The Meaning of Deuteronomy 23:4 Explained

Deuteronomy 23:4

KJV: 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.

YLT: 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;

Darby: 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.

ASV: 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.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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. 

What does Deuteronomy 23:4 Mean?

Chapter Summary: Deuteronomy 23

1  Who may or may not enter into the congregation
9  Uncleanness is to be avoided in the host
15  Of the fugitive servant
17  Of filthiness
18  Of abominable sacrifices
19  Of usury
20  Of vows
24  Of trespass

What do the individual words in Deuteronomy 23:4 mean?

upon because that not they did meet you with bread and water on the road when you came out of Egypt and because they hired against you - Balaam son of Beor from Pethor of Mesopotamia to curse you
עַל־ דְּבַ֞ר אֲשֶׁ֨ר לֹא־ קִדְּמ֤וּ אֶתְכֶם֙ בַּלֶּ֣חֶם וּבַמַּ֔יִם בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ בְּצֵאתְכֶ֣ם מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם וַאֲשֶׁר֩ שָׂכַ֨ר עָלֶ֜יךָ אֶת־ בִּלְעָ֣ם בֶּן־ בְּע֗וֹר מִפְּת֛וֹר אֲרַ֥ם נַהֲרַ֖יִם לְקַֽלְלֶֽךָּ

עַל־  upon 
Parse: Preposition
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
דְּבַ֞ר  because 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
אֲשֶׁ֨ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
קִדְּמ֤וּ  they  did  meet 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: קָדַם  
Sense: to meet, come or be in front, confront, go before.
בַּלֶּ֣חֶם  with  bread 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: לֶחֶם  
Sense: bread, food, grain.
וּבַמַּ֔יִם  and  water 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: מַיִם  
Sense: water, waters.
בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ  on  the  road 
Parse: Preposition-b, Article, Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
בְּצֵאתְכֶ֣ם  when  you  came 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct, second person masculine plural
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
מִמִּצְרָ֑יִם  out  of  Egypt 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
וַאֲשֶׁר֩  and  because 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
שָׂכַ֨ר  they  hired 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: סָכַר  
Sense: to hire.
עָלֶ֜יךָ  against  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
בִּלְעָ֣ם  Balaam 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בִּלְעָם 
Sense: the son of Beor, a man endowed with the gift of prophecy.
בֶּן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
בְּע֗וֹר  of  Beor 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּעֹור  
Sense: father of Balaam.
מִפְּת֛וֹר  from  Pethor 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: פְּתֹור  
Sense: a town of Mesopotamia and the home of Balaam; located on a river; site unknown.
נַהֲרַ֖יִם  Mesopotamia 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: אֲרַם נַהֲרַיִם 
Sense: Mesopotamia.
לְקַֽלְלֶֽךָּ  to  curse  you 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Piel, Infinitive construct, second person masculine singular
Root: קָלַל  
Sense: to be slight, be swift, be trifling, be of little account, be light.