“God's wrath was enflamed because he was going, and the angel of the Lord stood on the way as an impediment to him, and he was riding on his donkey, and his two lads were with him” (Numbers 22:22). “God's wrath was enflamed because he was going, and the angel of the Lord stood” – it was an angel of mercy, that was transformed for him into an impediment. “His two lads were with him” – this is the way of the world, that a person who sets out on the way needs two to serve him, and they then serve one another.
“The donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing on the road, and his sword was drawn in his hand, and the donkey turned from the road, and went into the field. Bilam struck the donkey, to turn it to the road” (Numbers 22:23). “The donkey saw the angel of the Lord…[and his sword was drawn in his hand]” – was the angel unable to blow on him and remove his spirit without drawing his sword? But is it not written regarding Sennacherib: “An angel of the Lord came out and smote…in the camp of Assyria” (Isaiah 37:36), and it is written: “When He blows on them [they wither]” (Isaiah 40:24), their lives.
Rather, this is what he said to him: ‘The mouth is granted to Jacob, as it is stated: “The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau” (Genesis 27:22), and it is written: “You shall live by your sword” (Genesis 27:40). All the nations, their lives are by their sword, and you will exchange your craft and come upon them with theirs? I, too, will come upon you with yours: “And his sword was drawn in his hand.”’