Origen
Patristic
c. A.D. 184–253
“I marvel at Balaam's ass and heap blessings on it, because it was worthy not only to see the angel of God but even to have its mouth opened and break into human speech.”
The interpretation timeline
Num 22:28
How this passage has been read — the sources, oldest to newest.
From the early Church Fathers to now.
Num 22:28 · Douay-Rheims
“And the Lord opened the mouth of the ass, and she said: What have I done to thee? Why strikest thou me, lo, now this third time?”
Patristic
before A.D. 750
254
A.D.
Modern · 1953 →
The in-app commentary runs from the Fathers to the early-modern record, then stops — that's where the public-domain sources end, not where the reading does. For the modern reading, follow the sources directly.