SEV Biblia, Chapter 22:32
Y el ángel del SEÑOR le dijo: ¿Por qué has herido tu asna estas tres veces? He aquí yo he salido por tu adversario, porque tu camino es perverso delante de mí.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 32. And the angel of the Lord said unto him , etc.] When risen up, and standing before him: wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times ? the brute creatures are not to be beaten without cause, nor to be misused and abused by men, even their owners: behold, I went out to withstand thee ; the ass was not to be blamed, nor to be beaten for turning aside, or lying down, it was I that stood in the way, and hindered its going forward, and this was done by me on purpose to oppose and stop thee: because thy way is perverse before me ; the journey he took was not with his good liking and approbation, and especially seeing he went with an intention, if possible, to serve Balak, and curse Israel; the way of his heart was bad, which the Lord knew; it was not directed according to his will, but swerved from it; the Targum of Jonathan is, “it is manifest before me that thou seekest to go and curse the people, and the thing is not agreeable to me.”
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 22-35 - We must not think, that because God does not always by his providenc restrain men from sin, therefore he approves of it, or that it is no hateful to him. The holy angels oppose sin, and perhaps are employed i preventing it more than we are aware. This angel was an adversary to Balaam, because Balaam counted him his adversary; those are really ou best friends, and we ought so to reckon them, who stop our progress i sinful ways. Balaam has notice of God's displeasure by the ass. It is common for those whose hearts are fully set in them to do evil, to pus on violently, through the difficulties Providence lays in their way The Lord opened the mouth of the ass. This was a great miracle wrough by the power of God. He who made man speak, could, when he pleased make the ass to speak with man's voice. The ass complained of Balaam' cruelty. The righteous God does not allow the meanest or weakest to be abused; but they shall be able to speak in their own defence, or he will some way or other speak for them. Balaam at length has his eye opened. God has many ways to bring down the hard and unhumbled heart When our eyes are opened, we shall see the danger of sinful ways, an how much it was for our advantage to be crossed. Balaam seemed to relent; I have sinned; but it does not appear that he was sensible of this wickedness of his heart, or willing to own it. If he finds he cannot go forward, he will be content, since there is no remedy, to go back. Thus many leave their sins, only because their sins have lef them. The angel declared that he should not only be unable to curs Israel, but should be forced to bless them: this would be more for the glory of God, and to his own confusion, than if he had turned back.
Original Hebrew
ויאמר 559 אליו 413 מלאך 4397 יהוה 3068 על 5921 מה 4100 הכית 5221 את 853 אתנך 860 זה 2088 שׁלושׁ 7969 רגלים 7272 הנה 2009 אנכי 595 יצאתי 3318 לשׂטן 7854 כי 3588 ירט 3399 הדרך 1870 לנגדי׃ 5048
