Numbers 22:29

29 respondit Balaam quia commeruisti et inlusisti mihi utinam haberem gladium ut te percuterem

Numbers 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.


FOOTNOTES:

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

Numbers 22:29 In-Context

27 cumque vidisset asina stantem angelum concidit sub pedibus sedentis qui iratus vehementius caedebat fuste latera
28 aperuitque Dominus os asinae et locuta est quid feci tibi cur percutis me ecce iam tertio
29 respondit Balaam quia commeruisti et inlusisti mihi utinam haberem gladium ut te percuterem
30 dixit asina nonne animal tuum sum cui semper sedere consuesti usque in praesentem diem dic quid simile umquam fecerim tibi at ille ait numquam
31 protinus aperuit Dominus oculos Balaam et vidit angelum stantem in via evaginato gladio adoravitque eum pronus in terram
The Latin Vulgate is in the public domain.