Typically, we know animals can’t speak, but the talking donkey in Balaam’s Bible story proves otherwise. As you read through the Bible daily, you’ll see several mysterious occurrences in it. Though certain scenarios in scripture may seem strange to us, they truly happened.
In the biblical story of Balaam, we see the manifestation of God’s power because only He can make the impossible possible. God sent His word to Balaam through his donkey, allowing the animal to speak like human beings.
Let’s talk about why God opened the donkey’s mouth and what the story teaches us as Christians today.
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This biblical story of the talking donkey can be found in the book of Numbers 22, in the Old Testament. But to understand the story better, we need to know Balaam’s role in all of it.
Balaam Receives King Balak’s Message
According to the biblical narrative of Numbers 22, Balaam, son of Beor, was a diviner or prophet who lived in Pethor, near the Euphrates River.
Balaam was famous for one thing—whoever he blesses will be blessed, and whoever he curses will be cursed. Because of Balaam’s reputation as a powerful diviner, the Moabites and Midianites respected him a lot.
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When the people of Israel left Egypt, they stopped at the plains of Moab while on the way to the Promised Land. Upon hearing about the Israelites’ victory over the Amorites, Balak, the son of Zippor and king of Moab, became scared of them.
King Balak was worried that the Israelites would take over his land because they were large in number. So he called the attention of the Medianite elders to the situation at hand and also formed an alliance with them.
That’s not all; the Moabite king came up with a plan to stop the Israelites from overrunning his land using spiritual means. He sent the elders of Midian and Moab to the prophet Balaam, pleading with him to curse the Israelites because they were too powerful to handle. And so, the officials left the presence of the king to deliver his message to Balaam, taking some money with them for his services.
When the elders arrived at Balaam’s home, they reported everything the king said to him. Balaam asked the messengers to spend the night while he seeks the face of God pertaining to the issue. Without hesitation, the elders did as they were instructed.
Balaam’s Act of Obedience
Later, the Lord God appeared to Balaam to ask why Balak’s officials came to meet with him. Then Balaam told the Lord that the king of Moab sent this message to him:
“A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.”
Immediately, God warned Balaam not to go with the Moabite officials or curse the Israelites because they’re blessed.
By morning, Balaam explained to the officials that he won’t be able to go with them based on God’s instructions. Therefore, the elders went back to Moab to deliver Balaam’s message to King Balak.
When the king received Balaam’s message, he sent other high-ranking officials to him with the promise of a generous reward. Regardless, Balaam told the officials that even if the king offered him all the silver and gold in his palace, he wouldn’t go against the command of the Lord.
Again, Balaam asked the messengers to spend the night, the second time, while he asked for God’s directions concerning the situation. That night, God appeared to Balaam and said to him, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you. (Numbers 22:20)”
In the morning, Balaam went with the king’s officials, riding on his donkey despite God’s instructions. As a result of Balaam’s disobedience, the Lord became angry with him. So the angel of the Lord stood in the way of Balaam to prevent him from moving forward with his donkey.
As soon as Balaam’s donkey saw the angel of the Lord holding a drawn sword, it swerved to the nearby field. Balaam became furious, and he hit the donkey to ensure it got back on the right way. Still, the angel stood in the narrow path with walls on its two sides. Since Balaam couldn’t see the angel, he didn’t understand why his donkey wasn’t following the normal route.
As the donkey tried to maneuver through the angel of the Lord, it moved close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot. Balaam became so annoyed that he hit the donkey again.
Finally, the donkey lay down on the ground underneath Balaam because there was no other way to turn. For the third time, Balaam beat his donkey with the staff in his hands.
Balaam’s Donkey Speaks
Suddenly, the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and it began to talk. First, the donkey asked why Balaam hit him three times. Still annoyed and frustrated, Balaam told the donkey that if he were with a sword, he would have killed it.
Then the donkey responded, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?” “No,” Balaam replied to the donkey.
At that moment, the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes to see the angel standing before him. Then the angel asked Balaam why he beat his donkey three times, letting him know he was the reason for the hindrance.
After the angel finished speaking, Balaam acknowledged his mistakes and decided to go back home. But the angel of the Lord commanded him to go with the princes of Balak and follow divine instructions.
What Eventually Happened to Balaam?
Numbers 31 speaks of the unfortunate end of Balaam as a result of his evil deeds. Though Balaam obeyed the word of God by not cursing the Israelites, he advised King Balak to manipulate them into sinning against God. Balaam encouraged Balak to entice the sons of Israel with the Moabite women and to turn their hearts to idols.
King Balak followed Balaam’s advice, and many Israelites fell into the temptation, bringing God’s punishment upon them. Balaam was killed in battle alongside the Medianite kings when the Israelites fought against the Medianites, who led them into sexual sins and idolatry.
4 Lessons from the Talking Donkey in the Bible
The story of Balaam’s talking donkey is full of life lessons that can benefit us as Christians in the modern age. I’ll talk about 5 of these key lessons.
1. Nothing Can Limit God’s Voice
When God wanted to speak to Balaam, he opened the mouth of a mute donkey to pass across His messages. Today, God still speaks to His children using both common and unconventional means.
Sometimes, you may receive divine instructions from your local pastor or while reading the Bible. Other times, God can speak to you through a signpost while driving or even through a Facebook post.
In essence, nothing can stand in the way of God’s messages. Our duty is to receive His word with an open mind and act on it immediately.
2. Setbacks Can Be Blessings in Disguise
Though Balaam wanted to go with Balak’s officials to Moab, his donkey delayed his movement. He wasn’t aware that his donkey’s unusual behavior was a blessing in disguise.
When God eventually opened Balaam’s eyes to see the reason for his delay, the angel told him two important things. First, the path he was treading was a reckless one. Secondly, the angel revealed that if the donkey hadn’t turned away, he would have killed Balaam.
This aspect of the talking donkey story teaches us that our failures, stagnancy, and setbacks can be God’s way of protecting us. God sees the past, the present, and the future. Additionally, the Lord knows all things and can do all things, including those things that seem impossible.
If you’ve been struggling to make progress in any area of your life, ask God for clarity. When going through difficult situations, the Lord may want you to redirect your steps or to remain patient while he makes your path straight. So instead of complaining, be grateful because all things will eventually work for your good.
3. Anger Clouds One’s Judgment
Imagine having an early morning appointment at work and having to drive your kids to their school. Then, one of your kids begins to play around the house and refuses to dress up for school while you’re trying to keep up with time.
Let’s assume Balaam found himself in such a similar frustrating situation when his donkey didn’t follow the right path. But instead of exercising patience to make sense of the situation, Balaam began to hit the innocent animal.
We read that the strange donkey’s behavior wasn’t its habit, which means something must have been responsible for it. But Balaam was so furious that he didn’t take a moment to make the right decision.
The truth is, anger doesn’t give room for rational thinking most of the time. There have been situations where people say things they don’t mean or destroy expensive items in the heat of anger. As Christians, we must learn to control our emotions whenever someone or something annoys us. Anger has no real benefits but is rather destructive.
4. God Desires Total Obedience
Perhaps if Balaam had willingly obeyed God completely, he wouldn’t have had to go through the stress of struggling with his donkey. In the same way, we must develop the habit of obeying God’s commands without arguments.
Throughout scripture, we see examples of those who disobeyed God and the repercussions of their decision. When we follow those commands that are convenient and neglect the difficult ones, we’re being rebellious against God. While obedience is not always easy, it is a key factor that allows you to have a close walk with God.
Abraham proved his obedience to God by determining to sacrifice his son, Isaac. Noah followed God’s instructions by building an ark, which later saved him and his family from the great flood.
If Abraham, Noah, and other godly characters in scripture could go above and beyond to obey God, we have no reason not to do the same.
Kennie Oguntoyinbo is a freelance content writer, editor and proofreader with over 4 years of experience. She is highly skilled in creating captivating and informative content across the Christian, relationship, and parenting niches. With a deep love for Christian-related articles, she writes content that inspires the readers, combining biblical lessons with practical knowledge. Whether writing devotional blogs, relationship advice, or family-focused articles, she aims to glorify God while connecting with readers through relatable, encouraging, faith-driven articles.
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