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Commentary Index | Return to PrayerRequest.com | DownloadPaul Kretzmann Commentary - Numbers 22:22 - 22:35
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Balaam's Ass Speaks
v. 22. And God's anger was kindled because he (Balaam) went, because he was going with a blind and dogged determination to carry out his own plan and to obtain the promised reward. And the Angel of the Lord, the Son of God, who, as so often in the Old Testament, assumed this form, v. 35, stood in the way, in the road on which he journeyed to the country of the Midianites and the Moabites, for an adversary against him, to cause him to come to his senses even at this stage. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.
v. 23. And the ass saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way, and His sword drawn in His hand. In the same measure that Balaam allowed his insincerity and covetousness to blind him, the dumb and irrational brute, by a miracle of God, became clear-sighted. And the ass turned aside out of the way and went into the field, to escape the threatening sword, the instrument of God's wrath. And Balaam smote the ass to turn her into the way, to make her go back on the road.
v. 24. But the Angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyards, a wall being on this side and a wall on that side, thus making it impossible for the beast to turn aside very far.
v. 25. And when the ass saw the Angel of the Lord, she thrust herself unto the wall, to crowd past the fearsome apparition, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall; and he smote her again, angry over this behavior, for which he was not able to account except on the basis of meanness.
v. 26. And the Angel of the Lord went further and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left, since His person filled the entire space.
v. 27. And when the ass saw the Angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam, for it was impossible for her to proceed. And Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff, such as travelers commonly carried with them.
v. 28. And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, giving her power to speak articulately and distinctly in the speech of human beings, 2Pe_2:16; and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee that thou hast smitten me these three times?
v. 29. And Balaam, in his excitement apparently not at all taken aback by the strange phenomenon of the dumb brute's speaking, said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me, made a fool of him; I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would-1 kill thee.
v. 30. And the ass said unto Balaam, Am. not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? Was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he answered, Nay. If the beast had shown a mean disposition before, then the attitude of Balaam and the treatment which he accorded her might have been justified to some extent; but as it was, he had to admit the justice of her plea.
v. 31. Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way, He made the form of the Angel visible to the eyes of Balaam, as He had done before in the case of his ass, and His sword drawn in His hand, ready for sudden slaughter and destruction. And he bowed down his head and fell flat on his face, overcome, at last, by the terror of Jehovah.
v. 32. And the Angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? Behold, I went out to withstand thee because thy way is perverse before Me; the way which Balaam had chosen was a steep and slippery one, and not at all in agreement with the will of God, whence there was danger that it would land him in destruction.
v. 33. And the ass saw Me and turned from Me these three times; unless she had turned from Me, surely now also I had slain thee and saved her alive. So the brute had actually saved Balaam's life by her strange behavior.
v. 34. And Balaam said unto the Angel of the Lord, I have sinned; for I knew not that Thou stoodest in the way against me. Now, therefore, if it displease Thee, I will get me back again. This addition spoiled the confession of sins with which Balaam had begun to address the Angel; they show that there had been no change of heart; he was still longing for the reward of unrighteousness and intended to yield only to force.
v. 35. And the Angel of the Lord said unto Balaam, Go with the men; since there was no trace of real repentance in his heart, he should continue in his undertaking; but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. This was to be distinctly understood and obediently followed by Balaam. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak, believing that he would still find ways and means to circumvent the will of the Lord and get the coveted money. He is a type of a blind and hardened sinner.