Translations
Modern
…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).
Traditional
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.
Literal
…because they had not met the sons of Israel with the bread and with the water, and they hired against them Balaam to curse them. (And our God turned the curse into a blessing.)
Latin
…eo quod non occurrerint filiis Israël cum pane et aqua, et conduxerint adversum eos Balaam ad maledicendum eis: et convertit Deus noster maledictionem in benedictionem.
Original
Hebrew
English
…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).
Notes
On 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.
Theme notes and profiles
People
Balaam: A prophet hired to curse Israel but blessed them instead Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes
Glossary
Ammon, Ammonites Book of Nehemiah Malachi, Book of Moab, Moabites Nehemiah (Person)
Topics
Balaam: Balak Sends For, to Curse Israel Moabites: Excluded from the Congregation of Israel Forever