20
1And God came to Balaam at night and said to him, "If the men have come to call you, rise, go with them;
2but only do what I tell you."
21
So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.
Balaam's Donkey and the Angel
22 But God's anger was kindled because he went,
3and the angel of the LORD took his stand in the way
4as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him.
23
And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road.
24
Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on either side.
25
And when the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pushed against the wall and pressed Balaam's foot against the wall. So he struck her again.
26
Then the angel of the LORD went ahead and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right or to the left.
27
When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam. And Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
28
Then the LORD
5opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?"
29
And Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you."
30
And the donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?" And he said, "No."