Números 22:29

29 Y Balaam respondió al asna: Porque te has burlado de mí. ¡Si tuviera espada en mi mano, ahora te mataría

Números 22:29 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 22:29

And Balaam said unto the ass, because thou hast mocked me,
&c.] Or rather "defiled me", as the word is rendered in ( Job 16:15 ) by running with him against a wall, and by lying down with him in the dust and dirt, and so the Arabic version renders it,

``because thou hast rolled me in the dirt;''

the sense of mocking is not easy to be understood, unless it be that it exposed him to be mocked and laughed at by others, by turning aside, and lying down, and being so unruly; but then there were only his servants with him, to whom only he could be exposed in such a manner, which one would think would not have given him so much concern, and put him into such a passion: the word sometimes is used for seeking occasion, and such a sense it may have here, as that it sought an opportunity or occasion to throw him, and so to kill him, or at least to do him harm, see ( Daniel 6:4 )

I would there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill thee:
so enraged was he, and his passion was so great, that he was not at all frightened and amazed to hear the ass speak, though Josephus ^F17 represents him as disturbed and astonished at it; but some think, he being used to converse with spirits in the shapes of various creatures, it was no surprise to him to hear it speak.

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 Antiqu. l. 4. c. 6. sect. 3.

Números 22:29 In-Context

27 Y viendo el asna al ángel del SEÑOR, se echó debajo de Balaam; y Balaam se enojó, y azotó al asna con el palo

28 Entonces el SEÑOR abrió la boca al asna, la cual dijo a Balaam: ¿Qué te he hecho, que me has herido estas tres veces

29 Y Balaam respondió al asna: Porque te has burlado de mí. ¡Si tuviera espada en mi mano, ahora te mataría

30 Y el asna dijo a Balaam: ¿No soy yo tu asna? Sobre mí has montado desde que tú me tienes hasta este día; ¿he acostumbrado a hacerlo así contigo? Y él respondió: No

31 Entonces el SEÑOR destapó los ojos a Balaam, y vio al ángel del SEÑOR que estaba en el camino, y tenía su espada desnuda en su mano. Y él se bajó y adoró inclinado sobre su rostro