Nehemiah 13:2

Arabic 2016 (الكِتاب المُقَدَّس: التَّرْجَمَةُ العَرَبِيَّةُ المُبَسَّطَةُ)

لِأنَّ العَمُّونِيِّينَ وَالمُوآبِيِّينَ لَمْ يَسْتَقْبِلُوا بَنِي إسْرَائِيلَ بِالخُبْزِ وَالمَاءِ، بَلْ دَفَعُوا مَالًا لِبَلْعَامَ لِيَلْعَنَهُمْ. لَكِنَّ اللهَ حَوَّلَ اللَّعْنَةَ إلَى بَرَكَةٍ.

What Does This Mean?

Nehemiah explains why the Moabites and Ammonites are not welcome. They did not help the Israelites with food or water and even hired a man named Balaam to curse them, but God turned the curse into a blessing.

Explained for Children

Imagine if your friend refused to share their snacks with you and even tried to get someone to say mean things about you. That's what happened to the Israelites. But just like when you turn a frown upside down, God turned the mean words into nice ones.

Historical Background

Nehemiah wrote this during the time when he was rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. The Israelites had returned from exile and were rebuilding their city. Nehemiah is reminding them of past conflicts to guide their decisions about who to trust.

Living It Out Today

In a modern scenario, imagine a colleague who did not help you with a project and even tried to sabotage your success. But you found a way to turn their negativity into a positive outcome, just as God did with the Israelites.

Topics

• forgiveness
• trust
• enemies
• divine intervention
• gratitude
• blessings

Related Verses

• Numbers 22:5
• Numbers 23:20
• Joshua 24:9
• Deuteronomy 23:5
• 2 Peter 2:15

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did the Moabites and Ammonites not help the Israelites?

They were likely enemies of the Israelites and saw them as a threat, so they chose to withhold help and even tried to curse them.

How did God turn Balaam's curse into a blessing?

Despite Balaam's intentions, God influenced the words that came out of his mouth to become blessings instead of curses.

What can we learn about forgiveness from this verse?

We learn that even when others act against us, God can use those situations to bless us and provide opportunities for forgiveness.

How does this verse relate to Nehemiah's rebuilding efforts?

Nehemiah is reminding the Israelites of past conflicts to guide them in who to trust during the rebuilding of Jerusalem.