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 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 they read from the Book of Moses in the hearing of the people, and in it was found written that no Ammonite or Moabite should ever come into the assembly of God, 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. 3So it was, when they had heard the Law, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel. 4Now before this, Eliashib the priest, having authority over the storerooms of the house of our God, was allied 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 25:40And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
• Numbers 22:3And Moab was exceedingly afraid of the people because they were many, and Moab was sick with dread because of the children of Israel.
• Joshua 24:9Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose to make war against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you.
• Numbers 23:8“How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? And how shall I denounce whom the Lord has not denounced?
• Numbers 24:5“How lovely are your tents, O Jacob! Your dwellings, O Israel!
• Deuteronomy 23:5Nevertheless 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.
• Psalms 109:28Let them curse, but You bless; When they arise, let them be ashamed, But let Your servant rejoice.
• Micah 6:5O My people, remember now What Balak king of Moab counseled, And what Balaam the son of Beor answered him, From Acacia Grove to Gilgal, That you may know the righteousness 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
• Children of Israel
• Contend
• Outlandish
• Testify
• Understand
• Hire

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