The usual, Old Testament battles, slaughter and genocide continue unabated, we pick up the story with;
Balaam has the power to curse, Balac, son of Sepphor, King of Moab wants him to use this power against Israel. Balac sends some Princes to ask this task of Balaam, Balaam defers for the moment, intending to seek God’s counsel on the matter. God and Balaam seem to be on speaking terms, God nixes the plan, Balaam sends the Princes away in refusal of their request.
Princes return, offer Balaam generous bribes. Balaam again seeks God’s counsel.
God talks with Balaam, God allows Balaam to go with the Princes only if Balaam agrees to do exactly as God tells Ballam.
Morning comes, Balaam goes with the Princes but the ever capricious and fickle GOD has changed his mind, is now angry with Ballam for going with the Princes of Moab.
God can no longer be bothered talking directly with Balaam, instead sends an angel to block Ballam’s way with no explanation.
Ass sees angel, freaks and dodges into a field, Balaam beats the ass.
Angel now blocks a narrow walled lane, ass freaks again, dodges, squeezes Balaam’s leg against a wall, ass gets beat again.
3rd time repeat, this time in a very narrow passage with no room to move, ass balks, gets beaten.
Balaam still has no clue what’s up, thinks he’s following God’s instructions of the night before, has no clue at this point that the angel is even there, reasonably assumes the ass is misbehaving for no apparent reason.
Now, finally in 22:28, “Then the LORD opened the donkey’s mouth, and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?””
Alternate translations here; http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-28.htm
Balaam and his ass chat for a bit, blah blah to the effect of “I’m so angry I could kill you if I had a sword”, “have I ever treated you this way before?”(ass speaking) and so on. Neither Balaam nor his ass comment on how extraordinarily unusual it is for them to be conversing.
Then in 22:31 http://biblehub.com/numbers/22-31.htm “Then the LORD opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.”
ABOUT EFFING time God reveals his passive aggressive mind game on Balaam, poor ass had to suffer so. God was perfectly capable in communicating directly with Balaam the night before, what’s up with all the Drama Queen King action now?
Drama drama drama continues, seven altars with animal sacrifices, wheedling by Balac, Balaam steadfastly stands by God, this guy’s name should be synonymous with steadfast.
On and on we go, skipping ahead to 31:8 http://biblehub.com/numbers/31-8.htm battles are done for the moment, death and carnage abound, victors survey the carnage and find “Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba–the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword.”
Not totally clear or concise here but there is an implication that Balaam was still alive at the point, fell to an Israeli sword when found among the other notable victims.
This is how God immorally treated Balaam who had so steadfastly obeyed everything asked and commanded by God.
No way I can leave out the so very choice very next verse, 31:9 http://biblehub.com/numbers/31-9.htm “The Israelites captured the Midianite women and children and took all the Midianite herds, flocks and goods as plunder.”