Numbers 22:32-41

32 And the angel said to him: Why beatest thou thy ass these three times? I am come to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse, and contrary to me:

33 And unless the ass had turned out of the way, giving place to me who stood against thee, I had slain thee, and she should have lived.

34 Balaam said: I have sinned, not knowing that thou didst stand against me: and now if it displease thee that I go, I will return.

35 The angel said: Go with these men, and see thou speak no other thing than what I shall command thee. He went therefore with the princes.

36 And when Balac heard it he came forth to meet him in a town of the Moabites, that is situate in the uttermost borders of Arnon.

37 And he said to Balaam: I sent messengers to call thee, why didst thou not come immediately to me? was it because I am not able to reward thy coming?

38 He answered him: Lo, here I am: shall I have power to speak any other thing but that which God shall put in my mouth?

39 So they went on together, and came into a city, that was in the uttermost borders of his kingdom.

40 And when Balac had killed oxen and sheep, he sent presents to Balaam, and to the princes that were with him.

41 And when morning was come, he brought him to the high places of Baal, and he beheld the uttermost part of the people.

Numbers 22:32-41 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.