Numbers 22:33

33 The donkey saw me, and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let it live."

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 the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed down, falling on his face.

32 The angel of the Lord said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? I have come out as an adversary, because your way is perverse before me.

33 The donkey saw me, and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let it live."

34 Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, "I have sinned, for I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now therefore, if it is displeasing to you, I will return home."

35 The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, "Go with the men; but speak only what I tell you to speak." So Balaam went on with the officials of Balak.