Deuteronomy 23:4-5
because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. 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.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The reason for exclusion isn't just about a lack of hospitality, but a refusal to offer basic human kindness— a stark contrast to the "bread and water" God provided for Israel in the wilderness. This offense is compounded by their deliberate act of hiring Balaam to curse God's chosen people, a direct assault on God's covenant love for them.
This passage explains why certain nations, specifically the Ammonites and Moabites, are excluded from full participation in Israelite community. It details their inhospitable actions during Israel's journey from Egypt, like refusing them basic provisions, and crucially, their attempt to hire the sorcerer Balaam to curse God's people. These specific grievances highlight a pattern of hostility and opposition, contrasting with the respectful treatment Israel sought and often received from others.
Imagine trekking for days, exhausted and thirsty, only to be met with a closed fist instead of a helping hand. This verse highlights a profound failure in basic human decency.
Israel was on a long, arduous journey out of Egypt, a journey of immense hardship and divine provision. Yet, as they passed through the lands of their neighbors, the Ammonites and Moabites, they were denied even the simplest acts of hospitality: food and water.
This wasn't just about inconvenience; it was about a deliberate lack of compassion. In ancient times, offering bread and water to travelers was a fundamental gesture of humanity, a basic expectation for anyone passing through. To withhold it was a severe snub, an act of hostility.
What happens when hatred escalates from passive refusal to active, magical warfare? This verse points to a chilling escalation of hostility.
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Beyond the lack of basic hospitality, a more sinister act is revealed: the hiring of Balaam to curse Israel. This wasn't a spontaneous outburst but a premeditated, organized effort to bring divine wrath upon God's people.
Targeting God's Blessing: Balaam was a known figure, and his ability to pronounce curses (or blessings) was feared. By hiring him, the Moabites and their kin weren't just attacking Israel; they were attempting to subvert God's promises and interfere with His plan.
A Spiritual Attack: This act highlights a deep-seated opposition to God's work in the world. They sought to use spiritual (or pseudo-spiritual) means to destroy those whom God had chosen and blessed.
Divine Overruling: Scripture elsewhere tells us God would not allow the curse to stick, turning it into a blessing (Deuteronomy 23:5). This underscores that even the most malicious human plans are subject to God's sovereign control.
Understand the original words
arar · Hebrew Verb
To speak evil against or invoke divine judgment upon someone or something. In the Old Testament, it implies an authoritative declaration intended to bring harm or failure upon others.
berakah · Hebrew Noun
The bestowal of divine favor, prosperity, and spiritual well-being. It is the opposite of a curse and represents God’s active commitment to the welfare and success of His people.
ahav · Hebrew Verb
The steadfast, unconditional, and covenant-rooted affection of God toward His people. It is the motivation behind God’s redeeming actions, providence, and preservation of Israel.
This passage directly describes the Moabite king Balak hiring Balaam to curse Israel, which is one of the two core reasons given in Deuteronomy 23:4 for their exclusion.
Joshua 24:9This verse recounts how Balak also tried to hire Balaam to curse Israel, further solidifying the historical event and its significance to the covenant people.
Micah 6:5This prophetic passage alludes to the events in Deuteronomy 23, reminding Israel of God's perspective on Moab's actions and God's faithfulness in turning curses into blessings.
Romans 8:31This New Testament verse echoes the sentiment that if God is for us, no curse or opposition can truly harm us, highlighting the ultimate failure of Balaam's hired curse due to God's protective love for Israel.
Nehemiah 13:1-2This passage shows how the memory of Deuteronomy 23:4 was still operative centuries later, leading to the separation of Ammonites and Moabites from the assembly of God's people.
gillDeuteronomy 23:4: "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."
Because they met you not with bread and with water,.... To supply them therewith, either as a gift, which was a piece of humanity to strangers and travellers, or rather to sell unto them, for on no other terms did the Israelites desire their bread and their water: in the way when ye…
calvinDeuteronomy 23:3-8: "An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever:"
Eo quod non exceperint vos cum pane et aqua in via, posteaquam egressi estis ex Aegypto, et quod mercede conduxerit adversum te Bileam filium Beor de Pethor e Mesopotamia Syriae, ut malediceret tibi.
Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse i…
The reason for exclusion isn't just about a lack of hospitality, but a refusal to offer basic human kindness— a stark contrast to the "bread and water" God provided for Israel in the wilderness. This offense is compounded by their deliberate act of hiring Balaam to curse God's chosen people, a direct assault on God's covenant love for them.
This passage explains why certain nations, specifically the Ammonites and Moabites, are excluded from full participation in Israelite community. It details their inhospitable actions during Israel's journey from Egypt, like refusing them basic provisions, and crucially, their attempt to hire the sorcerer Balaam to curse God's people. These specific grievances highlight a pattern of hostility and opposition, contrasting with the respectful treatment Israel sought and often received from others.
This passage explains why certain nations, specifically the Ammonites and Moabites, are excluded from full participation in Israelite community. It details their inhospitable actions during Israel's journey from Egypt, like refusing them basic provisions, and crucially, their attempt to hire the sorcerer Balaam to curse God's people. These specific grievances highlight a pattern of hostility and opposition, contrasting with the respectful treatment Israel sought and often received from others.
"because they did not meet you with bread and with water on the way, when you came out of Egypt, and because they hired against you Balaam the son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse you. But the LORD your God would not listen to B…" — The reason for exclusion isn't just about a lack of hospitality, but a refusal to offer basic human kindness— a stark contrast to the "bread and water" God provided for Israel in the wilderness. This…
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