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Numbers 22:33

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.

The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, then by now I would surely have killed you and let her live.”

34 “I have sinned,” Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “for I did not realize that you were standing in the road to confront me. And now, if this is displeasing in your sight, I will go back home.”

35 But the angel of the LORD said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you are to speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

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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
The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, then by now I would surely have killed you and let her live.”
KJV
And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.
WEB
The donkey saw me, and turned away before me these three times. Unless she had turned away from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive.”
ASV
and the ass saw me, and turned aside before me these three times: unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I had even slain thee, and saved her alive.
DARBY
And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times; had she not turned from me, I had now certainly slain thee, and saved her alive.
BLB
And the donkey saw Me and turned aside before my face these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely by now I would also have killed you and let her live.”
ÅB
Eselhoppen så meg og har nå tre ganger bøyd av veien for meg; hvis den ikke hadde bøyd av veien for meg, så hadde jeg nå slått deg ihjel, men latt den leve.
OTB
Eselet så meg og svingte unna meg disse tre gangene. Hadde det ikke svingt unna, ville jeg nå ha tatt ditt liv, men jeg ville ha spart det.»
B1930
Aseninnen så mig og har nu tre ganger bøid av veien for mig; hvis den ikke hadde bøid av veien for mig, så hadde jeg nu slått dig ihjel, men latt den leve.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Numbers 16:33–35

    They went down alive into Sheol with all they owned. The earth closed over them, and they vanished from the assembly.

    Read in context

  • Numbers 14:37

    those men who had brought out the bad report about the land—were struck down by a plague before the LORD.

    Read in context

  • 1 Kings 13:24–28

    As he went on his way, a lion met him on the road and killed him, and his body was left lying in the road, with the donkey and the lion standing beside it.

    Read in context