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.
Parallel translations
- WEB because they didn’t meet the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, to curse them; however our God turned the curse into a blessing.
- BSB because they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but had hired Balaam to call down a curse against them (although our God had turned the curse into a blessing).
- 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.
- NASB 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.
- 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.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
The exclusion arose because Ammon and Moab hired Balaam to curse Israel, yet God turned the curse into a blessing. It matters because it remembers God's faithful protection and sovereign power over those who oppose His people.
Overview
The verse recalls the historic hostility of these nations and Balaam's attempted curse, which God overruled for blessing. It testifies that God defends His people and turns the schemes of enemies to good. This sovereign reversal of cursing into blessing foreshadows the cross, where Christ became a curse for us so that blessing might come to His people.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 9
- Deut 23:5Nevertheless 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.
- Josh 24:9–10Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you:
- Mic 6:5O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD.
- Num 23:8–11How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?
- Ps 109:28Let them curse, but bless thou: when they arise, let them be ashamed; but let thy servant rejoice.
- Matt 25:40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
- Num 24:5–10How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!
- Num 22:3–11And Moab was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: and Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
- Num 23:18And he took up his parable, and said, Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The rebuilt walls and renewed covenant community foreshadow the greater builder who gathers and secures a people for God, the one who declares 'I will build my church.'
How Nehemiah 13:2 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.