American Standard Version
Numbers 22:31
31Then Jehovah opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of Jehovah standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.
Numbers 22:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.
- New International Version (NIV)Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, with his drawn sword in his hand. And he bowed down and fell on his face.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face.
Context of Numbers 22:31
29And 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. 30And 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. Then Jehovah opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of Jehovah standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face. 32And the angel of Jehovah said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because thy way is perverse before me: 33and the ass saw me, and turned aside before me these three times: unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I had even slain thee, and saved her alive.
Read all of Numbers 22Numbers 22:31 word by word
וַיְגַ֣ל יְהוָה֮ אֶת־עֵינֵ֣י בִלְעָם֒ וַיַּ֞רְא אֶת־מַלְאַ֤ךְ יְהוָה֙ נִצָּ֣ב בַּדֶּ֔רֶךְ וְחַרְבּ֥וֹ שְׁלֻפָ֖ה בְּיָד֑וֹ וַיִּקֹּ֥ד וַיִּשְׁתַּ֖חוּ לְאַפָּֽיו׃Read the interlinear
- eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
- Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
- sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- angelמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
- standingנָצַבnâtsab · to standH5324
- wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: conductH1870
- swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- drawnשָׁלַףshâlaph · to drawH8025
- handיָדyâd · handH3027
- bowedשָׁחָהshâchâh · to bowH7812
- faceאַף'aph · faceH639
Cross-references for Numbers 22:31
- Numbers 24:4He saith, who heareth the words of God, Who seeth the vision of the Almighty, Falling down, and having his eyes open:
- Genesis 21:19And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
- 2 Kings 6:17And Elisha prayed, and said, Jehovah, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And Jehovah opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
- 1 Chronicles 21:16And David lifted up his eyes, and saw the angel of Jehovah standing between earth and heaven, having a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem. Then David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell upon their faces.
- Luke 24:16But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
- Acts 26:18to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive remission of sins and an inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me.
- Exodus 34:8And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.
- Psalms 9:20Put them in fear, O Jehovah: Let the nations know themselves to be but men. [Selah
- John 18:6When therefore he said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground.
Commentaries on Numbers 22:31
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 22-35Verses 22-35 We must not think, that because God does not always by his providence restrain men from sin, therefore he approves of it, or that it is not hateful to him. The holy angels oppose sin, and perhaps are employed in preventing it more than we are aware. This angel was an adversary to Balaam, because Balaam counted him his adversary; those are really our best friends, and we ought so to reckon them, who stop our progress in sinful ways. Balaam has…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 28-31The only similar event in Scripture is the serpent talking to Eve (Genesis 3:1–5). God used the donkey to correct the foolish diviner (2 Peter 2:15–16).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 21-4121. Balaam ... saddled his ass--probably one of the white sprightly animals which persons of rank were accustomed to ride. The saddle, as usually in the East, would be nothing more than a pad or his outer cloak.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 22:31
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Numbers 22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries