Nehemiah 13:2

for they did not meet the people of Israel with bread and water , but hired Balaam against them to curse them—yet our God turned the curse into a blessing .

because they had not met the Israelites with food and water but had hired Balaam to call a curse down on them. (Our God, however, turned the curse into a blessing.)

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.