Numbers 22:23

Numbers 22:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and 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.
• New International Version (NIV)When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it to get it back on the road.
• English Standard Version (ESV)And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Now the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.

Context of Numbers 22:23

21So in the morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab. 22Then God’s anger was kindled because Balaam was going along, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding his donkey, and his two servants were with him. When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the path and went into a field. So Balaam beat her to return her to the path. 24Then the angel of the LORD stood in a narrow passage between two vineyards, with walls on either side. 25And the donkey saw the angel of the LORD and pressed herself against the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat her once again.

Numbers 22:23 word by word

וַתֵּ֣רֶא הָאָתוֹן֩ אֶת־מַלְאַ֨ךְ יְהוָ֜ה נִצָּ֣ב בַּדֶּ֗רֶךְ וְחַרְבּ֤וֹ שְׁלוּפָה֙ בְּיָד֔וֹ וַתֵּ֤ט הָֽאָתוֹן֙ מִן־הַדֶּ֔רֶךְ וַתֵּ֖לֶךְ בַּשָּׂדֶ֑ה וַיַּ֤ךְ בִּלְעָם֙ אֶת־הָ֣אָת֔וֹן לְהַטֹּתָ֖הּ הַדָּֽרֶךְ׃Read the interlinear

• When the donkeyאָתוֹן'âthôn · she-assH860
• ·אֵת'êth · [Obj.]H853
• sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
• the angelמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
• of the LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• standingנָצַבnâtsab · to standH5324
• in the roadדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: roadH1870
• with a drawnשָׁלַףshâlaph · to drawH8025
• swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
• in his handיָדyâd · hand: powerH3027
• turnedנָטָהnâţâh · to stretchH5186
• offמִן־min minnîy minnêy · fromH4480
• and wentהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• into a fieldשָׂדֶהώâdeh ώâday · land: countryH7704
• So Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
• beatנָכָהnâkâh · to smiteH5221

Cross-references for Numbers 22:23

• 2 Kings 6:17Then Elisha prayed, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw that the hills were full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
• 1 Chronicles 21:16When David lifted up his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing between heaven and earth, with a drawn sword in his hand stretched out over Jerusalem, David and the elders, clothed in sackcloth, fell facedown.
• Daniel 10:7Only I, Daniel, saw the vision; the men with me did not see it, but a great terror fell upon them, and they ran and hid themselves.
• Acts 22:9My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking to me.
• 1 Corinthians 1:27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
• 2 Peter 2:16But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, otherwise without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.
• Jude 1:11Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed for profit into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.
• Jeremiah 8:7Even the stork in the sky knows her appointed seasons. The turtledove, the swift, and the thrush keep their time of migration, but My people do not know the requirements of the LORD.

Commentaries on Numbers 22:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23And the ass saw the angel - When God granted visions those alone who were particularly interested saw them while others in the same company saw nothing; see Daniel 10:7; Acts 9:7.Read the comment
• 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. 21-41This passage clearly uses humor to make fun of Balaam, the professional diviner. The story shows that his spiritual understanding and obedience to God were less than those of his own donkey.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 22:23

• Angel (Holy Trinity)
• Angel (a Spirit)
• Animals
• Ass (Donkey)
• Balaam
• Miracles

In the dictionaries

• Balaam
• Angel of the Lord
• Ass
• Crush
• Curse
• Lick
• Promote
• Abel-Shittim
• Angel
• Balak

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