Nehemiah 13:2
Good News Translation
This was because the people of Ammon and Moab did not give food and water to the Israelites on their way out of Egypt. Instead, they paid money to Balaam to curse Israel, but our God turned the curse into a blessing.

New Revised Standard Version
because they did not meet the Israelites with bread and water, but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing.

Contemporary English Version
This was because they had refused to give food and water to Israel and had hired Balaam to call down a curse on them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing.

New American Bible
for they did not meet the Israelites with food and water, but they hired Balaam to curse them, though our God turned the curse into a blessing.”

Douay-Rheims Bible
Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and water: and they hired against them Balaam, to curse them, and our God turned the curse into blessing.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and water: and they hired against them Balaam, to curse them, and our God turned the curse into blessing.

Because.

Matthew 25:40 And the king answering shall say to them: Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these my least brethren, you did it to me.

hired Balaam.

Numbers 22:3-6 And that the Moabites were in great fear of him, and were not able to sustain his assault, . . .

Joshua 24:9,10 And Balac son of Sephor king of Moab arose and fought against Israel. And he sent and called for Balaam son of Beor, to curse you: . . .

our God.

Numbers 23:8-11,18 How shall I curse him, whom God hath not cursed? By what means should I detest him, whom the Lord detesteth not? . . .

Numbers 24:5-10 How beautiful are thy tabernacles O Jacob, and thy tents, O Israel! . . .

Deuteronomy 23:5 And the Lord thy God would not hear Balaam, and he turned his cursing into thy blessing, because he loved thee.

Psalm 109:28 They will curse and thou wilt bless: let them that rise up against me be confounded: but thy servant shall rejoice.

Micah 6:5 O my people, remember, I pray thee, what Balach, the king of Moab, purposed: and what Balaam, the son of Beor, answered him, from Setim to Galgal, that thou mightest know the justice of the Lord.

Context
Foreigners Excluded
1And on that day they read in the book of Moses in the hearing of the people: and therein was found written, that the Ammonites and the Moabites should not come in to the church of God for ever: 2Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and water: and they hired against them Balaam, to curse them, and our God turned the curse into blessing.3And it came to pass, when they had heard the law, that they separated every stranger from Israel.…
Cross References
2 Peter 2:15
Leaving the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam of Bosor who loved the wages of iniquity,

Numbers 22:3
And that the Moabites were in great fear of him, and were not able to sustain his assault,

Numbers 23:11
And Balac said to Balaam: What is this that thou dost? I sent for thee to curse my enemies: and thou contrariwise blessest them.

Deuteronomy 23:3
The Ammonite and the Moabite, even after the tenth generation shall not enter into the church of the Lord for ever:

Deuteronomy 23:4
Because they would not meet you with bread and water in the way, when you came out of Egypt: and because they hired against thee Balaam, the son of Beor, from Mesopotamia in Syria, to curse thee.

Deuteronomy 23:5
And the Lord thy God would not hear Balaam, and he turned his cursing into thy blessing, because he loved thee.

Nehemiah 13:1
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