Balaam's Donkey

Illustration of Balaam's Donkey

When the prophet Balaam set out to curse Israel against God's will, his donkey saw the angel of the LORD blocking the road with a drawn sword and turned aside three times. When Balaam struck her, God opened the donkey's mouth to rebuke him, and then opened Balaam's eyes to see the angel. The humble beast saw what the seer could not - a striking lesson in spiritual blindness and God's power to speak through any means.

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Strongest connections in Scripture
Numbers 22

Key Passages

The Donkey Speaks

Numbers 22:28-33

God opens the donkey's mouth to rebuke Balaam, for she saw the angel of the LORD the blind prophet could not.

A28nd the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

29 And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee. 30 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. 31 Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face. 32 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: 33 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.

Explore Related

Characters

Balaam Balaam was a pagan prophet from Mesopotamia hired by Balak, king of Moab, to curse the Israelites as theyโ€ฆ

Places

Moab Moab emerged from the lineage of Lot, Abraham's nephew, whose descendants settled east of the Dead Seaโ€ฆ

Did You Know?

1

The donkey saw the angel of the LORD that the prophet Balaam could not.

2

It is one of only two talking animals in the Bible (with the serpent).

3

The donkey saved Balaam's life by turning aside three times.

4

Peter cites it as a rebuke to a prophet's madness.