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Numbers 22:30

Balaam

28 Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”

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

But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not the donkey you have ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he replied.

31 Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. And Balaam bowed low and fell facedown.

32 The angel of the LORD asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you, because your way is perverse before me.

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Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
But the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not the donkey you have ridden all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” “No,” he replied.
KJV
And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? And he said, Nay.
WEB
The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long until today? Was I ever in the habit of doing so to you?” He said, “No.”
ASV
And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden all thy life long unto this day? was I ever wont to do so unto thee? and he said, Nay.
DARBY
And the ass said to Balaam, Am not I thine ass, upon which thou hast ridden ever since I was thine to this day? was I ever wont to do so to thee? And he said, No.
BLB
And the donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden always until this day? Have I at all been accustomed to do to you, [acting] this [way]?” And he said, “No.”
ÅB
Da sa eselhoppen til Bileam: Er ikke jeg din eselhoppe, som du har ridd på all din tid like til denne dag? Har jeg nogensinne hatt for vis å gjøre slik mot deg? Han sa: Nei!
OTB
Eselet sa til Bileam: «Er jeg ikke ditt eget esel, som du har ridd på hele ditt liv til denne dag? Har jeg noen gang hatt for vane å gjøre dette mot deg?» «Nei,» svarte han.
B1930
Da sa aseninnen til Bileam: Er ikke jeg din aseninne, som du har ridd på all din tid like til denne dag? Har jeg nogensinne hatt for vis å gjøre således mot dig? Han sa: Nei!

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • 2 Peter 2:16

    But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, otherwise without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

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  • 1 Corinthians 1:27–28

    But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

    Read in context