Numbers 22:20

22:20 God came to Balaam that night, and said to him, “If the men have come to call you, get up and go with them; but the word that I will say to you, that you must do.”

Numbers 22:22

God Opposes Balaam

22:22 Then God’s anger was kindled ¹  because he went, and the angel of the Lord stood in the road to oppose ²  him. Now he was riding on his donkey and his two servants were with him.

Numbers 22:35

22:35 But the angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but you may only speak ³  the word that I will speak to you.” ⁴  So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

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¹ sn God’s anger now seems to contradict the permission he gave Balaam just before this. Some commentators argue that God’s anger is a response to Balaam’s character in setting out – which the Bible does not explain. God saw in him greed and pleasure for the riches, which is why he was so willing to go.

² tn The word is שָׂטָן (satan, “to be an adversary, to oppose”).

³ tn The imperfect tense here can be given the nuance of permission.

⁴ tn The Hebrew word order is a little more emphatic than this: “but only the word which I speak to you, it you shall speak.”