Numbers 22:33

Verse

The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, then by now I would surely have killed you and let her live.”

American Standard Version (1901)

and the ass saw me, and turned aside before me these three times: unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I had even slain thee, and saved her alive.

Bible in Basic English

And the ass saw me, turning to one side from me three times: if she had not gone to one side, I would certainly have put you to death and kept her safe.

Free Bible Version

The donkey saw me and avoided me three times. If it had not avoided me, by now I definitely would have killed you and allowed the donkey to live.”

King James (Authorized) Version

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.

One Unity Resource Bible

The donkey saw me, and turned aside before me these three times. Unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive.”

Translation for Translators

Three times your donkey saw me and turned away from me. If it had not done that, I would certainly have killed you already, but I would have allowed the donkey to live.”

Unlocked Literal Bible

The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away from me, I would certainly have killed you and spared her life.”

Noah Webster Bible

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.

World English Bible

The donkey saw me, and turned away before me these three times. Unless she had turned away from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive.”

Young's Literal Translation

and the ass seeth me, and turneth aside at my presence these three times; unless she had turned aside from my presence, surely now also, thee I had slain, and her kept alive.'

Context

The Angel and Balaam’s Donkey

³²The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you, because your way is perverse before me.³³The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, then by now I would surely have killed you and let her live.”

Summary

In this verse, God's angel reveals to Balaam that his donkey saved his life by turning away from the angel's sword. This event serves as a reminder of God's sovereignty and His ability to use any means to accomplish His purposes. It also demonstrates God's care and protection over His people, even when they may be unaware of the dangers around them. Ultimately, this passage highlights the importance of being attentive to God's guidance and being open to His miraculous interventions in our lives.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
Keil-Delitzsch
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Surely now also I had slain thee - How often are the meanest animals, and the most trivial occurrences, instruments of the preservation of our lives, and of the salvation of our souls! The messenger of justice would have killed Balaam, had not the mercy of God prevented the ass from proceeding.

Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

The angel of the Lord sought to preserve Balaam from the destruction which threatened him, by standing in his way; but he did not see him, though his ass did. וגו נטתה אוּלי, "perhaps it turned out before me; for otherwise I should surely have killed thee, and let her live." The first clause is to be regarded, as Hengstenberg supposes, as an aposiopesis. The angel does not state positively what was the reason why perhaps the ass had turned out of the way: he merely hints at it lightly, and leaves it to Balaam to gather from the hint, that the faithful animal had turned away from affection to its master, with a dim foreboding of the danger which threatened him, and yet for that very reason, as it were as a reward for its service of love, had been ill-treated by him. The traditional rendering, "if the ass had not turned aside, surely," etc., cannot be defended according to the rules of the language; and there is not sufficient ground for any such alteration of the text as Knobel suggests, viz., into לוּלי. These words made an impression, and Balaam made this acknowledgment (Num 22:34): "I have sinned, for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me; and now, if it displease thee, I will get me back again." The angel of the Lord replied, however (Num 22:35): "Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that shalt you speak." This was sufficient to show him, that it was not the journey in itself that was displeasing to God, but the feelings and intentions with which he had entered upon it. The whole procedure was intended to sharpen his conscience and sober his mind, that he might pay attention to the word which the Lord would speak to him. At the same time the impression which the appearance and words of the angel of the Lord made upon his heart, enveloped in mist as it was by the thirst for gold and honour, was not a deep one, nor one that led him to a thorough knowledge of his own heart; otherwise, after such a warning, he would never have continued his journey.

Numbers 22:33

The Angel and Balaam’s Donkey

Scripture
Sermons
Commentary

Berean Standard Bible

The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, then by now I would surely have killed you and let her live.”

American Standard Version (1901)

and the ass saw me, and turned aside before me these three times: unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I had even slain thee, and saved her alive.

Bible in Basic English

And the ass saw me, turning to one side from me three times: if she had not gone to one side, I would certainly have put you to death and kept her safe.

Free Bible Version

The donkey saw me and avoided me three times. If it had not avoided me, by now I definitely would have killed you and allowed the donkey to live.”

King James (Authorized) Version

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.

One Unity Resource Bible

The donkey saw me, and turned aside before me these three times. Unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive.”

Translation for Translators

Three times your donkey saw me and turned away from me. If it had not done that, I would certainly have killed you already, but I would have allowed the donkey to live.”

Unlocked Literal Bible

The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away from me, I would certainly have killed you and spared her life.”

Noah Webster Bible

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.

World English Bible

The donkey saw me, and turned away before me these three times. Unless she had turned away from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive.”

Young's Literal Translation

and the ass seeth me, and turneth aside at my presence these three times; unless she had turned aside from my presence, surely now also, thee I had slain, and her kept alive.'

Adam Clarke
Keil-Delitzsch
John Gill

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

Numbers 22:33

Verse

Context

The Angel and Balaam’s Donkey

Summary

Commentary

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary

Numbers 22:33

The Angel and Balaam’s Donkey

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary

John Gill Bible Commentary