Verse 32
32. Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass That God cares for the well being of the brutes is shown by the fact that the first words of the angel of the Lord are a reproof for the abuse of the ass.
To withstand thee Hebrew, to be Satan, that is, adversary unto thee. The name Satan is here given to a good angel who opposes himself to Balaam, both for the sake of Israel and of Balaam himself. But the devil is called Satan because he arrays himself against God and his people.
Thy way is perverse He had formed the purpose to curse Israel. See Numbers 22:22, note. As Balaam smote the beast for turning from the way of his master, so Jehovah would have rightfully smitten to death Balaam for turning in his heart aside from the Lord’s way.
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