Numbers 22:28-38

28 The LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Bil`am, What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?
29 Bil`am said to the donkey, Because you have mocked me, I would there were a sword in my hand, for now I had killed you.
30 The donkey said to Bil`am, 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.
31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Bil`am, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.
32 The angel of the LORD 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:
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.
34 Bil`am said to the angel of the LORD, 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.
35 The angel of the LORD said to Bil`am, Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak to you, that you shall speak. So Bil`am went with the princes of Balak.
36 When Balak heard that Bil`am was come, he went out to meet him to the City of Mo'av, which is on the border of the Arnon, which is in the utmost part of the border.
37 Balak said to Bil`am, Didn't I earnestly send to you to call you? why didn't you come to me? am I not able indeed to promote you to honor?
38 Bil`am said to Balak, Behold, I have come to you: have I now any power at all to speak anything? the word that God puts in my mouth, that shall I speak.

Numbers 22:28-38 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.

The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.