Numbers 22:29

THE MESSAGE

Balaam said, "Because you've been playing games with me! If I had a sword I would have killed you by now."

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Bil`am said to the donkey, Because you have mocked me, I would there were a sword in my hand, for now I had killed you.

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you made a mockery of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!"

English Standard Version
And Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you."

New Century Version
Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made me look foolish! I wish I had a sword in my hand! I would kill you right now!"

New English Translation
And Balaam said to the donkey, "You have made me look stupid; I wish there were a sword in my hand, for I would kill you right now."

Amplified Bible
Then Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a mockery of me! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now!"

New American Standard Bible
And Balaam said to the donkey, "It is because you have made a mockery of me! If only there had been a sword in my hand! For I would have killed you by now!"

Geneva Bible (1587)
And Balaam saide vnto the asse, Because thou hast mocked me: I woulde there were a sworde in mine hand, for nowe would I kill thee.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a mockery of me! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now."

Contemporary English Version
"You made me look stupid!" Balaam answered. "If I had a sword, I'd kill you here and now!"

Complete Jewish Bible
Bil‘am said to the donkey, "It's because you've been making a fool of me! I wish I had a sword in my hand; I would kill you on the spot!"

Darby Translation
And Balaam said to the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill thee!

Easy-to-Read Version
Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made me look foolish. If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now!"

George Lamsa Translation
And Balaam said to the she-ass, Because you have mocked me; I would there were a sword in my hands, for now would I kill you.

Good News Translation
Balaam answered, "Because you have made a fool of me! If I had a sword, I would kill you."

Christian Standard Bible®
Balaam answered the donkey, “You made me look like a fool. If I had a sword in my hand, I’d kill you now!”

Literal Translation
And Balaam said to the ass, Because you have insulted me. If only there were a sword in my hand now I would kill you.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Balaam sayde vnto ye Asse: Because thou hast mocked me. Oh yt I had a swerde now in my hande, I wolde kyll the.

American Standard Version
And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in my hand, for now I had killed thee.

Bible in Basic English
And Balaam said to the ass, You have made me seem foolish: if only I had a sword in my hand I would put you to death.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Balaam sayd vnto the asse, Because thou hast mocked me: I would also there were a sworde in myne hande, for euen nowe woulde I kyll thee.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Balaam said unto the ass: 'Because thou hast mocked me; I would there were a sword in my hand, for now I had killed thee.'

King James Version (1611)
And Balaam said vnto the asse, Because thou hast mocked mee: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And Balaam said to the ass, Because thou hast mocked me; and if I had had a sword in my hand, I would now have killed thee.

English Revised Version
And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now I had killed thee.

Berean Standard Bible
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!"

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Balaam answeride, For thou hast disserued, and hast scornyd me; Y wolde that Y hadde a swerd to sle thee.

Young's Literal Translation
and Balaam saith to the ass, `Because thou hast rolled thyself against me; oh that there were a sword in my hand, for now I had slain thee;'

Update Bible Version
And Balaam said to the donkey, Because you have mocked me, If there were a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Balaam said to the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill thee.

World English Bible
Balaam said to the donkey, Because you have mocked me, I would there were a sword in my hand, for now I had killed you.

New King James Version
And Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!"

New Living Translation
"You have made me look like a fool!" Balaam shouted. "If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!"

New Life Bible
Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a fool of me! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now!"

New Revised Standard
Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a fool of me! I wish I had a sword in my hand! I would kill you right now!"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Balaam said unto the ass, Surely thou hast been making sport of me, - Would there had been a sword in my hand, for, now, would I have slain thee.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Balaam answered: Because thou hast deserved it, and hast served me ill: I would I had a sword that I might kill thee.

Revised Standard Version
And Balaam said to the ass, "Because you have made sport of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you."

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a mockery of me! If there had been a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now."

Contextual Overview

²⁴But as they were going through a vineyard, with a fence on either side, the donkey again saw God 's angel blocking the way and veered into the fence, crushing Balaam's foot against the fence. Balaam hit her again. ²⁶ God 's angel blocked the way yet again—a very narrow passage this time; there was no getting through on the right or left. Seeing the angel, Balaam's donkey sat down under him. Balaam lost his temper; he beat the donkey with his stick. ²⁸ Then God gave speech to the donkey. She said to Balaam: "What have I ever done to you that you have beat me these three times?" ²⁹ Balaam said, "Because you've been playing games with me! If I had a sword I would have killed you by now." ³⁰ The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your trusty donkey on whom you've ridden for years right up until now? Have I ever done anything like this to you before? Have I?" He said, "No." ³¹ Then God helped Balaam see what was going on: He saw God 's angel blocking the way, brandishing a sword. Balaam fell to the ground, his face in the dirt. ³² God 's angel said to him: "Why have you beaten your poor donkey these three times? I have come here to block your way because you're getting way ahead of yourself. The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she hadn't, I would have killed you by this time, but not the donkey. I would have let her off." ³⁴ Balaam said to God 's angel, "I have sinned. I had no idea you were standing in the road blocking my way. If you don't like what I'm doing, I'll head back." ³⁵ But God 's angel said to Balaam, "Go ahead and go with them. But only say what I tell you to say—absolutely no other word." And so Balaam continued to go with Balak's nobles.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

for now would: Proverbs 12:10, Proverbs 12:16, Ecclesiastes 9:3

Reciprocal: Genesis 3:1 - he said Genesis 30:34 - General Matthew 2:16 - when

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Balaam said unto the ass, because thou hast mocked me,.... Or rather "defiled me", as the word is rendered in Job 16:15 by running with him against a wall, and by lying down with him in the dust and dirt, and so the Arabic version renders it,

"because thou hast rolled me in the dirt;''

the sense of mocking is not easy to be understood, unless it be that it exposed him to be mocked and laughed at by others, by turning aside, and lying down, and being so unruly; but then there were only his servants with him, to whom only he could be exposed in such a manner, which one would think would not have given him so much concern, and put him into such a passion: the word sometimes is used for seeking occasion, and such a sense it may have here, as that it sought an opportunity or occasion to throw him, and so to kill him, or at least to do him harm, see Daniel 6:4

I would there were a sword in my hand, for now would I kill thee: so enraged was he, and his passion was so great, that he was not at all frightened and amazed to hear the ass speak, though Josephus q represents him as disturbed and astonished at it; but some think, he being used to converse with spirits in the shapes of various creatures, it was no surprise to him to hear it speak.

q Antiqu. l. 4. c. 6. sect. 3.