This verse portrays Balaam’s frustration with his donkey, but more so reveals his deeper disregard for God’s direction.
Then we read in Numbers 22:29 that, “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.’” (v.29). Balaam, a prophet who lived around 1406 BC near the end of Israel’s forty years of wandering in the wilderness (when Moses was still leading the Israelites), found himself in this tense encounter with his donkey. The donkey was a common beast of burden in ancient times and was often used to transport both goods and people, due to its surefootedness and endurance. Here, the donkey had refused to move forward after seeing an angel of the LORD blocking the path, an event which Balaam did not immediately perceive.
In this verse, Balaam is enraged that the donkey stopped, because he believes the animal made him appear foolish. It reveals Balaam’s pride and short temper, since he threatens violence even though the donkey essentially saved his life by refusing to continue straight into the angel’s sword (Numbers 22:31-33). Historically, Balaam had been summoned by Balak, king of Moab, who wanted him to curse the Israelites. Although God repeatedly warned Balaam to only speak His words, the prophet wrestled with his desire for riches and honor. Rather than trusting God’s commands, Balaam’s anger erupted toward the donkey when his plan was thwarted, exposing the prophet’s inner conflict between obedience to God and personal ambition.
This scene also foreshadows the principle repeated in 2 Peter 2:16, which states that Balaam was rebuked by a previously mute donkey to restrain his madness. By having the donkey speak, the LORD intervened to highlight the folly of Balaam’s direction—an extreme measure to refocus the prophet’s attention. This incident reminds believers that God sovereignly guides events, sometimes even through the unexpected, and confronts human tendencies toward stubbornness and greed. If Balaam had listened more carefully to the LORD’s message instead of pursuing his own gain, he would have spared himself (and his donkey) much trouble.
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Numbers 22:29 meaning
Then we read in Numbers 22:29 that, “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.’” (v.29). Balaam, a prophet who lived around 1406 BC near the end of Israel’s forty years of wandering in the wilderness (when Moses was still leading the Israelites), found himself in this tense encounter with his donkey. The donkey was a common beast of burden in ancient times and was often used to transport both goods and people, due to its surefootedness and endurance. Here, the donkey had refused to move forward after seeing an angel of the LORD blocking the path, an event which Balaam did not immediately perceive.
In this verse, Balaam is enraged that the donkey stopped, because he believes the animal made him appear foolish. It reveals Balaam’s pride and short temper, since he threatens violence even though the donkey essentially saved his life by refusing to continue straight into the angel’s sword (Numbers 22:31-33). Historically, Balaam had been summoned by Balak, king of Moab, who wanted him to curse the Israelites. Although God repeatedly warned Balaam to only speak His words, the prophet wrestled with his desire for riches and honor. Rather than trusting God’s commands, Balaam’s anger erupted toward the donkey when his plan was thwarted, exposing the prophet’s inner conflict between obedience to God and personal ambition.
This scene also foreshadows the principle repeated in 2 Peter 2:16, which states that Balaam was rebuked by a previously mute donkey to restrain his madness. By having the donkey speak, the LORD intervened to highlight the folly of Balaam’s direction—an extreme measure to refocus the prophet’s attention. This incident reminds believers that God sovereignly guides events, sometimes even through the unexpected, and confronts human tendencies toward stubbornness and greed. If Balaam had listened more carefully to the LORD’s message instead of pursuing his own gain, he would have spared himself (and his donkey) much trouble.