King James Version

Deuteronomy 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.

Study

Hebrew

Tap a word to see its meaning. Words run left to right in English reading order.

In the Hebrew text this line is Deuteronomy 23:5.

עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…דְּבַ֞רdevarcauseדָּבָרnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “cause”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1697a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a causeact, advice, affair, answer, [idiom] any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case, cause, certain rate, [phrase] chronicles, commandment, [idiom] commune(-ication), [phrase] concern(-ing), [phrase] confer, counsel, [phrase] dea…אֲשֶׁ֨רasherbecauseאֲשֶׁרparticle, relative — “because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…לֹאlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…קִדְּמ֤וּqidmvmeetקָדַםverb, piel, perfect, 3rd person, common, plural — “meet”, a completed actionH6923to project (one self), i.e. precede; hence, to anticipate, hasten, meet (usually for help)come (go, (flee)) before, [phrase] disappoint, meet, prevent.אֶתְכֶם֙etkhemobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).בַּלֶּ֣חֶםbalechemin breadלֶחֶםpreposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “in bread”, the ordinary formH3899food (for man or beast), especially bread, or grain (for making it)(shew-) bread, [idiom] eat, food, fruit, loaf, meat, victuals.וּבַמַּ֔יִםuvamayimand in waterמַיִםconjunction, preposition, with the article, noun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “and in water”, the ordinary formH4325water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen[phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)).בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְbaderekhin alongדֶּרֶךְpreposition, with the article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “in along”, the ordinary formH1870a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverbalong, away, because of, [phrase] by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever).בְּצֵאתְכֶ֣םbetsetkhemin bring forthיָצָאpreposition, verb, qal, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, plural — “in bring forth”, the to-form of the verbH3318to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.[idiom] after, appear, [idiom] assuredly, bear out, [idiom] begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), [phrase] be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail…מִמִּצְרָ֑יִםmimitsrayimfrom Egyptמִצְרַיִםpreposition, noun, proper name — “from Egypt”H4714Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower EgyptEgypt, Egyptians, Mizraim.וַאֲשֶׁר֩vaasherand becauseאֲשֶׁרconjunction, particle, relative — “and because”H834who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.[idiom] after, [idiom] alike, as (soon as), because, [idiom] every, for, [phrase] forasmuch, [phrase] from whence, [phrase] how(-soever), [idiom] if, (so) that ((thing) which, wherein), [idiom] though, [phrase] until, [phrase] whatsoever,…שָׂכַ֨רsakharhireשָׂכַרverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “hire”, a completed actionH7936to hireearn wages, hire (out self), reward, [idiom] surely.עָלֶ֜יךָaleykhaaboveעַלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).בִּלְעָ֣םbilamBalaamבִּלְעָםnoun, proper name — “Balaam”H1109Bilam, a Mesopotamian prophet; also a place in PalestineBalaam, Bileam.בֶּןbensonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “son”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […בְּע֗וֹרbeorBeorבְּעוֹרnoun, proper name — “Beor”H1160Beor, the name of the father of an Edomitish king; also of that of BalaamBeor.מִפְּת֛וֹרmiptorfrom Pethorפְּתוֹרpreposition, noun, proper name — “from Pethor”H6604Pethor, a place in MesopotamiaPethor.אֲרַ֥םaramMesopotamiaאֲרַם נַהֲרַיִםnoun, proper name — “Mesopotamia”H763Aram of (the) two rivers (Euphrates and Tigris) or MesopotamiaAham-naharaim, Mesopotamia.נַהֲרַ֖יִםnaharayimMesopotamiaאֲרַם נַהֲרַיִםnoun, proper name — “Mesopotamia”H763Aram of (the) two rivers (Euphrates and Tigris) or MesopotamiaAham-naharaim, Mesopotamia.לְקַֽלְלֶֽךָּleqallekato make brightקָלַלpreposition, verb, piel, infinitive construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “to make bright”, the to-form of the verbH7043to be (causatively, make) light, literally (swift, small, sharp, etc.) or figuratively (easy, trifling, vile, etc.)abate, make bright, bring into contempt, (ac-) curse, despise, (be) ease(-y, -ier), (be a, make, make somewhat, move, seem a, set) light(-en, -er, -ly, -ly afflict, -ly esteem, thing), [idiom] slight(-ly), be swift(-er), (be, be more, make…

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

(23-5) 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 from Pethor of Aram-naharaim, to curse thee.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

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 from Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee.

Young’s Literal Translation

because that they have not come before you with bread and with water in the way, in your coming out from Egypt, and because he hath hired against thee Balaam son of Beor, of Pethor of Aram-Naharaim, to revile thee;

World English Bible

because they didn’t 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.

Darby Translation

because they met you not with bread and with water on 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.

Douay-Rheims

Because they would not meet you with bread and water in the way, when you came out of Egypt: hand because they hired against thee Balaam, the son of Beer, from Mesopotamia in Syria, to curse thee.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

because they met you not with bread and water by the way, when ye went out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Mesopotamia to curse thee.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

παρὰ τὸ μὴ συναντῆσαι αὐτοὺς ὑμῖν μετὰ ἄρτων καὶ ὕδατος ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ, ἐκπορευομένων ὑμῶν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, καὶ ὅτι ἐμισθώσαντο ἐπὶ σὲ τὸν Βαλαὰμ υἱὸν Βεὼρ ἐκ τῆς Μεσοποταμίας καταρᾶσθαί σε.