Numbers 22:21-35
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Summary
- Balaam's donkey speaks with a human voice (enabled by God).
Details and/or Comments
- Balaam acts “spiritual” but in his heart is full of greed for the money being offered him by Barak. The fact that he is willing to ask God about it shows that he is willing to curse Israel!
- After already going to God, asking if he can go to Balak, God finally tells him to go; but on the way God will warn him that he's on a dangerous path of sin. (Balaam had no reason to ask the second time, once God said “no.” It was his greed that motivated him to do so.)
- (In later chapters, he will be dismayed. He will not get the money he wanted, because God will not let him curse Israel.)
Scripture
Numbers 22:21-35 – A talking donkey
| Scripture Passage | Comments and Links |
| Num 22:21 Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
Num 22:22 God's anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of Yahweh placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. |
The angel comes to warn him. This is a specific "angel" - the Angel of Yahweh. |
| Num 22:23 The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the way.
Num 22:24 Then the angel of Yahweh stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. Num 22:25 The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he struck her again. Num 22:26 The angel of Yahweh went further, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. Num 22:27 The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, and she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff. |
The donkey sees the angel and heeds the warning! Balaam doesn't do either.
Just because Balaam doesn't see the Angel doesn't mean the angel isn't there! |
| Num 22:28 Yahweh opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?
Num 22:29 Balaam said to the donkey, Because you have mocked me, I would there were a sword in my hand, for now I had killed you. Num 22:30 The donkey said to Balaam, Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? was I ever wont to do so to you? and he said, No. |
God enables the donkey to talk. |
| Num 22:31 Then Yahweh opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.
Num 22:32 The angel of Yahweh said to him, Why have you struck your donkey these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because your way is perverse before me: Num 22:33 and the donkey saw me, and turned aside before me these three times: unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I had even slain you, and saved her alive. Num 22:34 Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, I have sinned; for I didn't know that you stood in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease you, I will get me back again. Num 22:35 The angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak to you, that you shall speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak. |
God opens Balaam's eyes and warns him about his perverse ways. But since he has already started that way, God tells him to continue and God will tell him what to speak (which will be blessings, rather than the intended cursing, which would have brought him a lot of money).
He says "I have sinned," because he is terrified. But he is not repentant! According to Numbers 31;16, he encouraged the Moabite women to marry the Israelites, thus encouraging Israel to turn to idolatry. v. 35 - He must say only what the Angel of Yahweh tells him to say. This parallels with v. 20, in which God is the one who he must listen to (and repeat what he says). |
11:(1-9, 18-23, 31-34) • Ch. 13 & 14 (selected) • 16:23-35, 41-50 • 20:2-12 • 21:4-9 • 22:21-35 |
Scripture Passages
(Only books that have relevance to this study have active links. The others are in italics.)
Genesis • Exodus • Leviticus • Numbers • Deuteronomy • Joshua • Judges • Ruth • 1 Samuel • 2 Samuel • 1 Kings • 2 Kings • 1 Chronicles • 2 Chronicles • Ezra • Nehemiah • Esther • Job • Psalms • Proverbs • Ecclesiastes • Song of Solomon • Isaiah • Jeremiah • Lamentations • Ezekiel • Daniel • Hosea • Joel • Amos • Obadiah • Jonah • Micah • Nahum • Habakkuk • Zephaniah • Haggai • Zechariah • Malachi Matthew • Mark • Luke • John • Acts • Romans • 1 Corinthians • 2 Corinthians • Galatians • Ephesians • Philippians • Colossians • 1 Thessalonians • 2 Thessalonians • 1 Timothy • 2 Timothy • Titus • Philemon • Hebrews • James • 1 Peter • 2 Peter • 1 John • 2 John • 3 John • Jude • Revelation |
—— To avoid any copyright issues, all Scripture is either from a public domain translation (such as the World English Bible), my own translation, or a combination of these. ——
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The name "Yahweh," when present in an Old Testament passage, represents the Hebrew name for the God of the Bible.
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Unless otherwise noted, all notes and comments are © by Dennis Hinks.
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