When an Animal Spoke Numbers 22
THE king of Moab did not want the people of Israel to pass his country, but was afraid to fight, unless he could find someone who would first curse them, that means to pray for evil to come to them. So he sent for a man, named Balaam, who knew the right, but cared most for money and rewards.
They knew God was leading these people, so how wicked to want them cursed! And God told Balaam not to go, because the people were blessed.
But the king sent for him again, and promised high honor and gifts, and Balaam wanted to go. God let him go, but said he must speak only words which He would tell him.
Balaam started with the men and his servants, riding on an ass, (or donkey). Suddenly the ass turned off the road into the field. The Lord had sent an angel with a sword to stand in the way. The animal saw him, so turned aside, but Balaam did not see him, and struck the ass to turn it back into the road.
They went on and came to a path through a vineyard with a wall on each side: the angel stood again in their way, so the ass pushed over against the wall, hurting Balaam’s foot, and again he struck the animal, and did not see the angel.
A third time the angel stood in the way, where the path was so narrow the ass could not turn aside, and fell down on the ground. This made Balaam more angry and he again struck it.
Then a strange thing happened: the ass spoke to Balaam with a voice like a man’s, asking why he had struck it. Balaam said he wished he had a sword and he would kill it. He seemed to be so eager for the king’s rewards, that God made the animal reprove and stop him.
Then Balaam saw the angel with the sword, and bowed his face to the ground. The angel told him that he could go on to the king, but must speak of Israel, only in the words God told him. Read this story in your Bible.
ML 11/07/1937