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Sunday, August 3rd, 2025
the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
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New Living Translation

Numbers 22:23

Balaam's donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned it back onto the road.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Angel (Holy Trinity);   Angel (a Spirit);   Animals;   Ass (Donkey);   Balaam;   Miracles;   Thompson Chain Reference - Angel;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Ass, the Domestic;   Desert, Journey of Israel through the;   Moabites;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Midianites;   Moabites;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Balaam;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Kill, Killing;   Miracle;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Ass;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Angels;   Balaam;   Field;   Sadducees;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Angel;   Ass;   Balaam;   Transjordan;   Vision;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Ass;   Balaam;   Balak;   Moab, Moabites;   Prophecy, Prophets;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Angels;   Miracles;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Balaam;   Balak;   Midian;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Chief parables and miracles in the bible;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Ass;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - On to Canaan;   Moses, the Man of God;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Balaam;   Numbers, Book of;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Balaam;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Angelology;   Hafá¹­arah;   Joshua, the Samaritan Book of;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
The donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Bil`am struck the donkey, to turn her into the way.
King James Version
And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
Lexham English Bible
The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, and the donkey turned aside from the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back to the road.
English Standard Version
And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand. And the donkey turned aside out of the road and went into the field. And Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the road.
New Century Version
When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a sword in his hand, the donkey left the road and went into the field. Balaam hit the donkey to force her back on the road.
New English Translation
And the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, so the donkey turned aside from the road and went into the field. But Balaam beat the donkey, to make her turn back to the road.
Amplified Bible
When the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way and His drawn sword in His hand, the donkey turned off the path and went into the field; but Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back toward the path.
New American Standard Bible
When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn in his hand, the donkey turned off from the road and went into the field; and Balaam struck the donkey to guide her back onto the road.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And when the asse saw the Angel of the Lord stand in the way, and his sworde drawen in his hand, the asse turned out of the way and went into the field, but Balaam smote the asse, to turne her into the way.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, and the donkey turned off from the way and went into the field; so Balaam struck the donkey to turn it back into the way.
Contemporary English Version
When Balaam's donkey saw the angel standing there with a sword, it walked off the road and into an open field. Balaam had to beat the donkey to get it back on the road.
Complete Jewish Bible
The donkey saw the angel of Adonai standing on the road, drawn sword in hand; so the donkey turned off the road into the field; and Bil‘am had to beat the donkey to get it back on the road.
Darby Translation
And the ass saw the Angel of Jehovah standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field, and Balaam smote the ass to turn her into the way.
Easy-to-Read Version
When Balaam's donkey saw the Lord 's angel standing in the road with a sword in his hand, the donkey turned from the road and went into the field. Balaam could not see the angel, so he was very angry at the donkey. He hit the donkey and forced it to go back on the road.
George Lamsa Translation
The she-ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn and held in his hand; and the she-ass turned aside out of the way and went into the field; and Balaam struck the she-ass to turn her into the way.
Good News Translation
When the donkey saw the angel standing there holding a sword, it left the road and turned into the fields. Balaam beat the donkey and brought it back onto the road.
Christian Standard Bible®
When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing on the path with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the path and went into the field. So Balaam hit her to return her to the path.
Literal Translation
And the ass saw the Angel of Jehovah standing in the road, and His sword was drawn in His hand. And the ass turned out of the road and went into a field. And Balaam struck the ass, to turn it back into the road.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And ye Asse sawe ye angell of ye LORDE stodinge in ye waye, & his swerde drawen in his hade. And ye Asse turned a syde out of ye waye, & wete in to the felde. But Balaam smote her, yt she shulde go in the waye.
American Standard Version
And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
Bible in Basic English
And the ass saw the angel of the Lord waiting in the road with his sword in his hand; and turning from the road, the ass went into the field; and Balaam gave the ass blows, to get her back on to the road.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And when the asse sawe the angell of the Lord stand in the way, and hauyng his sworde drawen in his hand, the asse turned aside out of the way, and went out into the fielde: And Balaam smote the asse, to turne her into the way.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field; and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
King James Version (1611)
And the Asse sawe the Angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawen in his hand: and the asse turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the asse, to turne her into the way.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And when the ass saw the angel of God standing opposite in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand, then the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field; and Balaam smote the ass with his staff to direct her in the way.
English Revised Version
And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
Berean Standard Bible
When the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in His hand, she turned off the path and went into a field. So Balaam beat her to return her to the path.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
The femal asse siy the aungel stondynge in the weie, with swerd drawun, and `turnede a wei hir silf fro the weie, and yede bi the feeld. And whanne Balaam beet hir, and wolde lede ayen to the path,
Young's Literal Translation
and the ass seeth the messenger of Jehovah standing in the way, and his drawn sword in his hand, and the ass turneth aside out of the way, and goeth into a field, and Balaam smiteth the ass to turn it aside into the way.
Update Bible Version
And the donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the donkey, to turn her into the way.
Webster's Bible Translation
And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way.
World English Bible
The donkey saw the angel of Yahweh standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the way.
New King James Version
Now the donkey saw the Angel of the LORD standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand, and the donkey turned aside out of the way and went into the field. So Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back onto the road.
New Life Bible
When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way with his sword in his hand, the donkey turned off the road and went into the field. But Balaam hit the donkey to turn her on the road again.
New Revised Standard
The donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand; so the donkey turned off the road, and went into the field; and Balaam struck the donkey, to turn it back onto the road.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And the ass saw the messenger of Yahweh stationed in the road with his drawn sword in his hand, so the ass turned aside out of the road and went into the field, - and Balaam smote the ass, to make her turn back into the road.
Douay-Rheims Bible
The ass seeing the angel standing in the way, with a drawn sword, turned herself out of the way, and went into the field. And when Balaam beat her, and had a mind to bring her again to the way,
Revised Standard Version
And the ass saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road, with a drawn sword in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the road, and went into the field; and Balaam struck the ass, to turn her into the road.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand, the donkey turned off from the way and went into the field; but Balaam struck the donkey to turn her back into the way.

Contextual Overview

22 But God was angry that Balaam was going, so he sent the angel of the Lord to stand in the road to block his way. As Balaam and two servants were riding along, 23 Balaam's donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. The donkey bolted off the road into a field, but Balaam beat it and turned it back onto the road. 24 Then the angel of the Lord stood at a place where the road narrowed between two vineyard walls. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord , it tried to squeeze by and crushed Balaam's foot against the wall. So Balaam beat the donkey again. 26 Then the angel of the Lord moved farther down the road and stood in a place too narrow for the donkey to get by at all. 27 This time when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down under Balaam. In a fit of rage Balaam beat the animal again with his staff. 28 Then the Lord gave the donkey the ability to speak. "What have I done to you that deserves your beating me three times?" it asked Balaam. 29 "You have made me look like a fool!" Balaam shouted. "If I had a sword with me, I would kill you!" 30 "But I am the same donkey you have ridden all your life," the donkey answered. "Have I ever done anything like this before?" "No," Balaam admitted. 31 Then the Lord opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the roadway with a drawn sword in his hand. Balaam bowed his head and fell face down on the ground before him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

the ass saw: 2 Kings 6:17, 1 Chronicles 21:16, Daniel 10:7, Acts 22:9, 1 Corinthians 1:27-29, 2 Peter 2:16, Jude 1:11

the ass turned: Jeremiah 8:7

Reciprocal: Genesis 3:24 - a flaming Exodus 4:24 - the Lord Joshua 5:13 - his sword 2 Peter 2:15 - who

Cross-References

Genesis 24:15
Before he had finished praying, he saw a young woman named Rebekah coming out with her water jug on her shoulder. She was the daughter of Bethuel, who was the son of Abraham's brother Nahor and his wife, Milcah.
Genesis 24:24
"I am the daughter of Bethuel," she replied. "My grandparents are Nahor and Milcah.
Genesis 24:47
"Then I asked, ‘Whose daughter are you?' She replied, ‘I am the daughter of Bethuel, and my grandparents are Nahor and Milcah.' So I put the ring on her nose, and the bracelets on her wrists.
Genesis 24:51
Here is Rebekah; take her and go. Yes, let her be the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has directed."
Genesis 24:60
They gave her this blessing as she parted: "Our sister, may you become the mother of many millions! May your descendants be strong and conquer the cities of their enemies."
Genesis 24:67
And Isaac brought Rebekah into his mother Sarah's tent, and she became his wife. He loved her deeply, and she was a special comfort to him after the death of his mother.
Genesis 25:20
When Isaac was forty years old, he married Rebekah, the daughter of Bethuel the Aramean from Paddan-aram and the sister of Laban the Aramean.
Genesis 28:2
Instead, go at once to Paddan-aram, to the house of your grandfather Bethuel, and marry one of your uncle Laban's daughters.
Genesis 28:5
So Isaac sent Jacob away, and he went to Paddan-aram to stay with his uncle Laban, his mother's brother, the son of Bethuel the Aramean.
Romans 9:10
This son was our ancestor Isaac. When he married Rebekah, she gave birth to twins.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way,.... Which Balaam did not; his eyes being held from seeing him by the power and providence of God, that he might be reproved and rebuked by his ass, to whom God gave power to see, more than to him, as Jarchi notes, so that he had little reason to boast of his visions and revelations, and that he was the man whose eyes were open: the angel stood in the very pathway on which the ass was carrying Balaam: and his sword drawn in his hand; as threatening to destroy him, and as if he was just about to push at him, and signifying hereby not only that he deserved to die, but what death he should die of, namely, by the sword, as he did, Numbers 31:8

and the ass turned aside out of the way; out of the common road, to save its master and itself, from a natural principle of self-preservation: and went into the field; adjoining to, and that lay along the road side:

and Balaam smote the ass to turn her into the way; with his staff, as in Numbers 22:27 to bring her into the common road again.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Numbers 22:23. And the ass saw the angel — When God granted visions those alone who were particularly interested saw them while others in the same company saw nothing; see Daniel 10:7; Acts 9:7.


 
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