Numbers 22:32

32 And ye angell of ye Lord sayed vnto him: Wherfore smytest thou thyne asse this .iij. tymes? beholde I came oute to resyst the for the waye is contrary vnto me:

Numbers 22:32 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 22:32

And the angel of the Lord said unto him
When risen up, and standing before him:

wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times?
the brute creatures are not to be beaten without cause, nor to be misused and abused by men, even their owners:

behold, I went out to withstand thee;
the ass was not to be blamed, nor to be beaten for turning aside, or lying down, it was I that stood in the way, and hindered its going forward, and this was done by me on purpose to oppose and stop thee:

because thy way is perverse before me;
the journey he took was not with his good liking and approbation, and especially seeing he went with an intention, if possible, to serve Balak, and curse Israel; the way of his heart was bad, which the Lord knew; it was not directed according to his will, but swerved from it; the Targum of Jonathan is,

``it is manifest before me that thou seekest to go and curse the people, and the thing is not agreeable to me.''

Numbers 22:32 In-Context

30 And the asse sayed vnto Balam: am not I thyne asse whiche thou hast rydden vppon sence thou wast borne vnto this daye? Was I euer wont to do so vnto the? And he sayed nay.

31 And the lorde opened the eyes of Balam that he sawe the angell of the Lorde stondinge in the waye with his swerde drawen in his honde. And he bowed him selfe and fell flatt on his face.

32 And ye angell of ye Lord sayed vnto him: Wherfore smytest thou thyne asse this .iij. tymes? beholde I came oute to resyst the for the waye is contrary vnto me:

33 and the asse sawe me and avoyded me thre tymes: or else (had she not turned fro me) I had suerly slayne the and saued her alyue.

34 And Balam sayed vnto the angell of ye Lorde: I haue synned: for I wist not that thou stodest in the waye agenst me. Now therfore yf it displease thyne eyes I will turne agayne.