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

1On that day they read aloud from the book of Moses in the hearing of the people; and there was found written in it that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever enter the assembly of God, because they did not meet the sons of Israel with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing. 3So when they heard the law, they excluded all foreigners from Israel. 4Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being related to 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

• becauseכִּיkîy · forH3588
• they did not meetקָדַםqâdam · to meetH6923
• the sonsבֵּןbên · son: descendant/peopleH1121
• of Israelיִשְׂרָאֵלyiώrâ'êl · IsraelH3478
• with breadלֶ֫חֶםlechem · food: breadH3899
• and waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
• hiredשָׂכַרώâkar sâkar · to hireH7936
• Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
• againstעַל‛al · uponH5921
• them to curseקָלַלqâlal · to lightenH7043
• our Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
• turnedהָפַךְhâphak · to overturnH2015
• the curseקְלָלָהqelâlâh · curseH7045
• into a blessingבְּרָכָהberâkâh · blessingH1293

Cross-references for Nehemiah 13:2

• Matthew 25:40The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’
• Numbers 22:3So Moab was in great fear because of the people, for they were numerous; and Moab was in dread of the sons of Israel.
• Joshua 24:9Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel, and he sent and summoned Balaam the son of Beor to curse you.
• Numbers 23:8How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how can I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
• Numbers 24:5How fair are your tents, O Jacob, Your dwellings, O Israel!
• Deuteronomy 23:5Nevertheless, the Lord your God was not willing to listen to Balaam, but the Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you because the Lord your God loves you.
• Psalms 109:28Let them curse, but You bless; When they arise, they shall be ashamed, But Your servant shall be glad.
• Micah 6:5My people, remember now What Balak king of Moab counseled And what Balaam son of Beor answered him, And from Shittim to Gilgal, So that you might know the righteous acts of the Lord.”

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