Numbers 22:20-30

20 And God came to Balam by nyghte and sayed vnto him: Yf the men come to fett the ryse vppe and goo with them: but what I saye vnto the that onlye thou shalt doo.

21 And Balam rose vppe early and sadelde his asse and went with the lordes of Moab

22 But God was angrye because he went. And the angell of the Lorde stode in the waye agenste hym. And he ryd vppon hys asse and two seruauntes with him.

23 And when the asse sawe the angell of the Lorde stonde in the waye and his swerde drawen in his hande she turned a syde oute of the waye and went out in to the felde. And Balam smote the asse to turne her in to the waye.

24 And the angell of the Lorde went and stode in a path betwene the vyneyardes where was a wall on the one syde and another on the other.

25 When the asse sawe the angell of the Lorde she wrenshed vnto the walle and thrust Balams fote vnto the wall and he smote her agayne.

26 And the angell of ye Lorde went forder and stode in a narowe place where was no waye to turne ether to the right hande or to the lyfte.

27 And when the asse sawe the angell of the Lorde she fell downe vnder Balam: and Balam was wroth and smote the asse with a staffe.

28 And the Lorde opened the mouthe of the asse and she sayed vnto Balam: what haue I done vnto the that thou smytest me this .iij tymes?

29 And Balam sayde vnto the Asse: because thou hast mocked me? I wolde that I had a swerde in myne hande that I myghte now kyll the.

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.

Numbers 22:20-30 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.