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.
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.
- 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.
- 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.
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 Yahweh your God wouldn’t listen to Balaam; but Yahweh your God turned the curse into a blessing to you, because Yahweh your God loved you.
- Josh 24:9–10Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and fought against Israel. He sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you,
- Mic 6:5My people, remember now what Balak king of Moab devised, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim to Gilgal, that you may know the righteous acts of Yahweh.”
- Num 23:8–11How shall I curse whom God has not cursed? How shall I defy whom Yahweh has not defied?
- Ps 109:28They may curse, but you bless. When they arise, they will be shamed, but your servant shall rejoice.
- Matt 25:40“The King will answer them, ‘Most certainly I tell you, because you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
- Num 24:5–10How goodly are your tents, Jacob, and your tents, Israel!
- Num 22:3–11Moab was very afraid of the people, because they were many. Moab was distressed because of the children of Israel.
- Num 23:18He took up his parable, and said, “Rise up, Balak, and hear! Listen to me, you 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.