Numbers 32: 22 – 35

God was angry that Balaam was going with the Moabite leaders, and as Balaam was riding along on his donkey, accompanied by his two servants, the angel of the Lord stood in the road to bar his way. When the donkey saw the angel standing there holding a sword, it left the road and turned into the fields. Balaam beat the donkey and brought it back onto the road. Then the angel stood where the road narrowed between two vineyards and had a stone wall on each side. When the donkey saw the angel, it moved over against the wall and crushed Balaam's foot against it. Again Balaam beat the donkey. Once more the angel moved ahead; he stood in a narrow place where there was no room at all to pass on either side. This time, when the donkey saw the angel, it lay down. Balaam lost his temper and began to beat the donkey with his stick. Then the Lord gave the donkey the power of speech, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you? Why have you beaten me these three times?”

Balaam answered, “Because you have made a fool of me! If I had a sword, I would kill you.”

The donkey replied, “Am I not the same donkey on which you have ridden all your life? Have I ever treated you like this before?”

“No,” he answered.

Then the Lord let Balaam see the angel standing there with his sword; and Balaam threw himself face downward on the ground. The angel demanded, “Why have you beaten your donkey three times like this? I have come to bar your way, because you should not be making this journey. But your donkey saw me and turned aside three times. If it hadn't, I would have killed you and spared the donkey.”

Balaam replied, “I have sinned. I did not know that you were standing in the road to oppose me; but now if you think it is wrong for me to go on, I will return home.”

But the angel said, “Go on with these men, but say only what I tell you to say.” So Balaam went on with them.

Picture

A painting by Rembrant van Rijn inspired by this story

Prayer

Can donkeys really talk? Probably not – but the scriptures speak of star that sing, trees that clap, rocks that might cry out and a creation that groans.

God of all creation, so often we humans see ourselves as superior to the rest of creation, and so fail to hear the voices of animals, the clapping of trees, or the cries of the earth itself.  Grant to us the humility to see ourselves as part of your creation, and to love it as you do.  We pray for all who work in agriculture and horticulture, for scientists and engineers, researchers and entrepreneurs, that as they consider complex questions, they might hear the voices of donkeys and th songs of stars. Amen.