²²But God was incensed that Balaam was going, and the Angel of the Lord ⁱtook His stand on the path to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him. ²³When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing on the path with a drawn sword in His hand, she turned off the path and went into the field. So Balaam hit her to return her to the path. ²⁴Then the Angel of the Lord stood in a narrow passage between the vineyards, with a stone wall on either side. ²⁵The donkey saw the Angel of the Lord and pressed herself against the wall, squeezing Balaam’s foot against it. So he hit her once again. ²⁶The Angel of the Lord went ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn to the right or the left. ²⁷When the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she crouched down under Balaam. So he became furious and beat the donkey with his stick.

²⁸Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth, and she asked Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?” ^j

²⁹Balaam answered the donkey, “You made me look like a fool. If I had a sword in my hand, I’d kill you now!”

³⁰But the donkey said, “Am I not the donkey you’ve ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?”

“No,” he replied.

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Cross references

i22:22 Gn 16:7; 22:11; Ex 3:2; Jdg 2:1; 5:23; 6:1; 13:3; 2Sm 24:16; 1Kg 19:7; 2Kg 1:3; 19:35; Zch 1:11; 3:1; 12:8
j22:28 2Pt 2:15–16