identified with Pitru in Mesopotamia (see study note on Numbers 22:5–6). Aram-naharaim means "Aram of the two rivers." It was located between the Euphrates River and the Balih River in upper Mesopotamia.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-251-3. He that is wounded ..., shall not enter into the congregation of the Lord--"To enter into the congregation of the Lord" means either admission to public honors and offices in the Church and State of Israel, or, in the case of foreigners, incorporation with that nation by marriage. The rule was that strangers and foreigners, for fear of friendship or marriage connections with them leading the people into idolatry, were not admissible till their…Read the comment

Topics related to Deuteronomy 23:4

• Ammonites
• Balaam
• Inhospitableness
• Malice
• Mesopotamia
• Pethor

In the dictionaries

• Balaam
• Egypt
• Mesopotamia
• Egypt, Egyptian
• Mesopotamia, Aram Naharaim
• Alien
• Ammonite
• Paddle
• Sickle
• Slack

Commentaries on Deuteronomy 23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings