Numbers 22:31 "Then the Lord opened the eyes of Balaam and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the way and his sword drawn in his hand and he bowed down his head and fell flat on his face."
Balaam has decided to meet with Balak and is on his way riding a donkey and takes along two servants. Balaam is apparently blind to spiritual things even though he is here the mouthpiece of God.
An angel stands in his way but Balaam does not see him and tries to go forward. The donkey he was riding did see the angel and stopped. Balaam tries to turn this way and that but still the donkey would not go on. Finally, the donkey speaks to Balaam and asked why he is striking him.
The amazing thing is Balaam carries on a conversation with the donkey and appears to think nothing of it until the angel allows him to see him. He then receives permission to proceed but is reminded to speak only what he is told by God to speak.
v1 "And it came to pass on the morrow that Balak took Balaam and brought him up into the high places of Baal, that thence he might see the utmost part of the people."
Balak plays a little trick on Balaam by not showing him all the people. Just the "...utmost part.." which sounds like the end of the camp to me. Balaam did not yet know the multitude he was looking at. So Balak builds altars and Balaam goes to see what God would have him say to Balak. It is not what Balak wants though.
A back and forth goes on in the next chapters which makes Balak upset at Balaam because he wanted a curse on Israel but did not get it. Balaam at least stood firm on that part. Who wouldn't after talking to a donkey and then an angel. He should have been rather revived at this point but I'm afraid he was still thinking about a place of honor that Balak promised. He should have known that he already had a place of honor as a prophet.
Proverbs 11:18 "The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that sowest righteousness shall be a sure reward."
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