Numbers 22:21

"And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab. And God's anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of Jehovah placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the way and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. Then the angel of Jehovah stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah, and she thrust herself into the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall: and he smote her again. And the angel of Jehovah went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah, and she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam's anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with his staff. 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? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in my hand, for now I had killed thee. And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden all thy life long unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay."

Although Balaam went "with the princes," it is clear that the companies did not travel together, perhaps because the princes came on camels and traveled more rapidly. Balak's later coming to meet Balaam makes this certain. Also, it is clear that the anger of god was kindled against Balaam, not at the start of the journey, but afterward, as the presence of walled vineyard indicated the approach to the city. Why? The repeated warning (Numbers 22:35) indicates that Balaam had decided in his heart that he would comply with Balak's request and "curse" Israel. This triggered the anger of God. "Because he went" (Numbers 22:22) therefore has the meaning of "went with the intention of disobeying God."

Countless comments on the mute donkey speaking cast no light upon the incident. It is still a mysterious and miraculous providence through which God Himself warned the prophet: "He was rebuked for his own transgression, a dumb ass spake with man's voice and stayed the madness of the prophet" (2 Peter 2:16). Even if the delegates from Balak had been with Balaam at this time, they, no more than the servants of Balaam, would have beheld this wonder. "When God granted visions, they alone for whom they were intended saw them, while others in the company saw nothing (Daniel 10:7; Acts 9:7)."[14]

It was true that, "Balaam knew that God would not permit him to curse Israel, but he did not tell the princes so. In this way, he was guilty of gross misrepresentation."[15] It also appears in this narrative that, enroute, Balaam had decided to "curse Israel," sufficiently to earn Balak's money. As Smick expressed it, "Balaam's heart was swayed by his love for the `wages of unrighteousness'."[16] "In his heart, he hoped to evade God's will and satisfy Balak."[17]