Reference

Numbers 22:34

“And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.”

And the angel of the Lord said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:

And the ass saw me, and turned from me these three times: unless she had turned from me, surely now also I had slain thee, and saved her alive.

And Balaam said unto the angel of the Lord, I have sinned; for I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease thee, I will get me back again.

And the angel of the Lord said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast.

Why This Verse Was Tagged

Divine Speech

Keyword Match

80% relevance

This verse contains specific terms directly associated with this theme.

Counter-Arguments

The strongest case that this verse does not belong in this theme.

Divine Speech

The Angel of the Lord in this passage is clearly acting as a messenger and agent of God, speaking on God's behalf. While the Angel uses first-person language ("I knew not that thou stoodest in the way against me"), this can be understood as the Angel relaying God's message directly, rather than claiming to *be* God. The Angel's role is to deliver God's will and judgment, and the first-person phrasing can be a rhetorical device to emphasize the divine origin and authority of the message, without

Divine Speech

Related Verses

2 Samuel 24:17

“And David spake unto the Lord when he saw the angel that smote the people, and said, Lo, I have sinned, and I have done wickedly: but these sheep, what have they done? let thine hand, I pray thee, be against me, and against my father’s house.”

1 Samuel 15:30

“Then he said, I have sinned: yet honour me now, I pray thee, before the elders of my people, and before Israel, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord thy God.”

2 Samuel 24:10

“And David’s heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And David said unto the Lord, I have sinned greatly in that I have done: and now, I beseech thee, O Lord, take away the iniquity of thy servant; for I have done very foolishly.”

1 Samuel 15:25

“Now therefore, I pray thee, pardon my sin, and turn again with me, that I may worship the Lord.”

Exodus 32:30

“And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.”

Thematic Connections

Divine Speech

Private Study Note

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