King James Version

Numbers 22:32

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:

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Hebrew

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וַיֹּ֤אמֶרvayomerand sayאָמַרconjunction, verb, qal, sequential imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “and say”, the next action in the storyH559to say (used with great latitude)answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call, certify, challenge, charge, [phrase] (at the, give) command(-ment), commune, consider, declare, demand, [idiom] desire, determine, [idiom] expressly, [idiom] indeed, [idiom] intend, name, [id…אֵלָיו֙elayvamongאֵלpreposition, suffix, pronominal, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “among”H413near, with or among; often in general, toabout, according to, after, against, among, as for, at, because(-fore, -side), both...and, by, concerning, for, from, [idiom] hath, in(-to), near, (out) of, over, through, to(-ward), under, unto, upon, whether, with(-in).מַלְאַ֣ךְmalakhangelמֲלְאָךְnoun, common, masculine, singular, construct — “angel”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH4397a messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher)ambassador, angel, king, messenger.יְהוָ֔הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…מָ֗הmahhowמָהparticle, interrogative — “how”H4100properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senseshow (long, oft, (-soever)), (no-) thing, what (end, good, purpose, thing), whereby(-fore, -in, -to, -with), (for) why.הִכִּ֨יתָ֙hikitastrikeנָכָהverb, hiphil, perfect, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “strike”, a completed actionH5221to strike (lightly or severely, literally or figuratively)beat, cast forth, clap, give (wounds), [idiom] go forward, [idiom] indeed, kill, make (slaughter), murderer, punish, slaughter, slay(-er, -ing), smite(-r, -ing), strike, be stricken, (give) stripes, [idiom] surely, wound.אֶתetobject markerאֵתparticle, direct object marker — “object marker”H853properly, self (but generally used to point out more definitely the object of a verb or preposition, even or namely)(as such unrepresented in English).אֲתֹ֣נְךָ֔atonekhaassאָתוֹןnoun, common, feminine, singular, construct, suffix, pronominal, 2nd person, masculine, singular — “ass”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH860a female donkey (from its docility)(she) ass.זֶ֖הzehthe one...the otherזֶהpronoun, demonstrative, masculine, singular — “the one...the other”H2088the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or thathe, [idiom] hence, [idiom] here, it(-self), [idiom] now, [idiom] of him, the one...the other, [idiom] than the other, ([idiom] out of) the (self) same, such (a one) that, these, this (hath, man), on this side...on that side, [idiom] thus,…שָׁל֣וֹשׁshaloshthirdשָׁלוֹשׁadjective, cardinal, feminine, singular, absolute — “third”, the ordinary formH7969three; occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multiple) thrice[phrase] fork, [phrase] often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, [phrase] thrice. Compare H7991 (שָׁלִישׁ).רְגָלִ֑יםregalimfootרֶגֶלnoun, common, feminine, plural, absolute — “foot”, the ordinary formH7272a foot (as used in walking); by implication, a step; by euphemistically the pudenda[idiom] be able to endure, [idiom] according as, [idiom] after, [idiom] coming, [idiom] follow, (broken-)foot(-ed, -stool), [idiom] great toe, [idiom] haunt, [idiom] journey, leg, [phrase] piss, [phrase] possession, time.הִנֵּ֤הhinehloהִנֵּהparticle, demonstrative — “lo”H2009lo!behold, lo, see.אָנֹכִי֙anokhimeאָנֹכִיpronoun, personal, 1st person, common, singular — “me”H595II, me, [idiom] which.יָצָ֣אתִיyatsatibring forthיָצָאverb, qal, perfect, 1st person, common, singular — “bring forth”, a completed actionH3318to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively, direct and proxim.[idiom] after, appear, [idiom] assuredly, bear out, [idiom] begotten, break out, bring forth (out, up), carry out, come (abroad, out, thereat, without), [phrase] be condemned, depart(-ing, -ure), draw forth, in the end, escape, exact, fail…לְשָׂטָ֔ןlesatanto Satanשָׂטָןpreposition, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “to Satan”, the ordinary formH7854an opponent; especially (with the article prefixed) Satan, the arch-enemy of goodadversary, Satan, withstand.כִּֽיkiassuredכִּיconjunction — “assured”H3588(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexedand, + (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), + but, certainly, doubtless, + else, even, + except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, + nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, + (al-) though, + til…יָרַ֥טyaratbe perverseיָרַטverb, qal, perfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be perverse”, a completed actionH3399to precipitate or hurl (rush) headlong; (intransitively) to be rashbe perverse, turn over.הַדֶּ֖רֶךְhaderekhthe alongדֶּרֶךְdefinite article, noun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “the along”, the ordinary formH1870a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverbalong, away, because of, [phrase] by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever).לְנֶגְדִּֽיlenegdito againstנֶגֶדpreposition, preposition, suffix, pronominal, 1st person, common, singular — “to against”H5048a front, i.e. part opposite; specifically a counterpart, or mate; usually (adverbial, especially with preposition) over against or beforeabout, (over) against, [idiom] aloof, [idiom] far (off), [idiom] from, over, presence, [idiom] other side, sight, [idiom] to view.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

And the angel of the LORD said unto him: 'Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because thy way is contrary unto me;

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

And the angel of Jehovah said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because thy way is perverse before me:

Young’s Literal Translation

and the messenger of Jehovah saith unto him, 'Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? lo, I — I have come out for an adversary, for [thy] way hath been perverse before me,

World English Bible

Yahweh’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.

Darby Translation

And the Angel of Jehovah said to him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, it was I who came forth to withstand thee, for the way [thou walkest in] is for ruin before me.

Douay-Rheims

And the angel said to him: Why beatest thou thy ass these three times? I am come to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse, and contrary to me:

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

And the angel of the LORD said unto him: 'Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because thy way is contrary unto me;

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

And the angel of God said to him, Why hast thou smitten thine ass this third time? and, behold, I came out to withstand thee, for thy way was not seemly before me; and when the ass saw me, she turned away from me this third time.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ, διατί ἐπάταξας τὴν ὄνον σου τοῦτο τρίτον; καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἐξῆλθον εἰς διαβολήν σου, ὅτι οὐκ ἀστεία ἡ ὁδός σου ἐναντίον μου, καὶ ἰδοῦσά με ἡ ὄνος, ἐξέκλινεν ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ τρίτον τοῦτο.