Numbers 22 · Verse 28

Numbers 22:28

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?
Numbers 22:28, King James Version

Numbers 22:28 in other translations

BSBThen 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?”
WEBThe 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?”
ASVAnd 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?
YLTAnd Jehovah openeth the mouth of the ass, and she saith to Balaam, ‘What have I done to thee that thou hast smitten me these three times?'
DARBYAnd Jehovah opened the mouth of the ass, and she said to Balaam, What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?
BBEThen the Lord gave the ass the power of talking, and opening her mouth she said to Balaam, What have I done to you that you have given me blows these three times?
WebsterAnd the LORD opened the mouth of the ass, and she said to Balaam, What have I done to thee, that thou hast smitten me these three times?

What does Numbers 22:28 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
28. the Lord opened the mouth of the ass--to utter, like a parrot, articulate sounds, without understanding them. That this was a visionary scene is a notion which seems inadmissible, because of the improbability of a vision being described as an actual occurrence in the middle of a plain history. Besides, the opening of the ass's mouth must have been an external act, and that, with the manifest tenor of Peter's language, strongly favors the literal view [2Pe 2:15, 16]. The absence of any surprise at such a phenomenon on the part of Balaam may be accounted for by his mind being wholly engrossed with the prospect of gain, which produced "the madness of the prophet" [2Pe 2:16]. "It was a miracle, wrought to humble his proud heart, which had to be first subjected in the school of an ass before he was brought to attend to the voice of God speaking by the angel" [Calvin].

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 28 The Lord opened the mouth of the ass - And where is the wonder of all this? If the ass had opened her own mouth, and reproved the rash prophet, we might well be astonished; but when God opens the mouth, an ass can speak as well as a man. It is worthy of remark here, that Balaam testifies no surprise at this miracle, because he saw it was the Lord's doing. Of animate and inanimate things receiving for a short time the gift of speech, the heathen mythology furnishes many fictitious examples, with which I do not deem it proper to occupy the reader's time.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Numbers 22:22-35

We must not think, that because God does not always by his providence restrain men from sin, therefore he approves of it, or that it is not hateful to him. The holy angels oppose sin, and perhaps are employed in preventing it more than we are aware. This angel was an adversary to Balaam, because Balaam counted him his adversary; those are really our best friends, and we ought so to reckon them, who stop our progress…

Read the full comment on Numbers 22:22-35 →

Numbers 22:28 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּפְתַּ֥חvai.yif.Tachand he openedH6605
יְהוָ֖הYah.wehYahwehH3068
אֶת\־'et-<obj.>H853
פִּ֣יpi[the] mouth ofH6310
הָאָת֑וֹןha.'a.Tonthe donkeyH860
וַתֹּ֤אמֶרva.To.merand it saidH559
לְבִלְעָם֙le.vil.'Amto BalaamH1109
מֶה\־meh-what?H4100
עָשִׂ֣יתִֽי'a.Si.tihave I doneH6213
לְךָ֔le.Khato <the> you
כִּ֣יkithatH3588
הִכִּיתַ֔נִיhi.ki.Ta.niyou have struck meH5221
זֶ֖הzehthisH2088
שָׁלֹ֥שׁsha.LoshthreeH7969
רְגָלִֽים\׃re.ga.LimfeetH7272

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Numbers 22:28

  • 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.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the Lord opened.And where is the wonder of all this? If the ass had opened her own mouth, and reproved the rash prophet, we might well be astonished; but when God opens the mouth, an ass can speak as well as a man. It is to no purpose to speak of the construction of the ass's mouth, of the formation of the tongue and jaws being unfit for speaking; for an adequate cause is assigned for this wonderful effect, "The Lord opened the mouth of the ass"; and no one who believes in a God, can doubt of his power to do this and much more.
Ex 4:11; Lu 1:37; 1Co 1:19; 2Pe 2:16
What have I.
Ro 8:22

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Numbers 22:27

    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.

  • Numbers 22:28

    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?

  • Numbers 22:29

    And Balaam said unto the ass, Because thou hast mocked me: I would there were a sword in mine hand, for now would I kill thee.

Read all of Numbers 22

Numbers 22:28 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces Jehová abrió la boca al asna, la cual dijo á Balaam: ¿Qué te he hecho, que me has herido estas tres veces?
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et l’ Éternel ouvrit la bouche de l’ânesse, et elle dit à Balaam: Que t’ai-je fait, que tu m’aies frappée ces trois fois?
German
Elberfelder 1871		Da tat Jehova den Mund der Eselin auf, und sie sprach zu Bileam: Was habe ich dir getan, daß du mich nun dreimal geschlagen hast?
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Aperuitque Dominus os asinæ, et locuta est: Quid feci tibi? cur percutis me ecce jam tertio?