New Living Translation
Numbers 22:31
31Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him.
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
29“You have made me look like a fool!” Balaam shouted. “If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!” 30“But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life,” the donkey answered. “Have I ever done anything like this before?” “No,” Balaam admitted. Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him. 32“Why did you beat your donkey those three times?” the angel of the Lord demanded. “Look, I have come to block your way because you are stubbornly resisting me. 33Three times the donkey saw me and shied away; otherwise, I would certainly have killed you by now and spared the donkey.”
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
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- openedגָּלָהgâlâh · to reveal: uncoverH1540
- the eyesעַ֫יִן‛ayin · eyeH5869
- of Balaamבִּלְעָםbil‛âm · BalaamH1109
- and he sawרָאָהrâ'âh · to see: seeH7200
- the angelמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
- standingנָצַבnâtsab · to standH5324
- in the wayדֶּ֫רֶךְderek · way: journeyH1870
- and his swordחֶ֫רֶבchereb · swordH2719
- drawnשָׁלַףshâlaph · to drawH8025
- in his handיָדyâd · handH3027
- and he bowed downקָדַדqâdad · to bowH6915
- his head, and fell flatשָׁחָהshâchâh · to bowH7812
- on his faceאַף'aph · faceH639
Cross-references for Numbers 22:31
- Numbers 24:4the message of one who hears the words of God, who sees a vision from the Almighty, who bows down with eyes wide open:
- Genesis 21:19Then God opened Hagar’s eyes, and she saw a well full of water. She quickly filled her water container and gave the boy a drink.
- 2 Kings 6:17Then Elisha prayed, “O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!” The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire.
- 1 Chronicles 21:16David looked up and saw the angel of the Lord standing between heaven and earth with his sword drawn, reaching out over Jerusalem. So David and the leaders of Israel put on burlap to show their deep distress and fell face down on the ground.
- Luke 24:16But God kept them from recognizing him.
- Acts 26:18to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’
- Exodus 34:8Moses immediately threw himself to the ground and worshiped.
- Psalms 9:20Make them tremble in fear, O Lord. Let the nations know they are merely human. Interlude
- John 18:6As Jesus said “I Am he,” they all drew back 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
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