23. The donkey saw the Lord’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the donkey turned out of the path, and went into the field. Balaam struck the donkey, to turn her into the path.
24. Then the Lord’s angel stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side.
25. The donkey saw the Lord’s angel, and she thrust herself to the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall. He struck her again.
26. the Lord’s angel went further, and stood in a narrow place, where there was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left.
27. The donkey saw the Lord’s angel, and she lay down under Balaam. Balaam’s anger burnt, and he struck the donkey with his staff.
28. The Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam, “What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?”
29. Balaam said to the donkey, “Because you have mocked me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I would have killed you.”
30. The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your donkey, on which you have ridden all your life long until today? Was I ever in the habit of doing so to you?”He said, “No.”
31. Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the Lord’s angel standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face.
32. the Lord’s angel said to him, “Why have you struck your donkey these three times? Behold, I have come out as an adversary, because your way is perverse before me.
33. The donkey saw me, and turned away before me these three times. Unless she had turned away from me, surely now I would have killed you, and saved her alive.”