2 Peter 2:16

Verse

But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, otherwise without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

American Standard Version (1901)

but he was rebuked for his own transgression: a dumb ass spake with man’s voice and stayed the madness of the prophet.

Bible in Basic English

But his wrongdoing was pointed out to him: an ass, talking with a man's voice, put a stop to the error of the prophet.

Douay-Rheims 1899

But had a check of his madness, the dumb beast used to the yoke, which speaking with man’s voice, forbade the folly of the prophet.

Free Bible Version

But he was told off for his evil actions—a dumb donkey spoke with a human voice and stopped the prophet's foolishness!

Geneva Bible 1599

But he was rebuked for his iniquitie: for the dumme beast speaking with mans voyce, forbade the foolishnesse of the Prophet.

King James (Authorized) Version

But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

Translation for Translators

But God rebuked him for having done that which was wrong and for behaving very foolishly. And even though donkeys do not speak, God used a donkey to hinder Balaam by enabling it to speak to him with a human voice.

Unlocked Literal Bible

But he obtained a rebuke for his own transgression—a mute donkey speaking in a human voice stopped the prophet's insanity.

Noah Webster Bible

But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice, forbad the madness of the prophet.

World English Bible

but he was rebuked for his own disobedience. A speechless donkey spoke with a man’s voice and stopped the madness of the prophet.

Young's Literal Translation

and had a rebuke of his own iniquity — a dumb ass, in man's voice having spoken, did forbid the madness of the prophet.

Context

Deliverance from False Prophets

¹⁵They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness.¹⁶But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, otherwise without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

Summary

This verse refers to Balaam, a prophet who was rebuked for his wrongdoing. Balaam's sin was driven by greed, as he loved the wages of wickedness more than obeying God. His story serves as a warning against false prophets who prioritize personal gain over God's truth. The verse underscores the importance of staying faithful to God and His Word, resisting the temptation to compromise for worldly rewards. Ultimately, it highlights the consequences of straying from God's path and the need for genuine repentance and obedience.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

The dumb ass, speaking with man's voice - See the note on Num 22:28. The madness of the prophet - Is not this a reference to the speech of the ass, as represented in the Targums of Jonathan ben Uzziel and Jerusalem? "Wo to thee, Balaam, thou sinner, thou madman: there is no wisdom found in thee." These words contain nearly the same expressions as those in St. Peter.

John Gill Bible Commentary

But was rebuked for his iniquity,.... Which was not merely going along with the messengers of Balak, for he had leave from the Lord so to do, Num 22:20; but going along with them with a desire to curse Israel, when it was the will of God he should go and bless them, in order to get Balak's money; so that his governing iniquity was covetousness, which led him to other sins; and for this he was rebuked by the angel, Num 22:32, as well as reproved by his ass, Num 22:28, for the dumb ass, as it was naturally so, the ass on which he rode, speaking with man's voice; which was supernatural and miraculous, for it was God that opened the mouth of the ass: the mouth of that ass is said, by the Jews (m), to be one of the ten things created between the two evenings on the sixth day of the creation; that is, as the gloss on it says, concerning which it was decreed, that its mouth should be opened to speak what this ass said; and the occasion of it may be seen in Num 22:22. Lactantius (n) observes, that there are two stars in the constellation of Cancer, which the Greeks call the "asses"; and which, the poets feign, are those that carried Liberus over a river, when he could not pass it; to one of which he gave this for a reward, "ut humana voce loqueretur", "that it should speak with man's voice"; a fable, no doubt, hatched from the sacred history, and said in imitation of this ass. Which forbad the madness of the prophet: and so Balaam, though a diviner and soothsayer, is called by the Jewish writers (o); who, they say, was first a prophet, and then a soothsayer, from whom Jerom (p) seems to have received the tradition; who says, that he was first a holy man, and a prophet of God, and afterwards, through disobedience, and a desire of gifts, was called a diviner; for his eyes were opened, and he saw the vision of the Almighty; and the Spirit of God came upon him, and he prophesied many things concerning Israel, and the Messiah, and others, Num 24:4. His madness lay in going with the messengers of Balak, Num 22:21, in order to curse Israel, contrary to the will of God, Num 22:12; and it is madness in any to oppose God in his counsels, purposes, providences, and precepts; and every sin, which is an act of hostility against God, has madness in it; and this of Balaam's was forbid by his ass, and he was convinced of it. Very appropriately is mention made of this dumb ass, when the persons here spoken of were as natural brute beasts, and worse than them, Pe2 2:12. (m) Pirke Abot, c. 5. sect. 6. & Jarchi in ib. Sepher Cosri, par. 2. p. 254. (n) De falsa Religione, l. 1. c. 21. (o) Pesikta, Ilmedenu & Gerundensis apud Drus in loc. T. Bab Sanhedrin fol. 106. 1. Aben Ezra in Numb. xxxii. 28. (p) Tradition. Heb. in Genes. fol. 69. D.

2 Peter 2:16

Deliverance from False Prophets

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, otherwise without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

American Standard Version (1901)

but he was rebuked for his own transgression: a dumb ass spake with man’s voice and stayed the madness of the prophet.

Bible in Basic English

But his wrongdoing was pointed out to him: an ass, talking with a man's voice, put a stop to the error of the prophet.

Douay-Rheims 1899

But had a check of his madness, the dumb beast used to the yoke, which speaking with man’s voice, forbade the folly of the prophet.

Free Bible Version

But he was told off for his evil actions—a dumb donkey spoke with a human voice and stopped the prophet's foolishness!

Geneva Bible 1599

But he was rebuked for his iniquitie: for the dumme beast speaking with mans voyce, forbade the foolishnesse of the Prophet.

King James (Authorized) Version

But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man’s voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

Translation for Translators

Unlocked Literal Bible

But he obtained a rebuke for his own transgression—a mute donkey speaking in a human voice stopped the prophet's insanity.

Noah Webster Bible

But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice, forbad the madness of the prophet.

World English Bible

but he was rebuked for his own disobedience. A speechless donkey spoke with a man’s voice and stopped the madness of the prophet.

Young's Literal Translation

and had a rebuke of his own iniquity — a dumb ass, in man's voice having spoken, did forbid the madness of the prophet.

Adam Clarke
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

2 Peter 2:16

Verse

Context

Deliverance from False Prophets

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

2 Peter 2:16

Deliverance from False Prophets

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary