Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.
DEUTERONOMY 23:4KJVWhat does Deuteronomy 23:4 mean?
Deuteronomy 23:4 explains that certain people were not to be welcomed into the Israelite community because, when Israel was traveling out of Egypt, these people did not offer them food or water and instead tried to harm them by hiring Balaam to curse them. The verse gives the specific reasons for this exclusion, focusing on both a lack of hospitality and an active attempt to bring harm.
In this verse, Moses is speaking to the Israelites, reminding them of how the Moabites and Ammonites treated them during their journey from Egypt. The verse refers to two actions: first, the refusal to meet Israel’s basic needs (“bread and water”), and second, the hiring of Balaam, son of Beor from Pethor in Mesopotamia, to pronounce a curse. This sets the background for the laws about who could join the assembly of Israel.
The Hebrew behind Deuteronomy 23:4
- בָּלָעָם (Balaam, Bala‘am): This name refers to the prophet hired to curse Israel. Mentioning him by name highlights the seriousness of the attempt to harm Israel through spiritual means, not just physical neglect.
- פְּתוֹר (Pethor, Pethor): This is the place Balaam came from, identified as being in Mesopotamia (אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם, Aram Naharayim). Naming the location emphasizes the deliberate effort made to bring someone from far away to curse Israel.
- קִלֵּל (curse, qillel): This word means to curse or bring harm through words or ritual. The use of this word shows that the threat was not just physical but also spiritual, as curses were taken very seriously in the ancient world.
Why Deuteronomy 23:4 matters
- Deuteronomy 23:4 clarifies that the issue was not just a lack of kindness but an active effort to harm Israel, which helps explain the strictness of the exclusion.
- The verse connects to the broader story of Balaam in Numbers, reminding readers that Israel’s journey was marked by both physical and spiritual challenges.
- This verse highlights the importance of hospitality and the seriousness with which ancient Israel viewed both neglect and intentional hostility from neighboring peoples.