22. Balaam was riding his donkey to Moab, and two of his servants were with him. But God was angry that Balaam had gone, so one of the Lord's angels stood in the road to stop him.
23. When Balaam's donkey saw the angel standing there with a sword, it walked off the road and into an open field. Balaam had to beat the donkey to get it back on the road.
24. Then the angel stood between two vineyards, in a narrow path with a stone wall on each side.
25. When the donkey saw the angel, it walked so close to one of the walls that Balaam's foot scraped against the wall. Balaam beat the donkey again.
26. The angel moved once more and stood in a spot so narrow that there was no room for the donkey to go around.
27. So it just lay down. Balaam lost his temper, then picked up a stick and hit the donkey.
28. When that happened, the Lord told the donkey to speak, and it asked Balaam, “What have I done to you that made you beat me three times?”
29. “You made me look stupid!” Balaam answered. “If I had a sword, I'd kill you here and now!”
30. “But you're my owner,” replied the donkey, “and you've ridden me many times. Have I ever done anything like this before?”“No,” Balaam admitted.
31. Just then, the Lord let Balaam see the angel standing in the road, holding a sword, and Balaam bowed down.
32. The angel said, “You had no right to treat your donkey like that! I was the one who blocked your way, because I don't think you should go to Moab.
33. If your donkey had not seen me and stopped those three times, I would have killed you and let the donkey live.”
34. Balaam replied, “I was wrong. I didn't know you were trying to stop me. If you don't think I should go, I'll return home at once.”
35. “It's all right for you to go,” the Lord's angel answered. “But you must say only what I tell you.” So Balaam went on with Balak's officials.