22 But God’s anger blazed because he was going, and Jehovah’s angel stationed himself in the road to resist him. Now Baʹlaam was riding on his donkey, and two of his attendants were with him. 23 And when the donkey saw Jehovah’s angel standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, it tried to turn off the road into the field. But Baʹlaam began to beat the donkey to make it return to the road. 24 Then Jehovah’s angel stood in a narrow path between two vineyards, with stone walls on both sides. 25 When the donkey saw Jehovah’s angel, it began to squeeze itself against the wall and it jammed Baʹlaam’s foot against the wall, and Baʹlaam began beating it again.
26 Jehovah’s angel now passed by again and stood in a narrow place where there was no way to turn to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw Jehovah’s angel, it lay down under Baʹlaam, so Baʹlaam became furious and kept beating the donkey with his staff. 28 Finally Jehovah caused the donkey to speak,+ and it said to Baʹlaam: “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?”+ 29 Baʹlaam replied to the donkey: “It is because you have made a fool of me. If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you!” 30 Then the donkey said to Baʹlaam: “Am I not your donkey that you have ridden on all your life until today? Have I ever treated you this way before?” He replied: “No!” 31 Then Jehovah uncovered Baʹlaam’s eyes,+ and he saw Jehovah’s angel standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand. At once he bowed low and prostrated himself on his face.
32 Then Jehovah’s angel said to him: “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? Look! I myself came out to offer resistance, because your way is in defiance of my will.+ 33 The donkey saw me and tried to turn away from me these three times.+ Supposing it had not turned away from me! By now I would have killed you and let the donkey live.” 34 Baʹlaam said to Jehovah’s angel: “I have sinned, because I did not know that it was you standing in the road to meet me. And now if it is bad in your eyes, I will go back.” 35 But Jehovah’s angel said to Baʹlaam: “Go with the men, but you may speak only the words that I tell you.” So Baʹlaam continued going with the princes of Baʹlak.