And when the ass saw the angel of the LORD, she fell down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with a staff.
When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down with Balaam still on her back. This made Balaam furious, and he beat the donkey with his stick.
The writer is showing how Balaam became angry and violent toward his donkey because he couldn't see what she could see - God's angel blocking their path.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Numbers, the Israelites are on their journey through the wilderness after their exodus from Egypt, and they are approaching the land of Moab. Balaam, a prophet from a foreign nation, is hired by King Balak of Moab to curse the Israelites, but God directly intervenes to prevent this by speaking to Balaam and blocking his path with an angel. As Balaam travels on his donkey, the animal alone sees the angel and reacts by falling down, revealing God's supernatural protection over His people.
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