Numbers 22:20-30

20 God came to Balaam in the night and said to him, "If the men have come to summon you, arise and go with them. But you must do only what I tell you to do."

21 So Balaam arose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the officials of Moab.

Balaam and the LORD’s messenger

22 Then God became angry because he went. So while he was riding on his donkey accompanied by his two servants, the LORD's messenger stood in the road as his adversary.

23 The donkey saw the LORD's messenger standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, so the donkey turned from the road and went into the field. Balaam struck the donkey in order to turn him back onto the road.

24 Then the LORD's messenger stood in the narrow path between vineyards with a stone wall on each side.

25 When the donkey saw the LORD's messenger, it leaned against the wall and squeezed Balaam's foot against the wall, so he continued to beat it.

26 The LORD's messenger persisted and crossed over and stood in a narrow place, where it wasn't possible to turn either right or left.

27 The donkey saw the LORD's messenger and lay down underneath Balaam. Balaam became angry and beat the donkey with the rod.

28 Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth and it said to Balaam, "What have I done to you that you've beaten me these three times?"

29 Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you've tormented me. If I had a sword in my hand, I'd kill you now."

30 The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey, on whom you've often ridden to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?" Balaam said, "No."

Read Chapter Compare

Numbers 22:20-30 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 22

The children of Israel being come into the plains of Moab, put the king of Moab into a panic, who expressed his fears to the elders of Midian, Nu 22:1-4 and sent for Balaam the soothsayer to curse the people of Israel, but he, upon consulting the Lord refused to come, Nu 22:5-14, on which the king of Moab sent to him a second time, making large promises of preferment to him, and who at this time got leave from the Lord to go with the messengers, Nu 22:15-21, but was met with in the way by an angel of the Lord, who would have slain him had it not been for his ass, of which a very wonderful revelation is given, Nu 22:22-35, and the chapter is closed with the interview between Balak king of Moab and Balaam, and an account of what passed between them, and what was done by them, Nu 22:36-41.

Taken from John Gill's Exposition of the Bible

Numbers 22:20-30

Share

Settings

Balaam and the LORD’s messenger

Numbers 22:20-30 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 22