Numbers 22:27

Verse

When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he became furious and beat her with his staff.

American Standard Version (1901)

And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah, and she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with his staff.

Bible in Basic English

And the ass saw the angel of the Lord and went down on the earth under Balaam; and full of wrath, Balaam gave her hard blows with his stick.

Free Bible Version

The donkey saw the angel of the Lord and lay down under Balaam. He got angry and beat it with his walking stick.

King James (Authorized) Version

And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.

One Unity Resource Bible

The donkey saw ha mal'ak Yahweh [the Angel of He sustains breathing], and she lay down under Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people]. Balaam [Not people, Destroyer of people]’s anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

Translation for Translators

This time, when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down on the ground with Balaam sitting on top of it. Balaam became extremely angry, and he struck the donkey again with his walking stick.

Unlocked Literal Bible

The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh, and she lay down under Balaam. Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

Noah Webster Bible

And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.

World English Bible

The donkey saw Yahweh’s angel, and she lay down under Balaam. Balaam’s anger burned, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

Young's Literal Translation

and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah, and croucheth under Balaam, and the anger of Balaam burneth, and he smiteth the ass with a staff.

Context

The Angel and Balaam’s Donkey

²⁶And the angel of the LORD moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn to the right or left.²⁷When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he became furious and beat her with his staff.

Summary

In this verse, we see the story of Balaam and his donkey, where the donkey sees the angel of the Lord blocking their path while Balaam does not. This passage illustrates the theme of God's sovereignty and His ability to reveal Himself even to animals. It also serves as a reminder that God can use any means to communicate His will to His people, emphasizing the importance of being attentive to His guidance and not relying solely on our own understanding.

Commentary

John Gill

John Gill Bible Commentary

And the ass said unto Balaam,.... Made a reply to him, as if it understood what he said, and had the faculty of reasoning and discoursing, as well as of speaking, which is very amazing: am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? or rather, "ever since thou wast"; not ever since he was in being, but ever since he could ride, so Aben Ezra; according to which, it seems that this was the first he rode upon, and which he had always been used to; hence the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase it,"upon which thou hast rode from thy youth unto this day;''and be it that Balaam was a man pretty well advanced in years, an ass is a creature that lives a long time: Pliny says (r) it lives thirty years; and an Arabic writer (s) makes mention of an ass that the owner of it rode on forty years: was I ever wont to do so unto thee? to start out of the way, or lie down with him, could anyone instance be given of it? suggesting that she was a sure footed creature, and had always carefully and safely carried him, for which it appeals to him: and he said, nay; she had never been used to serve him in such a manner as she had now, and therefore he might have concluded that something more than ordinary was the matter; and it is much his conscience had not accused him that he was wrong in coming with the princes, taking the alarm from these circumstances, had he not been an hardened creature, or, at least, had he not been so eagerly bent on riches and honour. (r) Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 43. (s) Algiahid in Damir. apud Bochart, ut supra, (Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 2. c. 14.) col. 195.