Numbers 22:21-35

New Century Version

Balaam’s Donkey Speaks

²¹ Balaam got up the next morning and put a saddle on his donkey. Then he went with the Moabite leaders. ²² But God became angry because Balaam went, so the angel of the Lord stood in the road to stop Balaam. Balaam was riding his donkey, and he had two servants with him. ²³ When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a sword in his hand, the donkey left the road and went into the field. Balaam hit the donkey to force her back on the road.

²⁴ Later, the angel of the Lord stood on a narrow path between two vineyards, with walls on both sides. ²⁵ Again the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, and she walked close to one wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he hit her again.

²⁶ The angel of the Lord went ahead again and stood at a narrow place, too narrow to turn left or right. ²⁷ When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam. This made him so angry that he hit her with his stick. ²⁸ Then the Lord made the donkey talk, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to make you hit me three times?”

²⁹ Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made me look foolish! I wish I had a sword in my hand! I would kill you right now!”

³⁰ But the donkey said to Balaam, “I am your very own donkey, which you have ridden for years. Have I ever done this to you before?”

“No,” Balaam said.

³¹ Then the Lord let Balaam see the angel of the Lord, who was standing in the road with his sword drawn. Then Balaam bowed facedown on the ground.

³² The angel of the Lord asked Balaam, “Why have you hit your donkey three times? I have stood here to stop you, because what you are doing is wrong. ³³ The donkey saw me and turned away from me three times. If she had not turned away, I would have killed you by now, but I would have let her live.”

³⁴ Then Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned; I did not know you were standing in the road to stop me. If I am wrong, I will go back.”

³⁵ The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with these men, but say only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s leaders.