God’s Word Translation
Deuteronomy 23:4
4They cannot join because they didn’t greet you with food and water on your trip from Egypt. They even hired Balaam, son of Beor, from Pethor in Aram Naharaim, to curse you.
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
2A man born from an illicit union may not join the assembly of the Lord. No descendant of his may join the assembly of the Lord for ten generations. 3Ammonites or Moabites may not join the assembly of the Lord. Not one descendant of theirs may join the assembly of the Lord for ten generations. They cannot join because they didn’t greet you with food and water on your trip from Egypt. They even hired Balaam, son of Beor, from Pethor in Aram Naharaim, to curse you. 5But the Lord your God refused to listen to Balaam. Instead, he turned Balaam’s curse into a blessing for you because the Lord your God loves you. 6Never offer them peace or friendship as long as you live.
Read all of Deuteronomy 23Deuteronomy 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 2:28We’ll pay you in silver for the food we eat and the water we drink. Please let us go through,
- Genesis 14:17After Abram came back from defeating Chedorlaomer and his allies, the king of Sodom came out to meet him in the Shaveh Valley (that is, the King’s Valley).
- 1 Samuel 25:11Should I take my bread, my water, and my meat that I butchered for my shearers and give them to men coming from who knows where?”
- 1 Kings 18:4(When Jezebel was killing the Lord’s prophets, Obadiah had hidden 100 prophets in caves. He put 50 prophets in each cave and kept them alive by providing bread and water for them.)
- Isaiah 63:9In all their troubles he was troubled, and he was the Messenger who saved them. In his love and compassion he reclaimed them. He always held them and carried them in the past.
- Zechariah 2:8This is what the Lord of Armies says: Afterwards, the Glory sent me to the nations who looted you. Whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye.
- Matthew 25:40“The king will answer them, ‘I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you did for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant ⌞they seemed⌟, you did for me.’
- Acts 9:4He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?”
- Numbers 22:5He sent messengers to summon Balaam, son of Beor, who was at Pethor, on the Euphrates River, in the land where his people lived. Balak’s message was, “A nation has just come here from Egypt. They’ve spread out all over the countryside and are setting up their camp here in front of me.
- Nehemiah 13:2(After all, they didn’t welcome the Israelites with food and water. Instead, they hired Balaam to curse the Israelites. 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
In the dictionaries
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
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