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.
Because they didn't welcome the Israelites with food and water, but instead paid Balaam to curse them. However, our God turned the curse into a blessing.
This verse explains that even when enemies try to harm God's people through curses, God can transform those intended curses into blessings instead.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Nehemiah, the people of Israel are dealing with religious reforms after returning from exile in Babylon, focusing on separating from foreign influences to maintain their covenant with God. This verse references an ancient event from the time of the Israelites' wilderness journey, where the Moabites and Ammonites not only withheld basic necessities like bread and water but also hired the prophet Balaam to curse the Israelites as they approached the Promised Land. However, God sovereignly intervened, turning Balaam's intended curses into blessings, as originally recounted in the Book of Numbers, to demonstrate His protection and faithfulness to His people.
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