Numbers 22 32

Numbers 22:32 kjv

And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:

Numbers 22:32 nkjv

And the Angel of the LORD said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me.

Numbers 22:32 niv

The angel of the LORD asked him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.

Numbers 22:32 esv

And the angel of the LORD said to him, "Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me.

Numbers 22:32 nlt

"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.

Numbers 22 verses

Numbers 22 32 Meaning

Numbers 22:32 states the divine reason for the angel of the Lord's opposition to Balaam: his path was stubbornly and morally crooked in God's sight. The Angel confronted Balaam for cruelly striking his donkey three times, explaining that the donkey's behavior was a direct result of divine intervention meant to obstruct Balaam's misguided and perverse journey towards cursing Israel.

Numbers 22 32 Context

Numbers 22 describes Balak, king of Moab, summoning Balaam, a known diviner, to curse the advancing Israelites. Despite God initially forbidding Balaam to go, He later allowed him, with a strict command to speak only what God permitted. Balaam's eager departure, likely motivated by greed (as later Scripture suggests), reveals his willingness to circumvent God's direct instruction. As Balaam rode his donkey, the Angel of the Lord appeared three times to block his path, unseen by Balaam but perceived by the donkey. The donkey's repeated refusal to proceed and Balaam's violent reactions culminated in the donkey speaking, followed by Balaam's eyes being opened to see the Angel. Verse 32 is the Angel's explanation for this extraordinary intervention: to highlight Balaam's unrighteous "way" and prevent him from fulfilling his destructive, God-defying intent.

Numbers 22 32 Word analysis

• "And the angel of the Lord": `mal'akh Yahweh` (מַלְאַךְ יְהוָה). This is a significant figure in the Old Testament, often depicted as a divine manifestation or a direct messenger/representative of God Himself, sometimes even identified with Yahweh. Here, the divine authority and presence behind the obstruction are unequivocally established.
• "said unto him": `yomer elav` (יֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו). Emphasizes direct, personal divine communication, highlighting the solemnity of the encounter.
• "Wherefore hast thou smitten": `maddu'a hikita` (מַדּוּעַ הִכִּיתָ). "Why have you struck?" A question conveying divine indignation at Balaam's unjust and cruel treatment of the animal.
• "thine ass": `athonka` (אֲתֹנְךָ). Your female donkey. The humble animal served as God's instrument to reveal Balaam's spiritual blindness.
• "these three times": `shalosh pe'amim` (שָׁלֹשׁ פְּעָמִים). Connects directly to the previous events (Num 22:23-27), reinforcing the repeated, consistent divine intervention and Balaam's consistent failure to understand.
• "Behold": `hinneh` (הִנֵּה). An interjection calling for attention, signaling a significant divine revelation is about to follow. "Indeed" or "Lo!".
• "I went out to withstand thee": `anokhi yatza'ti l'satan lakh` (אָנֹכִי יָצָאתִי לְשָׂטָן לָךְ).
  • `yatza'ti` (יָצָאתִי): "I went out." Highlights the purposeful and deliberate nature of the Angel's intervention.
  • `l'satan` (לְשָׂטָן): From the root `śāṭan`, meaning "to act as an adversary," "to oppose," "to obstruct." Crucially, here the Angel is acting as an adversary for good, to block Balaam's wicked intention and redirect him. This is distinct from "the Satan" (the Devil), whose role is to accuse and tempt to evil. The Angel serves as a divinely appointed obstacle, protecting God's plan and His people.
  • `lakh` (לָךְ): "to you" or "for you" in a way that implies being "against you" or "as an adversary for you."
• "because thy way is perverse before me": `ki yarat hadderekh l'negdi` (כִּי יָרַט הַדֶּרֶךְ לְנֶגְדִּי). This is the core justification for the divine opposition.
  • `ki` (כִּי): "because" or "for," introducing the reason.
  • `yarat` (יָרַט): "is perverse," "reckless," "headlong," "rush headlong," "ruinous." This verb indicates a path chosen impulsively, stubbornly, defiantly, or in a morally twisted way. It's not just a mistake but a deliberate, ruinous choice against right conduct.
  • `hadderekh` (הַדֶּרֶךְ): "the way" or "your path." In biblical language, "way" (`derekh`) often signifies one's conduct, moral course, or life's direction. Balaam's moral way was crooked, driven by greed.
  • `l'negdi` (לְנֶגְדִּי): "before me," "in my sight," "contrary to me." Emphasizes God's clear perception and disapproval of Balaam's conduct, highlighting divine omnipresence and moral judgment.

• "Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times?": This phrase underscores Balaam's repeated violence, his insensitivity to the obvious anomaly of his donkey's behavior, and his spiritual blindness to the divine intervention taking place. It reveals Balaam's cruel and impatient character.
• "Behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me.": This complete statement is the pivot of the narrative. It explains God's purpose behind the entire event: not arbitrary cruelty from the Angel, but purposeful intervention to confront Balaam's corrupted moral "way" which was directly against God's will and purpose. The Angel acts as a "divine obstruction" to protect Balaam from even greater sin and protect Israel.

Numbers 22 32 Bonus section

The narrative of Balaam and his donkey, culminating in Numbers 22:32, is a vivid demonstration of God's patience and persistent efforts to guide, warn, and correct those who deviate from His will. It shows that God does not abandon even a rebellious heart without first extending a clear warning and opportunity for repentance. The episode strikingly contrasts human sight with divine perception: Balaam, a seer, was spiritually blind to the divine presence, while his humble animal saw the spiritual reality. This highlights how easily material desires (covetousness) can blind one to spiritual truth and God's interventions. The Angel's role as an "adversary" here is a testament to divine love, as God sometimes must act in opposition to our chosen path to save us from our own folly.

Numbers 22 32 Commentary

Numbers 22:32 serves as the climax and explanation of the donkey narrative. It powerfully reveals God's active, personal involvement in the affairs of humans, even those outside His covenant people. The Angel of the Lord's intervention highlights God's sovereignty over all creation, demonstrating His ability to use the most unexpected means (a speaking donkey) to convey His will and prevent sin. Balaam's "perverse way" was his covetousness and eagerness to go against God's explicit initial command for personal gain. God, in His mercy and protective oversight, blocked this path not merely to punish, but to redirect Balaam from a course that would lead to destruction for himself and harm for Israel. The verse underlines that spiritual giftedness (Balaam's prophetic abilities) does not equate to spiritual integrity; character and motives are paramount in God's sight.