9. Then God came to Balaam. He asked, “So who are these men here with you?”
12. God said to Balaam, “Don’t go with them. And don’t curse the others—they are a blessed people.”
13. The next morning Balaam got up and told Balak’s nobles, “Go back home; God refuses to give me permission to go with you.”
14. So the Moabite nobles left, came back to Balak, and said, “Balaam wouldn’t come with us.”
20. God came to Balaam that night and said, “Since these men have come all this way to see you, go ahead and go with them. But make sure you do absolutely nothing other than what I tell you.”
28. Then God gave speech to the donkey. She said to Balaam: “What have I ever done to you that you have beat me these three times?”
29. Balaam said, “Because you’ve been playing games with me! If I had a sword I would have killed you by now.”
30. The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your trusty donkey on whom you’ve ridden for years right up until now? Have I ever done anything like this to you before? Have I?”He said, “No.”
31. Then God helped Balaam see what was going on: He saw God’s angel blocking the way, brandishing a sword. Balaam fell to the ground, his face in the dirt.