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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)For they had not provided the Israelites with food and water in the wilderness. Instead, they hired Balaam to curse them, though our God turned the curse into a blessing.

Context of Nehemiah 13:2

1On that day the Book of Moses was read aloud in the hearing of the people and there it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be admitted into the assembly of God, 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.) 3When the people heard this law, they excluded from Israel all who were of foreign descent. 4Before this, Eliashib the priest had been put in charge of the storerooms of the house of our God. He was closely associated with 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“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
• Numbers 22:3and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread because of the Israelites.
• Joshua 24:9When Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, prepared to fight against Israel, he sent for Balaam son of Beor to put a curse on you.
• Numbers 23:8How can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I denounce those whom the Lord has not denounced?
• Numbers 24:5“How beautiful are your tents, Jacob, your dwelling places, Israel!
• Deuteronomy 23:5However, 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.
• Psalms 109:28While they curse, may you bless; may those who attack me be put to shame, but may your servant rejoice.
• Micah 6:5My people, remember what Balak king of Moab plotted and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may 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