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 same day, as the Book of Moses was being read to the people, the passage was found that said no Ammonite or Moabite should ever be permitted to enter the assembly of God. 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. 3When this passage of the Law was read, all those of foreign descent were immediately excluded from the assembly. 4Before this had happened, Eliashib the priest, who had been appointed as supervisor of the storerooms of the Temple of our God and who was also a relative of 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“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’
• Numbers 22:3And when the people of Moab saw how many Israelites there were, they were terrified.
• Joshua 24:9Then Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, started a war against Israel. He summoned Balaam son of Beor to curse you,
• Numbers 23:8But how can I curse those whom God has not cursed? How can I condemn those whom the Lord has not condemned?
• Numbers 24:5How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob; how lovely are your homes, O Israel!
• Deuteronomy 23:5But the Lord your God refused to listen to Balaam. He turned the intended curse into a blessing because the Lord your God loves you.
• Psalms 109:28Then let them curse me if they like, but you will bless me! When they attack me, they will be disgraced! But I, your servant, will go right on rejoicing!
• Micah 6:5Don’t you remember, my people, how King Balak of Moab tried to have you cursed and how Balaam son of Beor blessed you instead? And remember your journey from Acacia Grove to Gilgal, when I, the Lord, did everything I could to teach you about my faithfulness.”

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