Numbers 22:32

32 cui angelus cur inquit tertio verberas asinam tuam ego veni ut adversarer tibi quia perversa est via tua mihique contraria

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 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

32 cui angelus cur inquit tertio verberas asinam tuam ego veni ut adversarer tibi quia perversa est via tua mihique contraria

33 et nisi asina declinasset de via dans locum resistenti te occidissem et illa viveret

34 dixit Balaam peccavi nesciens quod tu stares contra me et nunc si displicet tibi ut vadam revertar