Nevertheless 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.
But the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam. Instead, the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loved you.
God is saying that He protected Israel by refusing to let a prophet curse them, and instead turned that intended curse into a blessing because of His love for them.
📚 Historical Context
During the Israelites' exodus from Egypt and their wanderings in the wilderness, the king of Moab, Balak, feared their growing numbers and sought to hire the prophet Balaam to curse them as a way to weaken their advance. However, God directly intervened and refused to allow Balaam to curse the Israelites, instead compelling him to pronounce blessings upon them. This event, recorded in the Book of Numbers, served as a powerful reminder to the Israelites of God's unwavering protection and favor as they journeyed toward the Promised Land.
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