God’s Word Translation
Numbers 22:22
22God became angry that he was going. So the Messenger of the Lord stood in the road to stop him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, accompanied by his two servants.
Numbers 22:22 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And God’s anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him.
- New International Version (NIV)But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)But God's anger was kindled because he went, and the angel of the Lord took his stand in the way as his adversary. Now he was riding on the donkey, and his two servants were with him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then God’s anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
Context of Numbers 22:22
20That night God came to Balaam and said, “If these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.” 21When Balaam got up in the morning, he saddled his donkey and left with the Moabite princes. God became angry that he was going. So the Messenger of the Lord stood in the road to stop him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, accompanied by his two servants. 23When the donkey saw the Messenger of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn, the donkey turned off the road into a field. Balaam hit the donkey to get it back on the road. 24Where the road went through the vineyards, it was narrow, with stone walls on both sides. Now the Messenger of the Lord stood there.
Read all of Numbers 22Numbers 22:22 word by word
וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֣ף אֱלֹהִים֮ כִּֽי־הוֹלֵ֣ךְ הוּא֒ וַיִּתְיַצֵּ֞ב מַלְאַ֧ךְ יְהוָ֛ה בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ לְשָׂטָ֣ן ל֑וֹ וְהוּא֙ רֹכֵ֣ב עַל־אֲתֹנ֔וֹ וּשְׁנֵ֥י נְעָרָ֖יו עִמּֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And God’sאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- angerאַף'aph · face: angerH639
- was kindledחָרָהchârâh · to be incensedH2734
- because he wentהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
- and the angelמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
- of the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- stoodיָצַבyâtsab · to standH3320
- in the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
- for an adversaryשָׂטָןώâţân · SatanH7854
- against him. Now he was ridingרָכַבrâkab · to rideH7392
- upon his assאָתוֹן'âthôn · she-assH860
- and his twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- servantsנַ֫עַרna‛ar · youthH5288
Cross-references for Numbers 22:22
- 2 Kings 10:20Jehu said, “Call a holy assembly to honor Baal.” So they did.
- Hosea 1:4The Lord told Hosea, “Name him Jezreel. In a little while I will punish Jehu’s family for the people they slaughtered at Jezreel. Then I will put an end to the kingdom of Israel.
- Numbers 22:35The Messenger of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but say only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s princes.
- Genesis 48:15Then Jacob blessed Joseph, “May God, in whose presence my grandfather Abraham and my father Isaac walked, may God, who has been my shepherd all my life to this very day,
- Exodus 3:2The Messenger of the Lord appeared to him there as flames of fire coming out of a bush. Moses looked, and although the bush was on fire, it was not burning up.
- Hosea 12:4He struggled with the Messenger and won. Jacob cried and pleaded with him. Jacob found him at Bethel, and he talked with him there.
- Numbers 22:32The Messenger of the Lord asked him, “Why have you hit your donkey three times like this? I’ve come here to stop you because the trip you’re taking is evil.
- Exodus 4:24Along the way they stopped for the night. The Lord met Moses and tried to kill him.
- Lamentations 2:4Like an enemy he bent his bow. Like an opponent his right hand held the arrow steady. He killed all the beautiful people. He poured out his fury like fire on the tent of Zion’s people.
Commentaries on Numbers 22:22
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 22The angel - i. e., the Angel that led the Israelites through the wilderness (compare Numbers 20:16 and references), and subsequently appeared as the Captain of the Lord‘s host to Joshua Joshua 6:13. In desiring to curse Israel, Balaam was fighting against Israel‘s Leader. The presence of the Angel in his path was designed to open his eyes, blinded by sin, to the real character of his course of conduct.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. 22God’s anger may seem surprising because he had given Balaam permission to go in 22:20. However, the Lord knew that Balaam’s true motives were not as honest as he claimed when he spoke with Balak’s messengers. Balaam’s harsh beating of his donkey reveals a lack of godly character (Proverbs 12:10; compare 1 Samuel 25).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2222. God's anger was kindled because he went--The displeasure arose partly from his neglecting the condition on which leave was granted him--namely, to wait till the princes of Moab "came to call him" [Nu 22:20], and because, through desire for "the wages of unrighteousness" [2Pe 2:15], he entertained the secret purpose of acting in opposition to the solemn charge of God.Read the comment
Topics related to Numbers 22:22
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
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