Numbers 22 I Saved You
We are on the road with Balaam. God said he could go to Balak, but there is a problem. A most unusual argument ensues where his donkey says “I saved you from death.”
The first thing I think about when reading this story is that I would be blown away if my donkey started talking to me. Balaam was so angry that this didn’t even register for him. Then I think about how the donkey might have felt the next time he wanted to tell Balaam something.
The MOST important thing that comes to my mind though, is that God told him he could go. THEN God is angry at him when he does! I broached this topic last time to a small degree. I’m still leaning towards the explanation that God had already given Balaam His answer the first time. Balaam should have simply sent the second group away; KNOWING God’s answer. Let’s join our story and watch as these amazing events unfold.
♥ ♦ ♥
Balaam has his donkey ready to go. The princes who had come to him are also ready to begin the journey. Balaam is the slowest, so he hangs back from the rest of the group. He can still see them, and they him.
God watched Balaam pack his donkey. “He KNOWS this is not what I wanted him to do” thinks the Lord. He had already answered Balaam’s question the first time he asked. And He had told Balaam that Israel was a blessed group. “I told him he could go, last night. But NOT to do what these men have in mind for him. I will have to make that abundantly clear.”
The donkey has been a good and faithful animal for Balaam for many years. As his master is pondering his future engagement, the donkey is plodding along happily. He spies something up ahead. It is a large man standing in the road with a flaming sword! The donkey’s eyes go wide with fright and he turns off the road into a nearby field.
Balaam is not far from his home when his donkey veers off into a field. Balaam did all he could from the back of the donkey to redirect him back onto the path. When it’s clear that the donkey won’t go back to the road, Balaam jumps off his back and starts beating him with his staff that he is carrying.
“You dumb donkey. The road is that way” shouts Balaam.
The donkey complies grudgingly and the two set off again. The group they are following is still within sight. Balaam is happy to be back on the right track. He is thinking about the journey. Wondering what the Lord will have him say. How he will curse the people.
The road narrows between two vineyards. There are stone walls on either side to keep travelers from trampling on the plants. Balaam’s donkey sees the same man standing in the middle of the road. Out of fright, he takes the only course of action he can think of. He moves as far to the side as possible. If it weren’t for the wall, he would have gone into the vineyard.
Without warning, Balaam’s donkey begins moving to one side. The donkey is so determined to move over that he crushes Balaam’s foot between his side and the stone wall.
Balaam is angry with the donkey. Angrier that he was the last time. Balaam shoves on the donkey until he can free his foot then climbs down. “Stupid beast!” Balaam yells as he uses his staff to hobble a few steps away. After moving his foot about to ensure that it isn’t broken, he begins beating the donkey with his staff again.
The donkey drops its head to try and protect itself from the blows and moves back to the middle of the road. Balaam climbs back on the donkey’s back and kicks him in the sides to get him moving again.
A very narrow spot in the road is up ahead. The donkey sees the man again! He is terrified, as there is no where to go. He knows his master will bring out the stick, but this is life and death! The donkey stops and drops to the ground. His head pulled back into his shoulders as far as possible; waiting for what he know is coming, but determined to go no further towards their certain death.
The donkey’s gait is faltering and he is slowing down. Balaam tries to urge him forward, but the donkey isn’t responding to his commands. Finally, the donkey lays down in the road. He refuses to go any farther.
Balaam is incensed! He climbs off and begins beating the donkey with such viciousness that it is a wonder the donkey isn’t bloody.
Still cowering and with blows raining down on him, the donkey cries out to Balaam. “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?” (Numbers 22:28b)
Balaam’s arm delivers another blow and, through clenched teeth, he answers the donkey’s question. “Because you have made a fool of me. I wish I had a sword in my hand, for then I would kill you.” (Numbers 22:29)
With tears falling from his eyes, the donkey speaks again. “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long to this day? Is it my habit to treat you this way?” (Numbers 22:30a)
After giving vent to his anger, Balaam’s arms fall to his side as he considers the donkey’s words. He answers the donkey truthfully. “No.”
At that very moment, Balaam’s eyes were opened by the Lord so he too could see as the donkey had during their journey. Before him stood the angel of the Lord with his sword drawn for battle. Balaam’s face goes white and he falls on his face before the angel of the Lord.
“Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to oppose you because your way is perverse before me. The donkey saw me and turned aside before me these three times. If she had not turned aside from me, surely just now I would have killed you and let her live.” (Numbers 22:32-33)
Balaam’s heart breaks as he hears the truth of his journey. He knows now that this is a journey he should NEVER have undertaken. And he knows the faithfulness of his donkey. Balaam speaks to the angel from a heart full of shame and sorrow. Also one filled with a sincere desire to do as the Lord would have him do.
“I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.” (Numbers 22:34)
“Go with the men, but speak only the word that I tell you” (Numbers 22:35) the angel answers Balaam.
The angel disappears from before Balaam and he rises from the ground. He turns back to his donkey and sees him waiting patiently on the ground. Balaam stretches out a hand towards the donkey and he begins to tremble in fear.
“I’m sorry my old friend” Balaam says as he slowly approaches the donkey. “I have wronged you. I ask that you complete this journey with me, but I will walk beside you instead of riding you. Your body has suffered greatly by my hand. I pray I can make it up to you somehow.”
The donkey hears the gentleness in his master’s voice and leans into his hand. He is grateful that the beating has stopped, and even more so that he will be treated kindly for the rest of the journey. He is indeed sore from the beating. With a little time, he will be his old self again. Able to bear his master to wherever he chooses.
The princes had to slow down even farther for Balaam, as he was afoot now. But they dared not leave him. Once they finally arrive at the edge of Moab, King Balak comes out to meet them.
Balak is confused and angry that it took so long for Balaam to come to him. Balaam had kept the first messengers overnight, waiting for an answer. He is certain that he did the same with this group. But even that shouldn’t have delayed his arrival THIS long! Rather than simply embracing Balaam and welcoming him, Balak admonishes him.
“Did I not send to you to call you? Why did you not come to me? Am I not able to honor you?” (Numbers 22:37)
Balaam reply was stern and binding. “Behold, I have come to you! Have I now any power of my own to speak anything? The word that God puts in my mouth, that must I speak.” (Numbers 22:38)
Balak’s eyes opened wider but he offered no challenge to Balaam’s tone. “Come. Let us go to my home for the night.”
With that, Balak, Balaam, and the princes who had accompanied him back, went to Kiriath-huzoth.
“I have one more task I must do” Balak tells the men.
The men stand watching as King Balak offers a sacrifice to his god. He sacrificed several oxen and sheep, in an attempt to curry favor with his god regarding Israel and Balaam’s words the next day. Once he had finished making his sacrifice, he called Balaam and the princes to come and share in the meal with him. They all accepted his invitation. As Balaam had not been told otherwise, he enjoyed the meal as well.
Early the next morning, the king summons Balaam.
“We will go to see this encroaching hoard today” the Balak informs Balaam.
Together, with a detachment of soldiers to protect them from harm, the two men come to Bamoth-baal. Balak takes Balaam to a large rock overlooking the valley. The camp of Israel lies sprawled out below them. Their tents go on as far as the eye can see. And it is also clear that they reach beyond what can be seen! This is a MASSIVE group. This is the people that Balaam has been summoned to curse. And the same group whom God said are blessed by him. Balaam knows that there is a shock in store for the king, but he holds his tongue for now.
(to be continued)
Israel is completely unaware of the drama unfolding above them. We are not told that they even know of Balaam. I would bet that they know of Balak though, as he is the king of the region they are occupying. I wonder how long it takes for them to find out about it.
We never hear how Balaam’s conversation with the donkey impacted the rest of his life. I supplied a little bit of consequences in my telling of the story. I’m also curious as to how the encounter affected the donkey. Did he wish he could speak of his concerns later on; especially when his master was acting out towards him. Did God allow him to ever speak again?
The point here is that God can use ANYTHING to get our attention. Even a talking donkey.
Father God, THANK YOU that You NEVER give up on me! You will do whatever it takes to get my attention. I PRAY I’m listening. I don’t want to be ‘beating my donkey’ for trying to save my life. I want to listen the first time. By the way, I would LOVE to hear one of my animals actually speak to me. But them I would probably fall over in fear, because it would mean that it took that much for me to finally listen.
