◄ Deuteronomy 23:4 ►
For they did not meet you with food and water on your way out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram-naharaim to curse you.
Study Bible
For they did not meet you with bread and water
This phrase highlights the lack of hospitality and support from the Ammonites and Moabites during Israel's exodus from Egypt. In the ancient Near Eastern culture, providing bread and water to travelers was a basic act of kindness and hospitality. The Hebrew root for "meet" (קָדַם, qadam) implies a proactive approach, suggesting that the Ammonites and Moabites not only failed to assist but actively chose not to offer help. This lack of hospitality is significant because it contrasts with God's provision for Israel throughout their journey, emphasizing the importance of kindness and support within the community of God's people.

on your way out of Egypt
This phrase situates the event within the larger narrative of the Exodus, a foundational account for the Israelites. The journey out of Egypt is not just a physical journey but a spiritual and covenantal one, marking the transition from slavery to freedom under God's guidance. The historical context here is crucial, as it underscores the miraculous nature of Israel's deliverance and the expectation that surrounding nations would recognize and respect God's hand in their journey. The failure of the Ammonites and Moabites to assist Israel is thus seen as a rejection of God's work and a refusal to honor His people.

and they hired Balaam son of Beor
The hiring of Balaam is a significant act of aggression against Israel. Balaam, a well-known prophet or diviner from the region of Pethor, was sought out to curse Israel. The Hebrew word for "hired" (שָׂכַר, sakar) indicates a transactional relationship, suggesting that the Moabites and Ammonites were willing to invest resources to harm Israel. This act reveals the depth of their animosity and fear towards Israel, as they resorted to spiritual warfare to undermine God's people. The account of Balaam, found in Numbers 22-24, ultimately shows God's sovereignty, as Balaam is unable to curse Israel and instead blesses them, demonstrating that no weapon formed against God's people can prosper.

from Pethor in Aram-naharaim
Pethor is identified as Balaam's home, located in Aram-naharaim, which is often associated with the region of Mesopotamia. This geographical detail highlights the extent to which the Moabites and Ammonites went to secure Balaam's services, indicating the seriousness of their intent to curse Israel. Aram-naharaim, meaning "Aram of the Two Rivers," refers to the area between the Tigris and Euphrates, a region known for its ancient civilizations and spiritual practices. This context underscores the spiritual battle taking place, as the Moabites and Ammonites sought to leverage the perceived power of a foreign prophet against the God of Israel.

to curse you
The act of cursing in the ancient world was believed to have real power, often invoking the spiritual realm to bring harm or misfortune. The Hebrew word for "curse" (קָלַל, qalal) can also mean to make light of or to despise, indicating an attempt to diminish Israel's standing and favor with God. However, the narrative of Balaam ultimately reveals that God's blessing on Israel cannot be overturned by human or spiritual means. This serves as a powerful reminder of God's protection and faithfulness to His covenant people, encouraging believers to trust in God's sovereignty and goodness even in the face of opposition.

Persons / Places / Events
1. The Israelites
The people of God who were delivered from slavery in Egypt and were journeying to the Promised Land.

2. Moabites
A nation descended from Lot, who refused to provide hospitality to the Israelites during their exodus.

3. Balaam son of Beor
A prophet hired by the Moabites to curse the Israelites, but God intervened.

4. Pethor
The city in Aram-naharaim where Balaam resided.

5. Aram-naharaim
A region in Mesopotamia, often associated with the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Teaching Points
The Importance of Hospitality
The Moabites' refusal to offer bread and water to the Israelites is a lesson on the significance of hospitality. As Christians, we are called to show kindness and generosity, even to strangers and those in need.

God's Sovereignty Over Curses
Despite the Moabites' attempt to curse Israel through Balaam, God turned the curse into a blessing. This demonstrates God's ultimate control over situations and His protection over His people.

The Consequences of Hostility
The Moabites' actions had long-term consequences, as seen in their exclusion from the assembly of the Lord. This serves as a warning about the repercussions of hostility and opposition to God's people.

Trust in God's Protection
The Israelites' experience with Balaam and the Moabites encourages believers to trust in God's protection and provision, even when faced with opposition or curses.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does the Moabites' refusal to provide for the Israelites contrast with biblical teachings on hospitality?

2. In what ways does the account of Balaam illustrate God's sovereignty and protection over His people?

3. What are some modern-day applications of the principle of showing kindness to strangers, as seen in the Israelites' journey?

4. How can we apply the lesson of trusting in God's protection when facing opposition in our own lives?

5. What are the potential consequences of harboring hostility towards others, and how can we avoid such pitfalls in our Christian walk?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Numbers 22-24
These chapters provide the detailed account of Balaam's interaction with the Moabites and his attempts to curse Israel, which God turned into blessings.

Genesis 19:30-38
This passage describes the origins of the Moabites, tracing back to Lot and his daughters.

Matthew 5:44
Jesus' teaching on loving enemies contrasts with the Moabites' hostility towards Israel.

Romans 12:20
Paul's exhortation to provide for one's enemies highlights the failure of the Moabites to offer bread and water to the Israelites.
Sermons
Loss of Sacred Privilege a Grievous PenaltyD. Davies Deuteronomy 23:1-6
The Congregation of the Lord Jealously GuardedR.M. Edgar Deuteronomy 23:1-8
The Excluded from the CongregationJ. Orr Deuteronomy 23:1-8
People
Aram, Balaam, Beor, Moses
Places
Beth-baal-peor, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Pethor
Topics
Aram, Aram-naharaim, Balaam, Beor, Be'or, Bread, Curse, Curses, Didn't, Egypt, Forth, Got, Hired, Meet, Mesopotamia, Mesopota'mia, Met, Naharaim, Peor, Pethor, Pronounce, Revile
Dictionary of Bible Themes
Deuteronomy 23:4

     4418   bread
     5337   hiring
     5413   money, attitudes
     5972   unkindness

Deuteronomy 23:1-8

     7209   congregation

Deuteronomy 23:3-4

     8446   hospitality, duty of

Library
Appendix v. Rabbinic Theology and Literature
1. The Traditional Law. - The brief account given in vol. i. p. 100, of the character and authority claimed for the traditional law may here be supplemented by a chronological arrangement of the Halakhoth in the order of their supposed introduction or promulgation. In the first class, or Halakhoth of Moses from Sinai,' tradition enumerates fifty-five, [6370] which may be thus designated: religio-agrarian, four; [6371] ritual, including questions about clean and unclean,' twenty-three; [6372] concerning …
Alfred Edersheim—The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah

That the Employing Of, and Associating with the Malignant Party, According as is Contained in the Public Resolutions, is Sinful and Unlawful.
That The Employing Of, And Associating With The Malignant Party, According As Is Contained In The Public Resolutions, Is Sinful And Unlawful. If there be in the land a malignant party of power and policy, and the exceptions contained in the Act of Levy do comprehend but few of that party, then there need be no more difficulty to prove, that the present public resolutions and proceedings do import an association and conjunction with a malignant party, than to gather a conclusion from clear premises. …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Here Then Shall These Persons in their Turn be in Another More Sublime Degree...
28. Here then shall these persons in their turn be in another more sublime degree of righteousness outdone, by them who shall so order themselves, that every day they shall betake them into the fields as unto pasture, and at what time they shall find it, pick up their meal, and having allayed their hunger, return. But plainly, on account of the keepers of the fields, how good were it, if the Lord should deign to bestow wings also, that the servants of God being found in other men's fields should …
St. Augustine—Of the Work of Monks.

Lessons for Worship and for Work
'Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil. 2. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth; therefore let thy words be few. 3. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is known by multitude of words. 4. When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for He hath …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

Introductory Note to the Works of Origen.
[a.d. 185-230-254.] The reader will remember the rise and rapid development of the great Alexandrian school, and the predominance which was imparted to it by the genius of the illustrious Clement. [1865] But in Origen, his pupil, who succeeded him at the surprising age of eighteen, a new sun was to rise upon its noontide. Truly was Alexandria "the mother and mistress of churches" in the benign sense of a nurse and instructress of Christendom, not its arrogant and usurping imperatrix. The full details …
Origen—Origen De Principiis

Excursus on Usury.
The famous canonist Van Espen defines usury thus: "Usura definitur lucrum ex mutuo exactum aut speratum;" [96] and then goes on to defend the proposition that, "Usury is forbidden by natural, by divine, and by human law. The first is proved thus. Natural law, as far as its first principles are concerned, is contained in the decalogue; but usury is prohibited in the decalogue, inasmuch as theft is prohibited; and this is the opinion of the Master of the Sentences, of St. Bonaventura, of St. Thomas …
Philip Schaff—The Seven Ecumenical Councils

Jesus Defends Disciples who Pluck Grain on the Sabbath.
(Probably While on the Way from Jerusalem to Galilee.) ^A Matt. XII. 1-8; ^B Mark II. 23-28; ^C Luke VI. 1-5. ^b 23 And ^c 1 Now it came to pass ^a 1 At that season ^b that he ^a Jesus went { ^b was going} on the { ^c a} ^b sabbath day through the grainfields; ^a and his disciples were hungry and began ^b as they went, to pluck the ears. ^a and to eat, ^c and his disciples plucked the ears, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. [This lesson fits in chronological order with the last, if the Bethesda …
J. W. McGarvey—The Four-Fold Gospel

That it is not Lawful for the Well Affected Subjects to Concur in Such an Engagement in War, and Associate with the Malignant Party.
That It Is Not Lawful For The Well Affected Subjects To Concur In Such An Engagement In War, And Associate With The Malignant Party. Some convinced of the unlawfulness of the public resolutions and proceedings, in reference to the employing of the malignant party, yet do not find such clearness and satisfaction in their own consciences as to forbid the subjects to concur in this war, and associate with the army so constituted. Therefore it is needful to speak something to this point, That it is …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Canaan
Canaan was the inheritance which the Israelites won for themselves by the sword. Their ancestors had already settled in it in patriarchal days. Abraham "the Hebrew" from Babylonia had bought in it a burying-place near Hebron; Jacob had purchased a field near Shechem, where he could water his flocks from his own spring. It was the "Promised Land" to which the serfs of the Pharaoh in Goshen looked forward when they should again become free men and find a new home for themselves. Canaan had ever been …
Archibald Sayce—Early Israel and the Surrounding Nations

Brief Directions How to Read the Holy Scriptures once Every Year Over, with Ease, Profit, and Reverence.
But forasmuch, that as faith is the soul, so reading and meditating on the word of God, are the parent's of prayer, therefore, before thou prayest in the morning, first read a chapter in the word of God; then meditate awhile with thyself, how many excellent things thou canst remember out of it. As--First, what good counsels or exhortations to good works and to holy life. Secondly, what threatenings of judgments against such and such a sin; and what fearful examples of God's punishment or vengeance …
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Commerce
The remarkable change which we have noticed in the views of Jewish authorities, from contempt to almost affectation of manual labour, could certainly not have been arbitrary. But as we fail to discover here any religious motive, we can only account for it on the score of altered political and social circumstances. So long as the people were, at least nominally, independent, and in possession of their own land, constant engagement in a trade would probably mark an inferior social stage, and imply …
Alfred Edersheim—Sketches of Jewish Social Life

Nature of Covenanting.
A covenant is a mutual voluntary compact between two parties on given terms or conditions. It may be made between superiors and inferiors, or between equals. The sentiment that a covenant can be made only between parties respectively independent of one another is inconsistent with the testimony of Scripture. Parties to covenants in a great variety of relative circumstances, are there introduced. There, covenant relations among men are represented as obtaining not merely between nation and nation, …
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

Scriptures Showing the Sin and Danger of Joining with Wicked and Ungodly Men.
Scriptures Showing The Sin And Danger Of Joining With Wicked And Ungodly Men. When the Lord is punishing such a people against whom he hath a controversy, and a notable controversy, every one that is found shall be thrust through: and every one joined with them shall fall, Isa. xiii. 15. They partake in their judgment, not only because in a common calamity all shares, (as in Ezek. xxi. 3.) but chiefly because joined with and partakers with these whom God is pursuing; even as the strangers that join …
Hugh Binning—The Works of the Rev. Hugh Binning

Appeal to the Christian Women of the South
BY A.E. GRIMKE. "Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not within thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place: but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this. And Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer:--and so will I go in unto the king, …
Angelina Emily Grimke—An Appeal to the Christian Women of the South

The Tenth Commandment
Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.' Exod 20: 17. THIS commandment forbids covetousness in general, Thou shalt not covet;' and in particular, Thy neighbour's house, thy neighbour's wife, &c. I. It forbids covetousness in general. Thou shalt not covet.' It is lawful to use the world, yea, and to desire so much of it as may keep us from the temptation …
Thomas Watson—The Ten Commandments

Deuteronomy
Owing to the comparatively loose nature of the connection between consecutive passages in the legislative section, it is difficult to present an adequate summary of the book of Deuteronomy. In the first section, i.-iv. 40, Moses, after reviewing the recent history of the people, and showing how it reveals Jehovah's love for Israel, earnestly urges upon them the duty of keeping His laws, reminding them of His spirituality and absoluteness. Then follows the appointment, iv. 41-43--here irrelevant (cf. …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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