Thematic Bible: Balaam, of his spiritual blindness
Thematic Bible
Repentance » Instances of » Balaam, of his spiritual blindness
Balaam replied: I have sinned. I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you think it is wrong for me to go on I will return home.
Where the road went through the vineyards, it was narrow, with stonewalls on both sides. Now the angel of Jehovah stood there. The donkey saw the angel and it moved over against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against it. Again Balaam beat the donkey. Once more the angel moved ahead. He stood in a narrow place where there was no room at all to pass on either side. read more.
This time, when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down. Balaam lost his temper and began to beat the donkey with his stick. Jehovah gave the donkey the power of speech. The donkey said to Balaam: What have I done to you? Why have you beaten me these three times? Balaam answered: It is because you have made a fool of me! If I had a sword, I would kill you. The donkey replied: Am I not the same donkey on which you have ridden all your life? Have I ever treated you like this before? No, he answered. Then Jehovah let Balaam see the angel standing there with his sword. Balaam threw himself face down on the ground. The angel demanded: Why have you beaten your donkey three times like this? I have come to bar your way, because you should not be making this journey. But your donkey saw me and turned aside three times. If it had not, I would have killed you and spared the donkey. Balaam replied: I have sinned. I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you think it is wrong for me to go on I will return home. But the angel said: Go on with these men, but say only what I tell you to say. Thus Balaam went on with them.
This time, when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down. Balaam lost his temper and began to beat the donkey with his stick. Jehovah gave the donkey the power of speech. The donkey said to Balaam: What have I done to you? Why have you beaten me these three times? Balaam answered: It is because you have made a fool of me! If I had a sword, I would kill you. The donkey replied: Am I not the same donkey on which you have ridden all your life? Have I ever treated you like this before? No, he answered. Then Jehovah let Balaam see the angel standing there with his sword. Balaam threw himself face down on the ground. The angel demanded: Why have you beaten your donkey three times like this? I have come to bar your way, because you should not be making this journey. But your donkey saw me and turned aside three times. If it had not, I would have killed you and spared the donkey. Balaam replied: I have sinned. I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you think it is wrong for me to go on I will return home. But the angel said: Go on with these men, but say only what I tell you to say. Thus Balaam went on with them.