Numbers 22:33

33 The donkey saw me and turned aside from me these three times. If she had not turned aside from my face, then I would have killed you and kept her alive."

Numbers 22:33 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 22:33

And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times
The ass saw the angel when Balaam did not, and that was the reason of its turning aside; and it was well for him it did, and therefore he should not have smote it:

unless she had turned from me;
if she had pushed on, endeavouring to make her way:

surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive;
had certainly and only slain him, and not the ass; and from hence the Jewish writers

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 gather, that the ass was now slain, lest it should be said, this is the ass that spoke, and so be made an idol of.

F20 Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 20. fol. 227. 4. Aben Ezra in loc.

Numbers 22:33 In-Context

31 Then Yahweh exposed the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, and he bowed down and worshiped to his face.

32 The angel of Yahweh said to him, "Why have you struck this donkey three times? Look, I have come out as an adversary because your conduct is perverse before me.

33 The donkey saw me and turned aside from me these three times. If she had not turned aside from my face, then I would have killed you and kept her alive."

34 Balaam said to the angel of Yahweh, "I have sinned because I did not know that you [were] standing to meet me in the road. Now, {if it is displeasing to you}, I will turn back."

35 The angel of Yahweh said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but speak only the word that I will speak to you." So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.