Numbers 22:31

Then Yahweh enabled Balaam to see the angel standing on the road, holding a sword in his hand. Balaam realized that it was an angel and prostrated himself on the ground in front of the angel.

Translation for Translators

In The King James Version

Then the LORD opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and he bowed down his head, and fell flat on his face.

In Context

30But the donkey answered, “I am your own donkey [RHQ], the one that you have always ridden! Have I ever done anything like this previously?” Balaam said, “No.”

32The angel asked him, ‘◄Why did you strike your donkey three times?/ You should certainly not have struck the donkey three times! [RHQ] I have come to block your path because what you are planning to do is wrong.

Read all of Numbers 22

Cross References

Genesis 21:19Then God showed her a well of water. So she went to the well and filled the container with water, and gave the boy a drink.

Numbers 24:4I hear this message from God; I see a vision from him who is all-powerful. My eyes are open as I prostrate myself in front of him.

Joshua 5:13One day when Joshua came near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him. The man was holding a sword in his hand. Joshua approached him and asked him, “Are you going to fight for us or against us?”

2 Kings 6:17Then he prayed, “Yahweh, I request that you open my servant’s eyes in order that he can see what is out there!” So Yahweh enabled the servant to look out and see that surrounding the hill on which the town was built was a huge number of horses, and chariots made of fire!

1 Chronicles 21:16David looked up and saw the angel whom Yahweh had sent, standing between the sky and the ground. The angel had a sword in his hand that was pointed toward Jerusalem. Then David and the elders of the city, who were wearing clothes made of rough sackcloth, prostrated themselves on the ground.

Luke 24:16But they were prevented { something prevented them} from recognizing [MTY] him.

Matthew Henry on Numbers 22:23-36

God's Displeasure against Balaam; Remonstrance of Balaam's Ass; The Angel Appears to Balaam. ( b. c. 1452.) 22 And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the Lord stood in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. 23 And the ass saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way, and his sword drawn in his hand: and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. 24 But… Read the whole commentary →

This Verse In Other Editions

Study Numbers 22:31