Numbers 22:22-34

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 22:22-35

We have here an account of the opposition God gave to Balaam in his journey towards Moab; probably the princes had gone before, or gone some other way, and Balaam had pointed out where he would meet them, or where they should stay for him, for we read nothing of them in this part of our narrative, only that Balaam, like a person of some quality, was attended with his two men-honour enough, one would think, for such a man, he needed not be beholden to Balak for promotion. I. Here is God's... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 22:22

And God's anger was kindled because he went ,.... Though he had given him leave to go; but then it was upon condition that the princes called him to go with them, whereas he went without their call, and did not wait for it; and besides, he did not acquaint them, as he did not the messengers before, of what God had said, that he should not curse Israel, nor say anything contrary to this his will, which, had he told them, they would not have taken him with them; moreover, he went with an... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 22:23

And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way ,.... Which Balaam did not; his eyes being held from seeing him by the power and providence of God, that he might be reproved and rebuked by his ass, to whom God gave power to see, more than to him, as Jarchi notes, so that he had little reason to boast of his visions and revelations, and that he was the man whose eyes were open: the angel stood in the very pathway on which the ass was carrying Balaam: and his sword drawn in his hand;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 22:24

But the angel of the Lord stood in a path of the vineyard ,..... Which were in the field into which the ass went, and before Balaam could turn her back she got into a narrow path, between the vineyards, as the Targum of Jonathan; a footpath which lay between them, or a footpath where foxes ran and had their holes, who used to lie near vineyards and among them, see Song of Solomon 1:14 however, it was a very narrow path, and here the angel placed himself, so that there was no passage for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 22:25

And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord ,.... In the same position as before, with a drown sword in his hand, and being frightened again, and in a narrow path, and no way to turn aside: she thrust herself unto the wall ; to one of the walls, as close as she could, in order to get by the angel: and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall ; running up so very closely to it: and he smote her again ; having done it once before, Numbers 22:23 the times of smiting are observed, for... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 22:26

And the angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place ,.... More narrow than the other, at a further distance: where was no way to turn, either to the right hand or to the left ; it was so strait and close a place that the angel filled the whole breadth of it, that there was no passing him; so that there was no getting forward nor backward; not forward, because the angel filled up the way, and there was no slipping by him; nor backward, because it could not turn itself to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 22:27

And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord ,.... The third time; for it seems that he was not always in sight, but disappeared as he removed from place to place, and at every new place where he stood the ass saw him, though her master did not: she fell down under Balaam ; upon her knees on the ground, not being able to go backwards nor forwards, nor to turn out of the way to the right or left: and Balaam's anger was kindled ; he was displeased and out of humour before, when it turned... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 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 organs endued with speech, should speak so plainly and distinctly, as is after expressed; and yet it should not be thought incredible, for what is it that Omnipotence cannot do? wherefore there is no need to say, as some Jewish writers F9 Maimon. Moreh Nevochim, par. 2. c. 42. Ben Gersom in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 22:29

And Balaam said unto the ass, because thou hast mocked me ,.... Or rather "defiled me", as the word is rendered in Job 16:15 by running with him against a wall, and by lying down with him in the dust and dirt, and so the Arabic version renders it,"because thou hast rolled me in the dirt;'the sense of mocking is not easy to be understood, unless it be that it exposed him to be mocked and laughed at by others, by turning aside, and lying down, and being so unruly; but then there were only... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 22:30

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;... read more

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