The 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. The angel of the LORD asked himIn the Old Testament, the "angel of the LORD" often represents a divine messenger, sometimes interpreted as a theophany or a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ. This encounter emphasizes divine intervention in human affairs. The angel's presence signifies the seriousness of Balaam's actions and God's direct involvement in guiding His people. Why have you beaten your donkey these three times?
The repetition of "three times" underscores the stubbornness and blindness of Balaam to spiritual realities. The donkey, an animal considered lowly, perceives the divine presence that Balaam, a renowned seer, fails to see. This irony highlights the theme of God using the humble to confound the wise, a recurring biblical motif. Behold, I have come out to oppose you
The angel's opposition to Balaam serves as a divine check against Balaam's intentions. This phrase indicates God's active role in thwarting plans that go against His will. It reflects the broader biblical principle that God can intervene to redirect or halt human actions that are contrary to His purposes. because your way is perverse before me
The term "perverse" suggests moral and spiritual deviation. Balaam's path is not aligned with God's righteousness, indicating a heart turned towards greed and self-interest, as later confirmed in 2 Peter 2:15. This phrase serves as a warning against pursuing paths that lead away from God's truth and righteousness. Persons / Places / Events 1. BalaamA non-Israelite prophet who is summoned by Balak, the king of Moab, to curse the Israelites. Balaam is known for his interactions with God and his eventual blessing of Israel instead of cursing them. 2. The Angel of the LORDA divine messenger who appears to Balaam on the road to Moab. The Angel serves as God's representative, confronting Balaam about his actions and intentions. 3. The DonkeyBalaam's donkey, which sees the Angel of the LORD and tries to avoid him, ultimately speaking to Balaam after being beaten. 4. MoabThe region ruled by King Balak, who is fearful of the Israelites and seeks Balaam's help to curse them. 5. BalakThe king of Moab who hires Balaam to curse the Israelites, fearing their strength and numbers. Teaching Points Divine InterventionGod intervenes in our lives to correct our paths when we stray. Balaam's encounter with the Angel of the LORD serves as a reminder that God sees our intentions and actions. Spiritual PerceptionThe donkey's ability to see the Angel of the LORD before Balaam did highlights the importance of spiritual awareness and sensitivity to God's presence. Obedience to GodBalaam's account underscores the necessity of aligning our actions with God's will, even when external pressures push us in a different direction. Consequences of DisobedienceBalaam's initial disobedience and the resulting confrontation with the Angel of the LORD illustrate the consequences of pursuing a path contrary to God's instructions. God's SovereigntyDespite human intentions, God's purposes prevail. Balaam's inability to curse Israel demonstrates God's control over all situations. Bible Study Questions 1. How does Balaam's interaction with the Angel of the LORD challenge us to examine our own motives and actions in light of God's will? 2. In what ways can we cultivate spiritual awareness to recognize God's guidance in our lives, similar to the donkey's perception of the Angel? 3. How do the New Testament references to Balaam (2 Peter 2:15-16, Revelation 2:14) enhance our understanding of his character and the consequences of his actions? 4. What lessons can we learn from Balaam's account about the importance of obedience to God, even when faced with external pressures or temptations? 5. How does the concept of divine intervention in Balaam's journey encourage us to trust in God's sovereignty and purpose in our own lives? Connections to Other Scriptures Genesis 22The concept of divine intervention and testing, as seen in the account of Abraham and Isaac, parallels Balaam's encounter with the Angel of the LORD, highlighting obedience and divine purpose. 2 Peter 2:15-16This passage references Balaam's error and greed, providing a New Testament perspective on Balaam's actions and motivations. Revelation 2:14Balaam is mentioned in the context of leading others into sin, showing the long-term impact of his actions and decisions. | On Cruelty to Animals | E.S. Prout | Numbers 22:32 | | A Rotting Conscience | H. W. Beecher. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Balaam | C. Kingsley, M. A. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Balaam Rebuked, But not Checked | T. T. Munger. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Balaam Stopped by an Angel | J. Parker, D. D. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Balaam the Man of Double Mind | C. Ness. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Balaam, an Instance of Moral Perversion | W. M. Taylor, D. D. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Balaam; Or, Spiritual Influence, Human and Divine | Homilist | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Balaam's Ass | W. Jones. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Balaam's Ass, or Cruelty Rebuked | J. W. Hardman, LL. D. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Balaam's I have Sinned | James Vaughan, M. A. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Balaam's Protest | W. Roberts. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Balaam's Vision | J. P. Smith, LL. D. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Balak's Second Application to Balaam | W. Jones. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Dallying with Temptation | T. T. Munger. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | God Answers Men as They Wish | Isaac Williams, B. D. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | God Permits Balaam to Go, and Yet is Angry | F. D. Maurice, M. A. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | God Withstanding Sinners | J. J. Van Oosterzee, D. D. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | God's Opposition to Balaam | Henry, Matthew | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Gold an Ignoble Motive for Service | C. Kingsley. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | No Contradiction Between God's Two Answers to Balaam | T. T. Manger. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | No Without Any Yes in It | S. S. Chronicle | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Obedience Without Love, as Instanced in the Character Of | J. H. Newman, D. D. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Obstacles to Vision | J. Halsey. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Obstructive Providences | T. G. Horton. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | On Tampering with Conscience | A. Jessopp, M. A. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Parallels to the Case of Balaam | American S. S. Times | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Perversion as Shown in the Character of Balaam | F. W. Robertson, M. A. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Restraints from Sin | D. G. Watt, M. A. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Sin Perverse | Bp. Babington. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Something Wrong with Conscience | Christian Age | Numbers 22:15-35 | | The Cause of God's Anger with Balaam | S. Cox, D. D. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | The Character of Balaam | G. Wagner. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | The Divine Permission of Self-Will | S. Cox, D. D. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | The Opposition of God's Angel | W. Roberts. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | The Talking Ass, and What it Taught Balaam | S. Cox, D. D. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | The Way of the Perverse | T. De Witt Talmage. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Trifling with Conscience | J. E. C. Welldon, M. A. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | Withstanding Temptation | Juvenile Templar. | Numbers 22:15-35 | | The Angel, the Prophet, and the Ass | D. Young | Numbers 22:22-35 | | Balaam - the Arrest | J. Waite | Numbers 22:31-35 |
People Amorites, Balaam, Balak, Beor, Israelites, Moabites, Moses, ZipporPlaces Amaw, Arnon, Bamoth-baal, Egypt, Euphrates River, Jericho, Jordan River, Kiriath-huzoth, Midian, Moab, PethorTopics Adversary, Angel, Ass, Beaten, Behold, Blows, Contrary, Donkey, Forth, Hast, Messenger, Oppose, Path, Perverse, Pleasing, Purpose, Reckless, Ruin, Smitten, Struck, Walkest, Wherefore, WithstandDictionary of Bible Themes Numbers 22:21-35 4111 angels, servants Numbers 22:31-34 8319 perception, spiritual Numbers 22:31-35 6735 repentance, examples Library Balaam
He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people, to call him, saying, Behold there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the earth, and they abide over against me.'--NUM. xxii. 6. Give a general outline of the history. See Bishop Butler's great sermon. I. How much knowledge and love of good there may be in a bad man. Balaam was a prophet: (a) He knew something of the divine character, …
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy ScriptureConfession of Sin --A Sermon with Seven Texts
The Hardened Sinner. PHARAOH--"I have sinned."--Exodus 9:27. I. The first case I shall bring before you is that of the HARDENED SINNER, who, when under terror, says, "I have sinned." And you will find the text in the book of Exodus, the 9th chap. and 27th verse: "And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the Lord is righteous, and I and my people are wicked." But why this confession from the lips of the haughty tyrant? He was not often wont to …
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 3: 1857 The Assyrian Revival and the Struggle for Syria
Assur-nazir-pal (885-860) and Shalmaneser III. (860-825)--The kingdom of Urartu and its conquering princes: Menuas and Argistis. Assyria was the first to reappear on the scene of action. Less hampered by an ancient past than Egypt and Chaldaea, she was the sooner able to recover her strength after any disastrous crisis, and to assume again the offensive along the whole of her frontier line. Image Drawn by Faucher-Gudin, from a bas-relief at Koyunjik of the time of Sennacherib. The initial cut, …
G. Maspero—History Of Egypt, Chaldaea, Syria, Babylonia, and Assyria, V 7 Sovereignty and Human Responsibility
"So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God" (Rom. 14:12). In our last chapter we considered at some length the much debated and difficult question of the human will. We have shown that the will of the natural man is neither Sovereign nor free but, instead, a servant and slave. We have argued that a right conception of the sinner's will-its servitude-is essential to a just estimate of his depravity and ruin. The utter corruption and degradation of human nature is something which …
Arthur W. Pink—The Sovereignty of God How the Whole and the Sick are to be Admonished.
(Admonition 13.) Differently to be admonished are the whole and the sick. For the whole are to be admonished that they employ the health of the body to the health of the soul: lest, if they turn the grace of granted soundness to the use of iniquity, they be made worse by the gift, and afterwards merit the severer punishments, in that they fear not now to use amiss the more bountiful gifts of God. The whole are to be admonished that they despise not the opportunity of winning health for ever. …
Leo the Great—Writings of Leo the Great Numbers
Like the last part of Exodus, and the whole of Leviticus, the first part of Numbers, i.-x. 28--so called,[1] rather inappropriately, from the census in i., iii., (iv.), xxvi.--is unmistakably priestly in its interests and language. Beginning with a census of the men of war (i.) and the order of the camp (ii.), it devotes specific attention to the Levites, their numbers and duties (iii., iv.). Then follow laws for the exclusion of the unclean, v. 1-4, for determining the manner and amount of restitution …
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament Links Numbers 22:32 NIVNumbers 22:32 NLTNumbers 22:32 ESVNumbers 22:32 NASBNumbers 22:32 KJV
Numbers 22:32 Commentaries
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