I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way— It is evident, that this cannot be the true meaning of Balaam's words, as Psalmanazar well remarks; for how could he be guilty in this respect, if his eyes were withheld from seeing the angel? According to the Hebrew idiom they carry a much higher sense, and more agreeable to the context; namely, I have sinned, or transgressed, in that I did not know, or duly consider, that thou stoodest in my way: or, in other words, didst oppose my proceeding; or that it could be displeasing to God, who had given me leave to go. But now, continued he, since I find it to be so, I will readily return home again. According to this sense, Balaam artfully evades the charge laid against him by the angel, of having perverted his way; (see on Numbers 22:32.) i.e. as before explained, of entertaining views so very opposite to the divine will, that he could not but know they were sufficient to expose him to the divine displeasure; though not enough so to make him apprehensive, or even dream of such an extraordinary opposition. But the words in the original are still capable of another sense: I have sinned, therefore did not perceive that thou stoodest to oppose my way; or, in other words, it is my fault that I did not perceive that thou wert averse to my proceedings. Now therefore, since, &c. Here the angel, having thus far deterred Balaam from pursuing his ambitious and hostile design, gives him fresh leave to go with Balak's messengers; Numbers 22:35 but with this express injunction, that he should not speak any thing but what was dictated to him. See Numbers 22:20 and ch. Numbers 23:12. Accordingly, he readily declares to Balak, upon his coming to welcome him, Numbers 22:38 that he had really no power to speak a word for or against the Israelites, but what God should put into his mouth. So far had the rencounter and warning of the heavenly messenger wrought upon the avaricious prophet, that he seems to have been fully determined to renounce all hopes of riches or preferment, rather than go one step beyond his commission. There were two ends for which we may reasonably suppose these extraordinary miracles were wrought: First, to display God's goodness toward even that infatuated prophet, in trying, by rational motives, to direct him from his selfish views, without infringing on his free will. Secondly, to prepare the Moabitish messengers, and by their means, those who had sent them on that hostile and fruitless errand, for the subsequent and more sensible tokens that God was going to give them, as well of his unalterable purposes in favour of the Israelites, as of the folly, impiety, and danger of attempting, by whatsoever means, to obstruct them; in which view, nothing could be better calculated than the present miraculous transaction, wherein the Moabitish princes, who were present, must be well convinced that there could not possibly be any collusion: the ass could not have been made a party with its master, whose character and disposition were such as to render him very free from suspicion on this head; so that the mere relation of so extraordinary an event must have struck the Moabites with peculiar apprehensions.
REFLECTIONS.—Balak's princes, probably, were in haste to carry the glad tidings to their master, and Balaam was now alone with his servants. 1. God's anger was kindled against him. Sin is not the less provoking to him because permitted. An angel with a flaming sword is sent to obstruct his way. They are God's messengers, sent to defend the heirs of salvation, and to avenge his quarrel against their enemies. How impotent then their attempts against God's church and people guarded by such angelic hosts! 2. The ass he rode upon saw the danger, though Balaam was blind to it. When pride, lust, and covetousness, keep men asleep in the arms of sin, they are insensible, and see not the sword of wrath hanging over their heads. The ass turned aside, and Balaam smote her to bring her into the way. Again, in a narrow part between the vineyards, startled at the same appearance, the beast, eager to avoid the sword, ran close by the wall, and crushed Balaam's foot. Provoked at which, he smote her a second time. So angry are we often at those who would save us from ruin, and so little disposed to inquire whether our ways are not perverse before God, and the cause of the accidents we meet with! At the next place of meeting the angel, a narrow pass precluded all escape, and then his beast fell under him; at which, still more incensed, he struck her the third time. Those who are bent on ruin will take no warning. 3. The dumb ass, speaking with a man's voice by a wonderful miracle, rebukes the madness of the prophet: she complains justly of Balaam's cruelty; he, in rage, vindicates it with a wish that he had a sword to slay her. Note; (1.) The whole creation groaneth under their sufferings; but God hears the cries of the abused brutes, and will remember the cruelty of their tormentors. (2.) The inhumanity wherewith many a poor wretch treats his cattle proves the wickedness and madness of Balaam in his heart. (3.) They, who plead provocation as an excuse for their passions, will find it a fruitless plea at the bar of God. 4. He who gave the dumb beast speech gives her reason also: she expostulates with him on the injustice of the treatment, from his past experience of her serviceableness and care of him; and that never before had he cause of complaint against her. Note; (1.) The usefulness of dumb creatures to us is a great call upon us to treat them with tenderness. (2.) One undesigned false step must not be treated with rigour, when the general tenor of the conduct has been upright. 5. Balaam's eyes are now opened; the terrible vision lays him flat on his face, justly apprehensive of that sword which hung over him. When God opens our eyes, then we shall tremble at that danger to which we were blind before. The angel rebukes the perverseness of his way, and shews him how much indebted he was to the beast that he had so injured. Note; We shall at last find them our best friends, whom we despised, or reviled, for their reproofs of our iniquity. 6. Balaam acknowledges his sin, and professes to be ready to return, willing to escape the danger of the way, though giving no symptom of sorrow for the malignity of his intention against Israel. Thus some are terrified into a partial reformation, whose hearts remain still unconverted from the love of sin. 7. The angel permits his journey, if his mind still led him on; but he is restricted from uttering a syllable farther than God should give him leave, and made the unwilling instrument of blessing instead of cursing Israel. Thus God has in his hands the hearts of of all men, and can restrain their words and actions, and make the bitterest enemies of his people instruments of good to them.