Balaam's Donkey

As the children of Israel journeyed toward the Promised Land, they came to the plains of Moab. Balak, the king of Moab, saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, and he was greatly afraid. In his fear, he devised a plan to curse the Israelites through a prophet named Balaam.

King Balak’s Fear

Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. When he saw the vast multitude of Israelites camping in his territory, his heart filled with dread.

“Look, a people has come from Egypt,” he said to his counselors as they stood on the walls of his city, gazing out at the endless sea of Israelite tents. “See, they cover the face of the earth, and are settling next to me! Therefore please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed.”

Balak had heard of a prophet named Balaam who lived far away in Mesopotamia. Balaam son of Beor was famous throughout the region for his supernatural powers. It was said that his blessings and curses always came to pass.

The First Embassy to Balaam

So the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian departed with the diviner’s fee in their hand, and they came to Balaam and spoke to him the words of Balak.

When they arrived at Balaam’s house in Pethor, they presented their king’s message: “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me; for I will certainly honor you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Therefore please come, curse this people for me.’”

Balaam received the messengers courteously and provided them with food and lodging. “Lodge here tonight,” he said, “and I will bring back word to you, as the Lord speaks to me.”

That night, God came to Balaam and said, “Who are these men with you?”

So Balaam said to God, “Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, has sent to me, saying, ‘Look, a people has come out of Egypt, and they cover the face of the earth. Come now, curse them for me; perhaps I shall be able to overpower them and drive them out.’”

And God said to Balaam, “You shall not go with them; you shall not curse the people, for they are blessed.”

So Balaam rose in the morning and said to the princes of Balak, “Go back to your land, for the Lord has refused to give me permission to go with you.”

The Second Embassy

The princes of Moab returned to Balak with disappointing news. But the king was not easily discouraged. He sent princes again, more numerous and more honorable than the first.

These new ambassadors came to Balaam with an even more attractive offer: “Thus says Balak the son of Zippor: ‘Please let nothing hinder you from coming to me; for I will certainly honor you greatly, and I will do whatever you say to me. Therefore please come, curse this people for me.’”

Balaam’s heart was tempted by the promise of great riches and honor. Though he knew God had forbidden him to go, he wanted to hear from God again, hoping perhaps for a different answer.

“Though Balak were to give me his house full of silver and gold,” Balaam said to the messengers, “I could not go beyond the word of the Lord my God, to do less or more. Now therefore, please, you also stay here tonight, that I may know what more the Lord will say to me.”

God’s Conditional Permission

That night God came to Balaam and said, “If the men come to call you, rise and go with them; but only the word which I speak to you—that you shall do.”

In the morning, Balaam saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab. But though God had given permission, He was angry that Balaam’s heart was set on gain rather than righteousness.

The Journey and the Angel

Then God’s anger was aroused because he went, and the Angel of the Lord took His stand in the way as an adversary against him. And he was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.

As they traveled along the road toward Moab, the donkey suddenly saw something that Balaam could not see. The Angel of the Lord stood in the way with His drawn sword in His hand.

The donkey was terrified by the sight of this mighty heavenly being blocking their path. She turned aside out of the way and went into the field, trying to avoid the angel.

But Balaam, who could not see the angel, was angry with his donkey. He struck her to turn her back onto the road, not understanding why his usually obedient animal was behaving so strangely.

The Angel in the Narrow Path

Then the Angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, with a wall on this side and a wall on that side.

Again the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, and she pressed herself against the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against the wall. The path was so narrow that there was nowhere else to go.

Balaam’s anger flared even hotter. His foot throbbed with pain, and he couldn’t understand why his reliable donkey kept acting so foolishly. So he struck her again, harder this time.

The Angel Blocks the Way Completely

Then the Angel of the Lord went further, and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.

This time when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, there was absolutely no way to pass by or around. The path was completely blocked by the awesome presence of the heavenly messenger with his drawn sword.

And when the donkey saw the Angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam. The poor animal, exhausted and terrified, simply collapsed beneath her master, unable to go any further.

Balaam’s anger was now aroused to the breaking point. He struck the donkey with his staff, beating her repeatedly in his frustration and rage.

The Donkey Speaks

Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”

Can you imagine Balaam’s shock? His own donkey was speaking to him in plain words! Yet such was his anger and spiritual blindness that he answered the donkey as if talking animals were perfectly normal.

And Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have abused me. I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would kill you!”

The donkey replied with wisdom that put her master to shame: “Am I not your donkey on which you have ridden, ever since I became yours, to this day? Was I ever disposed to do this to you?”

And Balaam had to admit, “No.”

The donkey’s question was perfectly reasonable. This was the same faithful animal that had carried Balaam safely for years. She had never behaved this way before. Shouldn’t he have wondered why she was acting so strangely instead of simply beating her?

Balaam’s Eyes Are Opened

Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with His drawn sword in His hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face.

What a sight met Balaam’s newly opened eyes! A mighty angel of God stood in the path, his sword drawn and ready to strike. The angel’s face was stern with righteous anger, and his presence filled the entire path with divine authority.

Suddenly everything made sense. His donkey hadn’t been stubborn or rebellious - she had been trying to save his life! While he had been blind to the spiritual danger ahead, his humble donkey had seen clearly and tried to protect him.

And the Angel of the Lord said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out to stand against you, because your way is perverse before Me. The donkey saw Me and turned aside from Me these three times. If she had not turned aside from Me, surely I would also have killed you by now, and let her live.”

Balaam’s Repentance

And Balaam said to the Angel of the Lord, “I have sinned, for I did not know You stood in the way against me. Now therefore, if it displeases You, I will turn back.”

For the first time, Balaam understood how close he had come to death. His faithful donkey had saved his life not once, but three times! While he had been focused on the riches that King Balak promised, he had been walking straight into divine judgment.

Then the Angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but only the word that I speak to you, that you shall speak.” So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

Lessons from a Humble Donkey

This remarkable story teaches us several important truths:

God can use anyone or anything to accomplish His purposes. He used a humble donkey to speak wisdom to a prophet. No one is too insignificant for God to use.

Spiritual pride can make us blind. Balaam thought he was wise, but his donkey saw more clearly than he did. Sometimes those we consider “beneath us” have greater spiritual insight.

God protects His people. The angel was there to prevent Balaam from cursing Israel. God was watching over His people even when they didn’t know it.

Greed can lead us into danger. Balaam’s desire for Balak’s rewards blinded him to the spiritual peril he was walking into.

We should listen to warnings. Balaam ignored his donkey’s strange behavior instead of wondering why his faithful animal was acting differently.

When Balaam finally reached King Balak, he was no longer the same man who had set out on the journey. Instead of cursing Israel as the king wanted, he blessed them four times, declaring God’s favor upon His chosen people.

The donkey had not only saved Balaam’s life - she had helped save an entire nation from the curse of a powerful prophet. Sometimes the most unlikely messengers bring the most important messages from God.