Numbers 22:23 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.
Numbers 22:23 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.
Numbers 22:23 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.
Numbers 22:23 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.
Numbers 22:23 nlt
Balaam's donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned it back onto the road.
Numbers 22 23 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Num 22:22 | But God’s anger was kindled because he went... | God's displeasure leading to intervention. |
| Num 22:25 | The angel of the LORD stood... against her... | Continuation of the angel's obstruction. |
| Num 22:26 | ...angel of the LORD stood in a narrow place... | Persistent divine obstruction. |
| Num 22:31 | Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam... saw the angel of the LORD... | Spiritual blindness overcome, Balaam sees what the donkey saw. |
| Gen 3:24 | ...placed cherubim... with a flaming sword to guard the way to the tree of life. | Divine guardian with a drawn sword protecting sacred boundaries. |
| 1 Chr 21:16 | And David lifted his eyes and saw the angel of the LORD standing... sword drawn... | The Angel of the LORD with a drawn sword representing divine judgment/wrath. |
| Josh 5:13 | ...a man stood before him with his drawn sword in his hand... | A divine military leader (Captain of the Lord's army) with a drawn sword. |
| Zec 1:8 | ...a man riding on a red horse... among the myrtle trees... | Angels appearing in visible forms, sometimes unseen by others. |
| 2 Kgs 6:17 | ...LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw... chariots of fire. | God granting spiritual sight to perceive unseen divine armies. |
| Mt 13:13 | This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see... | Spiritual blindness to divine truth despite physical observation. |
| Mk 4:12 | ...so that ‘seeing they may see and not perceive...’ | Those who are spiritually deaf and blind to the truth. |
| 2 Cor 4:4 | ...the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers... | Satanic influence contributing to spiritual blindness. |
| Heb 1:7 | Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.” | Angels as God's powerful messengers and agents. |
| Ps 34:7 | The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. | The Angel of the LORD's role in protection and deliverance. |
| Ex 14:24-25 | The LORD looked down... through the pillar of fire and cloud... | God hindering the path of enemies, fighting for His people. |
| Jer 3:3 | Therefore the showers have been withheld... | God using natural means to communicate displeasure and warning. |
| Prov 16:9 | The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps. | Divine sovereignty overruling human intentions and directing paths. |
| Job 12:16 | With him are strength and sound wisdom; the deceived and the deceiver are his. | God's sovereignty over those who mislead and are misled. |
| 2 Pet 2:15-16 | Forsaking the right way, they have gone astray...rebuked for his iniquity by a speechless beast. | Reference to Balaam's turning from God's way and the donkey's rebuke. |
| Jude 1:11 | Woe to them! For they have gone in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for profit to Balaam's error... | Balaam's error driven by covetousness, leading him astray. |
| Num 22:28-30 | Then the LORD opened the mouth of the donkey... | The culmination of the event, the donkey speaks due to divine empowerment. |
| Is 30:21 | And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it...” | God provides clear guidance and warnings when one deviates from His path. |
| Jn 9:39 | For judgment I have come into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind. | Jesus highlights spiritual vision vs. spiritual blindness. |
| Num 22:33 | If she had not turned aside from me, surely now I would have killed you... | The donkey's actions, guided by God, prevented Balaam's immediate demise. |
Numbers 22 verses
Numbers 22 23 Meaning
Numbers 22:23 vividly depicts a crucial moment where an unseen spiritual reality directly impacts the physical world. The verse shows the donkey's supernatural perception of the Angel of the LORD, armed with a drawn sword, obstructing its path. This divine intervention, unrecognized by Balaam, serves as a direct warning and a protective measure against Balaam's intentions to curse Israel, forcing the donkey to deviate from the established road into a field. Balaam's violent reaction to the donkey's seemingly errant behavior highlights his spiritual blindness and inability to discern God's presence and will, setting the stage for the animal's miraculous speech.
Numbers 22 23 Context
Numbers chapter 22 initiates the narrative of Balaam, a non-Israelite prophet or diviner from Mesopotamia, summoned by Balak, King of Moab, to curse the advancing Israelites. The Moabites feared Israel's vast numbers. God initially forbade Balaam from going, but after Balak's persistent entreaties and promises of riches, God permitted Balaam to go under strict conditions: he was to speak only what God put into his mouth. The events described in Numbers 22:23 occur immediately after Balaam, despite divine permission, sets out with the Moabite princes, seemingly with a greedy heart, prompting God's anger. The Angel of the LORD appears to obstruct Balaam's journey three times, first visible only to the donkey, demonstrating God's sovereign control over circumstances and even animals to enforce His will and protect His people. The verse highlights God's pre-emptive warnings and His active intervention to thwart evil intentions before they materialize.
Numbers 22 23 Word analysis
- And the donkey: In Hebrew, `הָאָתוֹן` (ha'aton), referring specifically to Balaam's she-donkey. Donkeys were common beasts of burden, symbolizing humility and practicality. Its role here is paramount as it possesses supernatural discernment.
- saw: `וַתֵּרֶא` (va'tere'). The verb "saw" indicates a direct visual perception, contrasting sharply with Balaam's blindness. This "seeing" is not merely physical but implies an awareness of a spiritual reality that Balaam, the prophet, fails to perceive.
- the angel of the LORD: `מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה` (mal'akh Yahweh). This is a significant divine figure in the Old Testament, often considered a pre-incarnate manifestation of Christ or a divine representative acting with God's full authority and presence. The `יְהוָה` (Yahweh) denotes the personal name of God, indicating a direct divine presence.
- standing: `נִצָּב` (nitzav). This term implies a firm, unmoving, established presence, indicating an intentional and formidable obstruction, not a fleeting appearance.
- in the way: `בַּדֶּרֶךְ` (ba'derekh). Refers to the path or road. The angel is directly in Balaam's intended progression, symbolizing a divine barrier against his wrongful direction.
- with his drawn sword: `וְחַרְבּוֹ שְׁלוּפָה` (ve'charbo sh'lufah). A sword `חֶרֶב` (cherev) signifies judgment, wrath, or readiness for conflict. "Drawn" `שְׁלוּפָה` (sh'lufah) means unsheathed, openly displayed, and ready for use. This image strongly conveys impending danger and divine antagonism.
- in his hand: `בְּיָדוֹ` (b'yado). The sword is actively held and controlled by the angel, emphasizing preparedness for action.
- and the donkey turned aside: `וַתֵּט הָאָתוֹן` (va'tet ha'aton). The verb `נָטָה` (natah) means to turn aside, deviate, or incline. The donkey's immediate and instinctual reaction to the terrifying presence.
- out of the way and went into the field: `מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ וַתֵּלֶךְ בַּשָּׂדֶה` (min ha'derekh va'telek ba'sadeh). This physical deviation signifies the immediate protective action taken by the donkey under divine guidance, moving off the planned route to avoid the threat.
- and Balaam struck the donkey: `וַיַּךְ בִּלְעָם אֶת הָאָתוֹן` (vayakh Bil'am et ha'aton). `נָכָה` (nakah) means to strike or smite. Balaam's violent, unthinking reaction born of frustration and spiritual ignorance. His immediate physical punishment reflects his inability to comprehend the donkey's extraordinary behavior.
- to turn her into the way: `לְהַטֹּתָהּ הַדֶּרֶךְ` (l'hatotah ha'derekh). Balaam desires to force the donkey back onto the dangerous path, utterly unaware of the peril, showcasing his persistent and stubborn will against divine intervention.
- The donkey saw the angel of the LORD: This phrase powerfully contrasts the animal's clear spiritual perception with Balaam's profound spiritual blindness. God often reveals Himself or His will to the humble and unexpected.
- Angel of the LORD...with his drawn sword in his hand: This specific imagery is laden with biblical precedent, consistently associated with impending judgment, divine war, or the blocking of access due to sin (e.g., Garden of Eden, punishment over Jerusalem). It signals the gravity of Balaam's offense and the direct threat he was under.
- Donkey turned aside...Balaam struck the donkey: This juxtaposition highlights Balaam's inability to understand divinely ordained disruptions. The donkey, acting obediently to a divine command, faces immediate physical abuse from its master who cannot see the larger spiritual battle unfolding. This immediate response from Balaam illustrates his short temper and self-centered focus on his journey and objectives, overriding any pause to consider the donkey's strange behavior.
Numbers 22 23 Bonus section
The narrative of Balaam's donkey prefigures how God can use the most humble and unlikely of instruments to accomplish His will and to reveal truth, especially to those who are spiritually dull. The Angel of the LORD, distinct from God yet acting as God, illustrates the divine nature and authority behind the intervention. This event sets the stage for the New Testament's warnings against false prophets motivated by greed, specifically mentioning Balaam's error as a prototype of covetous spiritual leaders. The story also implies God's capacity to communicate through any means necessary to save His people or correct a wayward soul, even if it requires disrupting natural order or making an animal speak. The three appearances of the Angel signify persistent divine warning before definitive judgment.
Numbers 22 23 Commentary
Numbers 22:23 presents a profound illustration of God's active involvement in the affairs of humanity, often through unseen means. The immediate visibility of the divine antagonist to the donkey, yet complete invisibility to Balaam, serves as a poignant commentary on spiritual discernment. Balaam, though a prophet, was so consumed by his greed and single-minded pursuit of riches that his spiritual eyes were closed to the very clear signs of God's opposition. The drawn sword of the Angel of the LORD was a literal instrument of divine judgment ready to be deployed, a potent warning against those who defy His will. The donkey's unusual actions were God's gracious attempts to deter Balaam, signaling His patience and protective care for Israel. Balaam's response, striking the donkey repeatedly, exposes his pride and lack of understanding, foreshadowing his eventual rebuke by the speaking animal and ultimate condemnation for his wicked counsel against God's people.