Numbers 22:28

KJV

And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

KJV (with Strong's)

And the LORD {H3068} opened {H6605} the mouth {H6310} of the ass {H860}, and she said {H559} unto Balaam {H1109}, What have I done {H6213} unto thee, that thou hast smitten {H5221} me these three {H7969} times {H7272}?

Complete Jewish Bible

But ADONAI enabled the donkey to speak, and it said to Bil'am, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?"

Berean Standard Bible

Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you that you have beaten me these three times?”

American Standard Version

And Jehovah opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Numbers 22:28 records one of the Bible's most extraordinary miracles: the LORD supernaturally enabling a donkey to speak with a human voice, directly addressing its master, Balaam. This pivotal moment serves as a divine intervention, rebuking the prophet for his cruel treatment of the animal and exposing his profound spiritual blindness to the angelic presence obstructing his path, all while God sovereignly protects His people, Israel, from Balaam's intended curse.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is the dramatic climax of the initial confrontation between Balaam and the angel of the LORD, recounted in [Numbers 22:21-35](/numbers/22-21 "Numbers 22:21-35 - The Angel of the LORD Confronts Balaam"). Following repeated attempts by Balaam's donkey to avoid an unseen divine adversary, resulting in three beatings from its master, God intervenes directly. The donkey's speech immediately precedes the opening of Balaam's own eyes to see the angel, revealing the true reason for the donkey's seemingly stubborn behavior. This narrative segment is part of a larger account ([Numbers 22-24](/numbers/22 "Numbers 22 - Balaam and Balak")) detailing Balak's attempts to hire Balaam to curse Israel and God's consistent turning of those curses into blessings.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** The setting is the plains of Moab, east of the Jordan River, as the Israelites are poised to enter Canaan. Balak, the king of Moab, fears the formidable Israelite host, having witnessed their recent victories over the Amorites. In the ancient Near East, it was common practice for kings to employ diviners or prophets to invoke blessings or curses on their behalf, believing such figures could manipulate divine powers. Balaam, a non-Israelite prophet from Pethor in Mesopotamia, was renowned for his abilities. The narrative challenges this pagan worldview by demonstrating that Yahweh, the God of Israel, is sovereign over all powers, even those of foreign prophets, and can use any means, however humble, to accomplish His will and protect His people.
* **Key Themes:** The incident of the talking donkey powerfully underscores several key themes within the book of Numbers and the broader Pentateuch. Foremost is **Divine Sovereignty**, illustrating God's absolute control over all creation, including human will and even the natural order, to achieve His purposes. This is intrinsically linked to **God's Unwavering Protection of Israel**, as He prevents any curse from falling upon His chosen people, turning intended harm into blessing (as explicitly stated later in [Deuteronomy 23:5](/deuteronomy/23-5 "Deuteronomy 23:5 - God Turned the Curse into a Blessing")). Another prominent theme is **Spiritual Blindness versus True Discernment**. Balaam, a prophet supposedly attuned to the divine, is ironically blind to the angel of the LORD, while his humble animal perceives the spiritual reality. This highlights the danger of spiritual insensitivity, especially when motivated by greed or personal ambition, a theme later picked up in the New Testament in passages like [2 Peter 2:15-16](/2_peter/2-15 "2 Peter 2:15-16 - Balaam's Error and the Donkey's Rebuke").

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **opened (Hebrew, _patach_):** This verb signifies a direct, supernatural act of God. It is not merely that the donkey made sounds, but that God actively intervened to enable speech where it was biologically impossible. This emphasizes the extraordinary nature of the event, showcasing God's power over natural laws and His ability to create new capacities.
* **mouth (Hebrew, _pi_):** Refers specifically to the physical organ of speech. The use of this precise term highlights the miraculous nature of the event – it was not a telepathic communication or a vision, but an audible, verbal utterance from the animal's mouth, making the miracle undeniable to Balaam.
* **ass (Hebrew, _'athon_):** Specifically a female donkey, a common and humble beast of burden. God's choice of such an ordinary and subservient animal to deliver a divine rebuke underscores His omnipotence and His freedom to use the lowliest of instruments to confound the wise or the spiritually proud.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass":** This clause immediately establishes the miraculous nature of the event, attributing it directly to Yahweh's sovereign power. It signifies a radical, supernatural intervention into the natural order, where God imbues a creature with a faculty far beyond its natural capacity, demonstrating His absolute control over all life and creation.
* **"and she said unto Balaam":** This simple declaration is profoundly shocking. The animal, typically mute and subservient, now audibly addresses its master. This reversal of roles is a powerful sign, indicating a direct, audible communication from God through an utterly unexpected and humble medium, designed to capture Balaam's attention and confront his actions.
* **"What have I done unto thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?":** This question from the donkey is both a plea for justice and a sharp, divine rebuke. It forces Balaam to confront his irrational anger, his cruelty, and, most importantly, his profound spiritual blindness. The repetition of "these three times" emphasizes Balaam's persistent abuse and his failure to discern the true reason for the donkey's behavior, setting the stage for the revelation of the angel's presence and the gravity of Balaam's error.

#### Literary Devices
The narrative of the talking donkey is rich with literary devices that amplify its theological message. **Irony** is paramount, as Balaam, a renowned prophet, is spiritually blind to the divine messenger, while his humble donkey possesses clear spiritual sight. This reversal of roles profoundly underscores Balaam's spiritual insensitivity. **Anthropomorphism** is evident in the donkey's ability to speak and reason, a literary technique used to convey a divine message through an unexpected and impactful medium. The donkey's repeated actions and Balaam's escalating frustration create a sense of **dramatic tension**, which is resolved by the miraculous speech and the subsequent revelation of the angel. The entire episode serves as a powerful **symbolism**: the donkey symbolizes the lowly and unexpected instruments God can use, while Balaam's blindness symbolizes the spiritual dullness that can afflict even religious leaders when their motives are impure.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This extraordinary event powerfully affirms God's absolute sovereignty over all creation, demonstrating His ability to intervene directly and miraculously in human affairs to accomplish His will and protect His people. It highlights that God is not limited by conventional means of communication and can use the most humble or unexpected instruments to convey His message or warnings. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of spiritual blindness and the importance of discernment, even for those who claim to serve God, especially when personal gain or ambition clouds their judgment.

* [2 Peter 2:15-16](/2_peter/2-15 "2 Peter 2:15-16 - Balaam's Folly and the Mute Donkey's Rebuke")
* [Jude 1:11](/jude/1-11 "Jude 1:11 - The Way of Balaam")
* [Psalm 115:3](/psalms/115-3 "Psalm 115:3 - Our God is in the Heavens; He Does All That He Pleases")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The miraculous speech of Balaam's donkey challenges us to cultivate profound spiritual discernment and humility in our own lives. It serves as a potent reminder that God's voice may come from the most unexpected sources, through inconvenient circumstances, or even through what we initially perceive as obstacles or annoyances. Like Balaam, we can become so fixated on our own agendas, desires, or preconceived notions that we fail to perceive God's active presence, His warnings, or His guiding hand in our lives. This story urges us to pause, reflect, and ask if we are truly open to God's redirection, even when it comes through seemingly absurd or humbling means. It also offers immense comfort, assuring us that God remains actively involved in protecting His purposes and His people, using whatever means necessary to ensure His will prevails.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life might I be spiritually blind, failing to see God's hand or hear His warnings?**
* **What "donkey moments"—unexpected obstacles or frustrating situations—might God be using to speak to me or redirect my path?**
* **How can I cultivate a greater sensitivity to God's voice, even when it comes through unconventional or humbling channels?**

### FAQ
**Was the donkey truly speaking, or was it a vision or a parable?**

Answer: The biblical text presents the event as a literal, miraculous occurrence. The KJV's "And the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam" describes a direct, supernatural intervention by God that enabled the donkey to articulate human speech. Both [2 Peter 2:16](/2_peter/2-16 "2 Peter 2:16 - A Mute Donkey Spoke with a Human Voice") and Jewish tradition interpret this as a literal miracle, where a "mute donkey spoke with a human voice." It was not a vision, parable, or Balaam's imagination, but a tangible, audible event designed to confront Balaam directly.

**Why would God choose a donkey to speak?**

Answer: God chose a humble and ordinary animal to speak for several profound reasons. Firstly, it served as a powerful demonstration of His absolute sovereignty and omnipotence, showing that He can use any instrument, no matter how lowly or unexpected, to accomplish His will and communicate His message. Secondly, it was a stark and humiliating rebuke to Balaam. The fact that a "mute beast" (as described in [2 Peter 2:16](/2_peter/2-16 "2 Peter 2:16 - The Mute Donkey's Rebuke")) could perceive the divine presence and speak God's truth, while the renowned prophet Balaam remained spiritually blind, highlighted Balaam's profound spiritual insensitivity and the folly of his pursuit of gain. It underscored that God often uses the weak and foolish things of the world to shame the strong and wise, as seen in [1 Corinthians 1:27](/1_corinthians/1-27 "1 Corinthians 1:27 - God Chose the Foolish Things").

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The narrative of Balaam and his talking donkey, while seemingly peculiar, profoundly foreshadows aspects of Christ's person and work. Balaam, a prophet hired to curse Israel, ultimately finds himself compelled by God to utter blessings instead, demonstrating God's sovereign control over even the words of those who oppose Him. This prefigures Christ, who came not to curse the world, but to bring ultimate blessing and redemption ([Galatians 3:8-9](/galatians/3-8 "Galatians 3:8-9 - The Gospel Preached to Abraham")). The curse intended for Israel was turned into blessing, much like the curse of sin was taken upon Christ on the cross, turning it into the ultimate blessing of salvation for all who believe ([Galatians 3:13](/galatians/3-13 "Galatians 3:13 - Christ Redeemed Us from the Curse of the Law")). Furthermore, the donkey's unexpected voice, a humble and overlooked instrument, parallels God's consistent use of humble means to reveal His greatest truths, culminating in the incarnation of God in the humble form of Jesus, a carpenter from Nazareth ([Philippians 2:7-8](/philippians/2-7 "Philippians 2:7-8 - Christ Humbled Himself")). Christ is the ultimate "Word of God" ([John 1:1](/john/1-1 "John 1:1 - In the Beginning Was the Word")), the perfect revelation of the Father's will, unlike Balaam whose vision was clouded by greed. The divine protection of Israel from Balaam's curse points to Christ's ultimate and unwavering protection of His church, ensuring that no spiritual weapon formed against His redeemed people will prosper ([Matthew 16:18](/matthew/16-18 "Matthew 16:18 - The Gates of Hades Will Not Prevail")).

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

2 Peter 2:16

But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet.

Luke 1:37

For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Exodus 4:11

And the LORD said unto him, Who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or the seeing, or the blind? have not I the LORD?

1 Corinthians 1:19

For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

Romans 8:22

For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.