Numbers 22:27
in Numbers 22When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he became furious and beat her with his staff.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah, and she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with his staff.
KJV
And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
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This verse in Numbers 22
Commentary
4 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
the angel of the LORD moved on ahead
on Numbers 22:26-27
The third station has no room on either hand, and the animal lies down under him. His anger is kindled in the words used of God's anger at verse 22. The road he chose runs out.
This site's exposition
she lay down under Balaam
Matthew Henry notes the donkey had never behaved this way, which should have told Balaam something was wrong. He reads her lying down as a lesson her rider soon follows, falling facedown before the angel at verse 31. Henry adds that a heart set on evil pushes through every check.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
And when the ass saw the angel of the Lord,....
He ought to have considered that there was certainly something extraordinary in this; for his ass was not restive, nor did she use to serve him thus: but it is common for those whose hearts are fully set in them to do evil to push on violently, and break through all the difficulties which Providence lays in their way to give check to them and to stop them in their career.
The words behind it
15 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתֵּ֤רֶא | vatere' | and it saw | H7200 → | 1300 times |
| הָֽאָתוֹן֙ | haaton | the donkey | H860 → | 34 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| מַלְאַ֣ךְ | malakh | [the] angel of | H4397 → | 213 times |
| יְהוָ֔ה | yahweh | Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| וַתִּרְבַּ֖ץ | vatirbatz | and it lay down | H7257 → | |
| תַּ֣חַת | tachat | under | H8478 → | 505 times |
| בִּלְעָ֑ם | bilam | Balaam | H1109 → | 61 times |
| וַיִּֽחַר־ | vaiyichar- | and it burned | H2734 → | 91 times |
| אַ֣ף | ʾaf | [the] anger of | H639 → | 276 times |
| בִּלְעָ֔ם | bilam | Balaam | H1109 → | 61 times |
| וַיַּ֥ךְ | vaiyakh | and he struck | H5221 → | 499 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָאָת֖וֹן | haaton | the donkey | H860 → | 34 times |
| בַּמַּקֵּֽל׃ | bamakel | with the stick | H4731 → |
וַתֵּ֤רֶאand it saw
vatere'H7200 →1300 times
הָֽאָתוֹן֙the donkey
haatonH860 →34 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
מַלְאַ֣ךְ[the] angel of
malakhH4397 →213 times
יְהוָ֔הYahweh
yahwehH3068 →6520 times
וַתִּרְבַּ֖ץand it lay down
vatirbatzH7257 →
תַּ֣חַתunder
tachatH8478 →505 times
בִּלְעָ֑םBalaam
bilamH1109 →61 times
וַיִּֽחַר־and it burned
vaiyichar-H2734 →91 times
אַ֣ף[the] anger of
ʾafH639 →276 times
בִּלְעָ֔םBalaam
bilamH1109 →61 times
וַיַּ֥ךְand he struck
vaiyakhH5221 →499 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָאָת֖וֹןthe donkey
haatonH860 →34 times
בַּמַּקֵּֽל׃with the stick
bamakelH4731 →
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
James 1:19My beloved brothers, understand this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger,
it leads to
- Proverbs 17:27
A man of knowledge restrains his words, and a man of understanding maintains a calm spirit.
- Proverbs 21:23
He who guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from distress.
- Proverbs 14:29
A patient man has great understanding, but a quick-tempered man promotes folly.
- Proverbs 10:19
When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise.
- Proverbs 18:13
He who answers a matter before he hears it—this is folly and disgrace to him.
- Proverbs 17:27
Through
Proverbs 14:16A wise man fears and turns from evil, but a fool is careless and reckless.
it leads to
- Proverbs 22:3
The prudent see danger and take cover, but the simple keep going and suffer the consequences.
- Proverbs 3:7
Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:22
Abstain from every form of evil.
- Proverbs 22:3
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Numbers
This page draws on John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil and Delitzsch, Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament: The Pentateuch; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Matthew Henry, Complete Commentary.