Numbers 22:22

God Opposes Balaam

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

Numbers 22:33

22:33 The donkey saw me and turned from me these three times. If she had not turned from me, I would have killed you but saved her alive.”

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.

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

tc Many commentators consider אוּלַי (’ulay, “perhaps”) to be a misspelling in the MT in place of לוּלֵי (luley, “if not”).