Nehemiah 13:2

Nehemiah 13:2 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.
• New International Version (NIV)because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.)
• English Standard Version (ESV)for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing.
• New King James Version (NKJV)because they had not met the children of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing.

Context of Nehemiah 13:2

1At that time the book of Moses was read publicly to the people. The command was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, because 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. 3When they heard the law, they separated all those of mixed descent from Israel. 4Now before this, the priest Eliashib had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was a relative of Tobiah

Nehemiah 13:2 word by word

כִּ֣י לֹ֧א קִדְּמ֛וּ אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל בַּלֶּ֣חֶם וּבַמָּ֑יִם וַיִּשְׂכֹּ֨ר עָלָ֤יו אֶת־בִּלְעָם֙ לְקַֽלְל֔וֹ וַיַּהֲפֹ֧ךְ אֱלֹהֵ֛ינוּ הַקְּלָלָ֖ה לִבְרָכָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Because they metקָדַםqâdam · to meetH6923
• not the childrenבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• with breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• and with waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• but hiredשָׂכַרώâkar sâkar · to hireH7936
• Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
• against them, that he should curseקָלַלqâlal · to lightenH7043
• them: howbeit our Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• turnedהָפַךְhâphak · to overturnH2015
• the curseקְלָלָהqelâlâh · curseH7045
• into a blessingבְּרָכָהberâkâh · blessingH1293

Cross-references for Nehemiah 13:2

• 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.’
• Numbers 22:3Moab was terrified of the people because they were numerous, and Moab dreaded the Israelites.
• Joshua 24:9Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, set out to fight against Israel. He sent for Balaam son of Beor to curse you,
• Numbers 23:8How can I curse someone God has not cursed? How can I denounce someone the Lord has not denounced?
• Numbers 24:5How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwellings, Israel.
• Deuteronomy 23:5Yet 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.
• Psalms 109:28Though they curse, you will bless. When they rise up, they will be put to shame, but your servant will rejoice.
• Micah 6:5My people, remember what King Balak of Moab proposed, what Balaam son of Beor answered him, and what happened from the Acacia Grove to Gilgal so that you may acknowledge the Lord’s righteous acts.

Commentaries on Nehemiah 13:2

• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-3On the same day the temple workers were appointed (Nehemiah 12:44), the text from Deuteronomy 23:3–6 was read. It stated that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God. Nehemiah later discovered (Nehemiah 13:4–14) that people were no longer following these teachings.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-91. On that day--This was not immediately consequent on the dedication of the city wall and gates, but after Nehemiah's return from the Persian court to Jerusalem, his absence having extended over a considerable period. The transaction here described probably took place on one of the periodical occasions for the public readings of the law, when the people's attention was particularly directed to some violations of it which called for immediate correction…Read the comment

Topics related to Nehemiah 13:2

• Balaam

In the dictionaries

• Balaam
• God
• Israel
• Israel, Israelites
• Jacob, Israel
• god, false god, goddess, idol, idolater, idolatrous, idolatry
• Children of Israel
• Contend
• Outlandish
• Testify

Commentaries on Nehemiah 13

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• 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
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings