Parallel Strong's Berean Study Biblebecause they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but had hired Balaam to call down a curse against them (although our God had turned the curse into a blessing). Young's Literal Translation because they have not come before the sons of Israel with bread and with water, and hire against them Balaam to revile them, and our God turneth the reviling into a blessing. King James Bible Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing. Hebrew becauseכִּ֣י (kî) Conjunction Strong's 3588: A relative conjunction they had not לֹ֧א (lō) Adverb - Negative particle Strong's 3808: Not, no met קִדְּמ֛וּ (qid·də·mū) Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural Strong's 6923: To project, precede, to anticipate, hasten, meet the Israelites בְּנֵ֥י (bə·nê) Noun - masculine plural construct Strong's 1121: A son with food בַּלֶּ֣חֶם (bal·le·ḥem) Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular Strong's 3899: Food, bread, grain and water, וּבַמָּ֑יִם (ū·ḇam·mā·yim) Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen but had hired וַיִּשְׂכֹּ֨ר (way·yiś·kōr) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 7936: To hire Balaam בִּלְעָם֙ (bil·‘ām) Noun - proper - masculine singular Strong's 1109: Balaam -- a prophet to call down a curse לְקַֽלְל֔וֹ (lə·qal·lōw) Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine singular Strong's 7043: To be slight, swift or trifling against them עָלָ֤יו (‘ā·lāw) Preposition | third person masculine singular Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against (although our God אֱלֹהֵ֛ינוּ (’ĕ·lō·hê·nū) Noun - masculine plural construct | first person common plural Strong's 430: gods -- the supreme God, magistrates, a superlative had turned וַיַּהֲפֹ֧ךְ (way·ya·hă·p̄ōḵ) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Strong's 2015: To turn about, over, to change, overturn, return, pervert the curse הַקְּלָלָ֖ה (haq·qə·lā·lāh) Article | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 7045: Vilification into a blessing). לִבְרָכָֽה׃ (liḇ·rā·ḵāh) Preposition-l | Noun - feminine singular Strong's 1293: Benediction, prosperity |