Numbers 22:28
Numbers 22:28 in Multiple Translations
Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”
And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
And Jehovah opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
Then the Lord gave the ass the power of talking, and opening her mouth she said to Balaam, What have I done to you that you have given me blows these three times?
The Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you for you to beat me three times?”
Then the Lord opened the mouth of the asse, and she saide vnto Balaam, What haue I done vnto thee, that thou hast smitten me nowe three times?
And Jehovah openeth the mouth of the ass, and she saith to Balaam, 'What have I done to thee that thou hast smitten me these three times?'
The LORD opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said to Balaam, What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said: What have I done to thee? Why strikest thou me, lo, now this third time?
Then Yahweh enabled the donkey to speak! It said to Balaam, “What bad thing have I done to you that caused you to strike me three times?”
Berean Amplified Bible — Numbers 22:28
BAB
Word Study
Hover over any word to see its amplified meaning. Click a word to explore its full definition and translation comparisons.
Amplified text is generated using scripting to tie together English translations for comparison. Always refer to the core BSB translation and original Hebrew/Greek text for accuracy. Anomalies may occur.
Numbers 22:28 Interlinear (Deep Study)
BIB
HEB
וַ/יִּפְתַּ֥ח
יְהוָ֖ה
אֶת
פִּ֣י
הָ/אָת֑וֹן
וַ/תֹּ֤אמֶר
לְ/בִלְעָם֙
מֶה
עָשִׂ֣יתִֽי
לְ/ךָ֔
כִּ֣י
הִכִּיתַ֔/נִי
זֶ֖ה
שָׁלֹ֥שׁ
רְגָלִֽים
וַ/יִּפְתַּ֥ח
pâthach
H6605
to open
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
יְהוָ֖ה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
The Lord
N-proper
אֶת
ʼêth
H853
Obj.
DirObjM
פִּ֣י
peh
H6310
lip
N-ms
הָ/אָת֑וֹן
ʼâthôwn
H860
she-ass
Art | N-fs
וַ/תֹּ֤אמֶר
ʼâmar
H559
to say
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs
לְ/בִלְעָם֙
Bilʻâm
H1109
Balaam
Prep | N-proper
מֶה
mâh
H4100
what?
Part
עָשִׂ֣יתִֽי
ʻâsâh
H6213
to make
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
לְ/ךָ֔
Prep | Suff
כִּ֣י
kîy
H3588
for
Conj
הִכִּיתַ֔/נִי
nâkâh
H5221
to smite
V-Hiphil-Perf-2ms | Suff
זֶ֖ה
zeh
H2088
this
Pron
שָׁלֹ֥שׁ
shâlôwsh
H7969
three
Adj
רְגָלִֽים
regel
H7272
foot
N-fp
Hebrew Word Study
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Hebrew Word Reference — Numbers 22:28
וַ/יִּפְתַּ֥ח
pâthach
H6605
"to open"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms
This verb means to engrave or carve, and is used in Exodus to describe the intricate carvings on the furniture of the tabernacle.
Definition: 1) to open 1a) (Qal) to open 1b) (Niphal) to be opened, be let loose, be thrown open 1c) (Piel) 1c1) to free 1c2) to loosen 1c3) to open, open oneself 1d) (Hithpael) to loose oneself Aramaic equivalent: pe.tach (פְּתַח "to open" H6606)
Usage: Occurs in 133 OT verses. KJV: appear, break forth, draw (out), let go free, (en-) grave(-n), loose (self), (be, be set) open(-ing), put off, ungird, unstop, have vent. See also: Genesis 7:11; Psalms 39:10; Psalms 5:10.
יְהוָ֖ה
Yᵉhôvâh
H3068
"The Lord"
N-proper
Yehovah is another name for God, often translated as 'the Lord'. It is a national name for God in the Jewish faith. This name is used throughout the Old Testament.
Definition: Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
Usage: Occurs in 5522 OT verses. KJV: Jehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה). See also: Genesis 2:4; Genesis 24:42; Exodus 8:8.
אֶת
ʼêth
H853
"Obj."
DirObjM
In the original Hebrew, this word points out the object of a verb or preposition, like 'namely' or 'even'. It appears in many books, including Genesis and Exodus. It's not directly translated in English, but helps clarify the meaning of sentences.
Definition: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative Aramaic equivalent: yat (יָת "whom" H3487)
Usage: Occurs in 6782 OT verses. KJV: (as such unrepresented in English). See also: Genesis 1:1; Genesis 10:8; Genesis 19:21.
פִּ֣י
peh
H6310
"lip"
N-ms
In the Bible, this Hebrew word refers to the mouth, lips, or edge of something, and can also mean a portion or side of something. It is often used to describe speech or the act of speaking. This word appears in various forms, such as mouth, lip, or edge.
Definition: : lip/mouth peh 1) mouth 1a) mouth (of man) 1b) mouth (as organ of speech) 1c) mouth (of animals) 1d) mouth, opening, orifice (of a well, river, etc) 1e) extremity, end pim 2) a weight equal to one third of a shekel, occurs only in 1Sa 13:21
Usage: Occurs in 460 OT verses. KJV: accord(-ing as, -ing to), after, appointment, assent, collar, command(-ment), [idiom] eat, edge, end, entry, [phrase] file, hole, [idiom] in, mind, mouth, part, portion, [idiom] (should) say(-ing), sentence, skirt, sound, speech, [idiom] spoken, talk, tenor, [idiom] to, [phrase] two-edged, wish, word. See also: Genesis 4:11; Deuteronomy 21:17; Ezra 9:11.
הָ/אָת֑וֹן
ʼâthôwn
H860
"she-ass"
Art | N-fs
A female donkey is referred to by this Hebrew word, which emphasizes the animal's gentle nature. It appears in Genesis 12:16 and 31:34, describing the donkeys owned by Abraham and Jacob.
Definition: she-ass, she-donkey
Usage: Occurs in 28 OT verses. KJV: (she) ass. See also: Genesis 12:16; Judges 5:10; Zechariah 9:9.
וַ/תֹּ֤אמֶר
ʼâmar
H559
"to say"
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3fs
This Hebrew word means to say or speak, and it's used in many different ways in the Bible. It can mean to command, promise, or think, and it's translated in the KJV as 'answer', 'appoint', or 'command'.
Definition: 1) to say, speak, utter 1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend 1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called 1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly 1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Usage: Occurs in 4337 OT verses. KJV: answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [idiom] plainly, promise, publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), [idiom] still, [idiom] suppose, talk, tell, term, [idiom] that is, [idiom] think, use (speech), utter, [idiom] verily, [idiom] yet. See also: Genesis 1:3; Genesis 18:23; Genesis 25:32.
לְ/בִלְעָם֙
Bilʻâm
H1109
"Balaam"
Prep | N-proper
Balaam was a prophet from Mesopotamia, also the name of a place in Palestine. He is known for trying to curse the Israelites in the book of Numbers.
Definition: A man living at the time of Egypt and Wilderness, first mentioned at Num.22.5; son of: Beor (H1160H) Also named: Balaam (Βαλαάμ "Balaam" G0903) § Balaam = "not of the people" the son of Beor, a man endowed with the gift of prophecy
Usage: Occurs in 57 OT verses. KJV: Balaam, Bileam. See also: Numbers 22:5; Numbers 23:2; Micah 6:5.
מֶה
mâh
H4100
"what?"
Part
This Hebrew word means what or how, often used to ask questions or express surprise, like in Genesis when God asks Adam what he has done. It can also mean why or when, and is used in various ways throughout the Old Testament. It appears in many KJV translations, including how or what.
Definition: interr pron 1) what, how, of what kind 1a) (interrogative) 1a1) what? 1a2) of what kind 1a3) what? (rhetorical) 1a4) whatsoever, whatever, what 1b) (adverb) 1b1) how, how now 1b2) why 1b3) how! (exclamation) 1c) (with prep) 1c1) wherein?, whereby?, wherewith?, by what means? 1c2) because of what? 1c3) the like of what? 1c3a) how much?, how many?, how often? 1c3b) for how long? 1c4) for what reason?, why?, to what purpose? 1c5) until when?, how long?, upon what?, wherefore? indef pron 2) anything, aught, what may
Usage: Occurs in 655 OT verses. KJV: how (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why. See also: Genesis 2:19; Numbers 21:5; 1 Samuel 19:5.
עָשִׂ֣יתִֽי
ʻâsâh
H6213
"to make"
V-Qal-Perf-1cs
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Definition: : make(OBJECT) 1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to do, work, make, produce 1a1a) to do 1a1b) to work 1a1c) to deal (with) 1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect 1a2) to make 1a2a) to make 1a2b) to produce 1a2c) to prepare 1a2d) to make (an offering) 1a2e) to attend to, put in order 1a2f) to observe, celebrate 1a2g) to acquire (property) 1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute 1a2i) to bring about 1a2j) to use 1a2k) to spend, pass 1b) (Niphal) 1b1) to be done 1b2) to be made 1b3) to be produced 1b4) to be offered 1b5) to be observed 1b6) to be used 1c) (Pual) to be made
Usage: Occurs in 2286 OT verses. KJV: accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use. See also: Genesis 1:7; Genesis 34:19; Exodus 18:24.
לְ/ךָ֔
""
Prep | Suff
כִּ֣י
kîy
H3588
"for"
Conj
A conjunction used to show cause or connection, as in Genesis 2:23 where Adam says the woman is bone of his bone because she was taken out of him. It is often translated as 'for', 'because', or 'since'.
Definition: 1) that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since 1a) that 1a1) yea, indeed 1b) when (of time) 1b1) when, if, though (with a concessive force) 1c) because, since (causal connection) 1d) but (after negative) 1e) that if, for if, indeed if, for though, but if 1f) but rather, but 1g) except that 1h) only, nevertheless 1i) surely 1j) that is 1k) but if 1l) for though 1m) forasmuch as, for therefore
Usage: Occurs in 3910 OT verses. KJV: and, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + till, truly, + until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet. See also: Genesis 1:4; Genesis 26:16; Genesis 42:15.
הִכִּיתַ֔/נִי
nâkâh
H5221
"to smite"
V-Hiphil-Perf-2ms | Suff
In the Bible, this Hebrew word means to strike or hit something, and it's used in many different ways, like in Exodus when God strikes down the Egyptians. It can also mean to punish or destroy, as seen in Isaiah. The word is used to describe God's judgment.
Definition: 1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill 1a)(Niphal) to be stricken or smitten 1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust 1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast) 1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage 1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy 1d) (Hophal) to be smitten 1d1) to receive a blow 1d2) to be wounded 1d3) to be beaten 1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain 1d5) to be attacked and captured 1d6) to be smitten (with disease) 1d7) to be blighted (of plants)
Usage: Occurs in 461 OT verses. KJV: beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), [idiom] go forward, [idiom] indeed, kill, make (slaughter), murderer, punish, slaughter, slay(-er, -ing), smite(-r, -ing), strike, be stricken, (give) stripes, [idiom] surely, wound. See also: Genesis 4:15; Joshua 10:20; 1 Samuel 29:5.
זֶ֖ה
zeh
H2088
"this"
Pron
This word is a pronoun meaning this or that, used to point out a specific person or thing. It appears in many contexts, including Genesis and Psalms, to indicate something specific. The KJV translates it as he, here, or it.
Definition: 1) this, this one, here, which, this...that, the one...the other, another, such 1a) (alone) 1a1) this one 1a2) this...that, the one...the other, another 1b) (appos to subst) 1b1) this 1c) (as predicate) 1c1) this, such 1d) (enclitically) 1d1) then 1d2) who, whom 1d3) how now, what now 1d4) what now 1d5) wherefore now 1d6) behold here 1d7) just now 1d8) now, now already 1e) (poetry) 1e1) wherein, which, those who 1f) (with prefixes) 1f1) in this (place) here, then 1f2) on these conditions, herewith, thus provided, by, through this, for this cause, in this matter 1f3) thus and thus 1f4) as follows, things such as these, accordingly, to that effect, in like manner, thus and thus 1f5) from here, hence, on one side...on the other side 1f6) on this account 1f7) in spite of this, which, whence, how
Usage: Occurs in 1061 OT verses. KJV: he, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus, very, which. Compare H2063 (זֹאת), H2090 (זֹה), H2097 (זוֹ), H2098 (זוּ). See also: Genesis 5:1; Exodus 10:17; Numbers 14:16.
שָׁלֹ֥שׁ
shâlôwsh
H7969
"three"
Adj
This Hebrew word means three or thrice, and is used to describe quantities or repetitions in the Bible. It appears in various forms, including three, third, and thirteen.
Definition: 1) three, triad 1a) 3, 300, third Aramaic equivalent: te.lat (תְּלָת "three" H8532)
Usage: Occurs in 381 OT verses. KJV: [phrase] fork, [phrase] often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, [phrase] thrice. Compare H7991 (שָׁלִישׁ). See also: Genesis 5:22; Joshua 1:11; 2 Kings 9:32.
רְגָלִֽים
regel
H7272
"foot"
N-fp
This word also means a foot, like when God says he will tread on the wicked in Malachi 4:3. It's used to describe human and animal feet, as well as the base of objects like tables or idols.
Definition: 1) foot 1a) foot, leg 1b) of God (anthropomorphic) 1c) of seraphim, cherubim, idols, animals, table 1d) according to the pace of (with prep) 1e) three times (feet, paces) Aramaic equivalent: re.gal (רְגַל "foot" H7271)
Usage: Occurs in 232 OT verses. KJV: [idiom] be able to endure, [idiom] according as, [idiom] after, [idiom] coming, [idiom] follow, (broken-)foot(-ed, -stool), [idiom] great toe, [idiom] haunt, [idiom] journey, leg, [phrase] piss, [phrase] possession, time. See also: Genesis 8:9; 2 Samuel 22:39; Psalms 8:7.
Study Notes — Numbers 22:28
Show Verse Quote Highlights
- Context
- Cross References
- Numbers 22:28 Summary
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Reflection Questions
- Gill's Exposition on Numbers 22:28
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 22:28
- Matthew Poole's Commentary on Numbers 22:28
- Trapp's Commentary on Numbers 22:28
- Ellicott's Commentary on Numbers 22:28
- Adam Clarke's Commentary on Numbers 22:28
- Cambridge Bible on Numbers 22:28
- Barnes' Notes on Numbers 22:28
- Whedon's Commentary on Numbers 22:28
- Sermons on Numbers 22:28
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.
28Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”
29Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!” 30But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not the donkey you have ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he replied.Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 Peter 2:16 | 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. |
| 2 | Luke 1:37 | For no word from God will ever fail. ” |
| 3 | Exodus 4:11 | And the LORD said to him, “Who gave man his mouth? Or who makes the mute or the deaf, the sighted or the blind? Is it not I, the LORD? |
| 4 | 1 Corinthians 1:19 | For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” |
| 5 | Romans 8:22 | We know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until the present time. |
Numbers 22:28 Summary
In Numbers 22:28, the Lord opens the donkey's mouth, and she asks Balaam why he has beaten her three times, showing that even animals can be used by God to speak truth and confront sin, as seen in other parts of the Bible like Exodus 4:11. This event teaches us about God's power and sovereignty, and it challenges us to be more compassionate and understanding, like the donkey, rather than self-centered and harsh, like Balaam. By reflecting on this verse, we can learn to listen to God's voice, even when it comes through unexpected means, and to trust in His goodness and wisdom, as encouraged in Psalm 37:3-7 and Proverbs 3:5-6.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the donkey speak in Numbers 22:28?
The donkey spoke because the Lord opened her mouth, allowing her to express her concern to Balaam, as seen in Numbers 22:28, demonstrating God's power to use any means necessary to communicate with humans, as also seen in Exodus 4:11 where God says He makes the mute speak.
What was the donkey's question to Balaam in Numbers 22:28?
The donkey asked Balaam what she had done to deserve being beaten three times, highlighting her innocence and Balaam's unjust treatment, similar to how the prophet Nathan used a parable to confront King David about his sin in 2 Samuel 12:1-14.
Is this event in Numbers 22:28 a unique occurrence in the Bible?
While the talking donkey is unique, the concept of God using animals or inanimate objects to communicate with humans is seen elsewhere, such as the serpent in Genesis 3:1-5 and the ass in Numbers 22:22-35, demonstrating God's sovereignty over all creation, as declared in Psalm 103:22.
What does the donkey's speech reveal about Balaam's character?
The donkey's speech reveals Balaam's lack of understanding and his treatment of the donkey, showing his self-centeredness and lack of compassion, which is also evident in his subsequent interactions with the donkey and the angel, as seen in Numbers 22:29-30, and is a warning against similar self-centeredness, as taught in Philippians 2:3-4.
Reflection Questions
- What are some times in my life when I have reacted harshly to circumstances, and what can I learn from Balaam's interaction with the donkey?
- In what ways can I, like the donkey, be used by God to speak truth to those around me, even if it's uncomfortable or unexpected?
- How does this event in Numbers 22:28 challenge my understanding of God's power and sovereignty in the world, and what implications does this have for my daily life?
- What would I have done if I were in Balaam's shoes, and how can I learn from his mistakes to become more humble and attentive to God's voice, as encouraged in Proverbs 1:7 and Isaiah 66:2?
Gill's Exposition on Numbers 22:28
And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam,.... This was a very extraordinary and miraculous affair, and effected by a supernatural power, that a dumb creature, which had not
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on Numbers 22:28
And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
Matthew Poole's Commentary on Numbers 22:28
i.e. The Lord conferred upon the ass the power of speech and reasoning for that time. Impudent are those heathens that disbelieve and scoff at the Scripture for this and some such relations contained in it, when there are examples of the same kind of prodigies, to wit, of oxen and other brute creatures speaking some few words, in the greatest and most approved writers of the Roman history as Plutarch, Polybius, Livy, an others. See the particulars in my Latin Synopsis on this place. Not included
Trapp's Commentary on Numbers 22:28
Numbers 22:28 And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?Ver. 28. And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass.] Fear not, therefore, thine own inability and rudeness to reply in a good cause. There is no mouth into which God cannot put words; and how oft doth he choose the weak to confound the wise And she said unto Balaam.] The angel, some think, did speak in the ass, as the devil had done to Eve in the serpent.
Ellicott's Commentary on Numbers 22:28
(28) And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass.—Many critics, who admit the miraculous character of the events recorded in this and the following verses, maintain the subjective character of some of the incidents, and they adduce arguments to show that, whilst the same results might have been brought about in either manner, it is more in accordance with the general analogy of Scripture to assign a subjective than an objective interpretation to the language which is here employed. The following remarks may be made in regard to this interpretation:—(1) Consistency requires that the whole of the narrative should be interpreted either objectively or subjectively; and hence, that if the voice of the ass be interpreted as a subjective impression made upon the mind of Balaam, the appearance of the angel must be understood in the same manner. In this case, however, a difficulty arises which is as great, or greater, than that which the subjective theory is thought to remove. If the appearance of the angel to Balaam was subjective, the appearance must have been subjective also to the ass. In this case, moreover, it may be fairly alleged that if the line which divides the intelligent from the brute creation is transgressed by ascribing articulate speech to the ass, much more is that line transgressed by the supposition that an impression was produced in a subjective manner upon the mind of the ass. But (2) the real question at issue is not whether the recorded results might have been accomplished on the supposition that the incidents are to be explained subjectively, but what is the interpretation which the narrative itself suggests, and which the words of St. Peter (2 Peter 2:16) require? In regard to the narrative itself, there is no intimation given that its respective portions are to be differently interpreted; nor is it possible, without doing violence to its obvious meaning, to interpret some parts of it objectively and other parts subjectively; whilst in regard to the testimony of St. Peter, it would be impossible to conceive of a statement couched in terms more directly suggestive of a literal fact than the following—“The dumb ass, speaking with man’s voice, forbad the madness of the prophet.” In regard to the objections which have been raised to the literal interpretation, grounded on the absence of any expression of surprise on the part of Balaam, and of any allusion to the effect produced upon the Moabitish princes and Balaam’s servants, it will suffice to observe (1) that here, as elsewhere, no just inference can be drawn from the silence of Scripture; and (2) that, as in the case of those who were with St. Paul as he went to Damascus, we have no means of determining, on the assumption of the presence of witnesses throughout the miraculous occurrences described, what amount of those occurrences they may have seen and heard.
The angel was visible, in the first instance, only to the ass.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on Numbers 22:28
Verse 28. The Lord opened the mouth of the ass] And where is the wonder of all this? If the ass had opened her own mouth, and reproved the rash prophet, we might well be astonished; but when God opens the mouth, an ass can speak as well as a man. It is worthy of remark here, that Balaam testifies no surprise at this miracle, because he saw it was the Lord's doing. Of animate and inanimate things receiving for a short time the gift of speech, the heathen mythology furnishes many fictitious examples, with which I do not deem it proper to occupy the reader's time.
Cambridge Bible on Numbers 22:28
28. The miracle here recorded finds no parallel in the O.T. except that of the serpent who spoke to Eve (Genesis 3:1; Genesis 3:4 f.). But similar instances are to be found in the folklore of many nations (see Gray, p. 334). The speaking ass is to be considered not as a fable—in the sense in which the word is applied, for example, to Aesop’s Fables—but as a detail of a fabulous nature which attached itself, during the course of Israel’s early traditions, to a narrative which may have had a historical basis. With the modern knowledge, to which God has led us, of the gradual nature of His self-revelation to Israel, and of the many different stages of literary development which are represented in the O.T., we are not under the necessity either of believing that the ass actually spoke, or of explaining away the miracle in some rationalising manner, e.g. by supposing that Balaam had a vision. The permanent spiritual value of the story lies in its representation of the strivings of conscience.
Barnes' Notes on Numbers 22:28
And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass - The account was perhaps given by Balaam to the Israelites after his capture in the war against Midian. Compare Numbers 31:8.
Whedon's Commentary on Numbers 22:28
28. The Lord opened the mouth of the ass — These words irresistibly compel the conclusion that the animal was the direct object of the divine operation.
Sermons on Numbers 22:28
| Sermon | Description | |
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Provision of the Covenant - Part 1 by Bill Stafford | In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of having an abiding relationship with God. He shares his personal struggles with temper, jealousy, gossip, and greed, highli |
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Keeping Our Focus by Debbie Meroff | In this sermon, the preacher discusses the concept of not being able to see spiritually and lacking the eyes of faith. He emphasizes the need to open the eyes of our hearts and see |
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Old Testament Survey - Part 20 by Dick Woodward | This sermon delves into the book of Numbers, focusing on the greatness, meekness, and intimate relationship of Moses with God. It explores the concept of meekness, Moses' sin that |
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The Ass by Harriet N. Cook | Harriet N. Cook reflects on the significance of the ass in the Bible, highlighting its role as a symbol of meekness, humility, gratitude, and even the ability to speak when necessa |
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The Possibility of Apostasy by Paris Reidhead | In this sermon, the preacher focuses on the warning given by Peter in 2 Peter chapter 2 about false teachers. He emphasizes the importance of having a strong offense, which is a po |
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A Christian’s Response to Calamities by David Wilkerson | In this sermon, the speaker addresses the response of Christians to calamities happening in the world. They emphasize that while the world may be alarmed and nervous, Christians ha |
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Attributes of God (Series 2): The Omnipotence of God by A.W. Tozer | In this sermon, the preacher discusses three propositions about God's power. The first proposition is that God has power, which is evident in the creation of the world. The preache |