God’s Word Translation
Deuteronomy 23:5
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.
Deuteronomy 23:5 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Nevertheless the Lord thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the Lord thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the Lord thy God loved thee.
- New International Version (NIV)However, the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam; instead the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loved you.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Nevertheless the Lord your God would not listen to Balaam, but the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loves you.
Context of Deuteronomy 23:5
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. 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. But 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. 7Never consider the Edomites disgusting. They’re your relatives. Never consider the Egyptians disgusting. You once were foreigners living in their country.
Read all of Deuteronomy 23Deuteronomy 23:5 word by word
וְלֹֽא־אָבָ֞ה יְהוָ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ לִשְׁמֹ֣עַ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם וַיַּהֲפֹךְ֩ יְהוָ֨ה אֱלֹהֶ֧יךָ לְּךָ֛ אֶת־הַקְּלָלָ֖ה לִבְרָכָ֑ה כִּ֥י אֲהֵֽבְךָ֖ יְהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶֽיךָ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Nevertheless the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- thy Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- wouldאָבָה'âbâh · be willingH14
- not hearkenשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- unto Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
- turnedהָפַךְhâphak · to overturnH2015
- the curseקְלָלָהqelâlâh · curseH7045
- into a blessingבְּרָכָהberâkâh · blessingH1293
- lovedאָהֵב'âhab 'âhêb · to love: loverH157
Cross-references for Deuteronomy 23:5
- Numbers 22:35The Messenger of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but say only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s princes.
- Numbers 23:5The Lord told Balaam, “Go back to Balak, and give him my message.”
- Numbers 24:9His people lie down ⌞and⌟ rest like a lion. They are like a lioness. Who dares to disturb them? Those who bless you will be blessed! Those who curse you will be cursed!”
- Micah 6:5My people, remember what King Balak of Moab planned ⌞to do to you⌟ and how Balaam, son of Beor, responded to him. Remember ⌞your journey⌟ from Shittim to Gilgal so that you may know the victories of the Lord.”
- Romans 8:31What can we say about all of this? If God is for us, who can be against us?
- 2 Corinthians 4:17Our suffering is light and temporary and is producing for us an eternal glory that is greater than anything we can imagine.
- Deuteronomy 7:7The Lord set his heart on you and chose you, even though you didn’t outnumber all the other people. You were the smallest of all nations.
- Deuteronomy 33:3You certainly love your people. All your holy ones are in your hands. They bow at your feet to receive your instructions.
- Psalms 73:1God is truly good to Israel, to those whose lives are pure.
- Jeremiah 31:3The Lord appeared to me in a faraway place and said, “I love you with an everlasting love. So I will continue to show you my kindness.
- Ezekiel 16:8“ ‘I went by you again and looked at you. You were old enough to make love to. So I spread my robe over you, and covered your naked body. I promised to love you, and I exchanged marriage vows with you. You became mine, declares the Almighty Lord.
- Malachi 1:2“I loved you,” says the Lord. “But you ask, ‘How did you love us?’ “Wasn’t Esau Jacob’s brother?” declares the Lord. “I loved Jacob,
- Romans 9:13The Scriptures say, “I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau.”
- Romans 11:28The Good News made the Jewish people enemies because of you. But by God’s choice they are loved because of their ancestors.
- Ephesians 2:4But God is rich in mercy because of his great love for us.
Commentaries on Deuteronomy 23:5
- 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
- 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 23:5
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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