"And the angel of the Lord said to him, Why have you given your ass blows these three times? See, I have come out against you to keep you back, because your purpose is not pleasing to me." — Numbers 22:32
“Issachar is a strong donkey, crouching between the sheepfolds. He saw that a resting place was good, and that the land was pleasant, so he bowed his shoulder to bear, and became a servant at forced labor." – Genesis 49:14-15 In Genesis 49 Jacob describes his sons as qualities within consciousness, setting a pattern echoed throughout the Bible.
In Numbers 22, Balaam and his donkey show what happens when we try to hold a new assumption but drift back into old reactions. Neville Goddard’s revelation helps us read this scene as an inner process: the mind, the moods and feelings that react, and the warning signals that appear when we move away from our chosen state.
Balaam’s Name: A Mind Pulled by Outside Influences
Balaam’s name, Bilʿam (בִּלְעָם), can mean “not of the people” or “destruction of the people.” Both ideas show different sides of the same issue: drifting out of the state you intend to occupy.
- “Not of the People”: This means dwelling on thoughts, moods, or reactions that do not belong to the state you want to live from. You are reacting from a place that is “not your people” — not part of the assumption you chose. Instead of thinking from the wish fulfilled, the mind temporarily slips into old, unwanted feelings.
- “Destruction of the People”: Old beliefs and reactions fall apart when a new assumption is chosen. This “destruction” is simply the breaking down of outdated states so the new one can take hold.
Baal: The Pull of External Pressure
Baal symbolises anything that tries to direct us from the outside — opinions, habits, fears, or conditions. When Balaam listens to Balak, he mirrors how easily the mind can be moved away from the assumption we want to maintain. Neville stresses that true authority comes from within, not from circumstances.
The Donkey: Moods, Feelings, and Reactions
The donkey represents your moods and feelings — the reactive part of you that picks up on truth before the conscious mind does. While Balaam (the conscious reasoning mind) doesn’t see the angel, the donkey does. This is the way your feelings warn you when you start drifting away from your assumption.
When you assume a new state, your moods begin to shift. But if you start slipping back into the old feeling, you get that internal “don’t go there” sense — hesitation, discomfort, or tension. The donkey’s behaviour shows this exact moment. It resists because something in you knows the assumption is being abandoned or contradicted.
This is why Jesus riding the donkey later symbolises feelings and moods being trained to support the chosen assumption instead of opposing it.
The Angel: The Warning That You Are Leaving the Assumption
The angel is not a threat—it is a messenger from the psyche. It appears the moment you begin to step outside the state you decided to occupy. The angel is the “check” within consciousness that says: you are moving away from your chosen assumption.
This is why the donkey sees it first. Your feelings sense when you are about to contradict your desire long before your reasoning mind notices.
The Blows: Forcing Yourself Instead of Feeling the State
When Balaam hits the donkey, this is the moment when we try to push ourselves forward using willpower rather than assuming the state. The blows show the strain of trying to force life from the outside instead of moving from the inner feeling of the wish fulfilled.
The friction between intention and old reactions is normal. It shows where the mind needs to return to the assumption rather than fight against its own emotional guidance.
The Donkey’s Loyalty: Feelings Can Serve the Assumption
The donkey stays with Balaam despite everything, symbolising the fact that our moods, once understood, can actually support the assumption. When feelings are brought into alignment with the chosen state, they become stable, steady carriers of the new identity—just as the donkey eventually carries the prophet correctly once the warning is received.
Conclusion: Recognising When You Drift
The story shows how the mind moves between assumption and reaction. Balaam is the conscious chooser; the donkey is the emotional response; the angel is the warning that you are stepping out of your chosen state.
"Then Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, “I have sinned, for I did not know that you stood in the road against me. Now therefore, if it is evil in your sight, I will turn back.” — Numbers 22:34
Once understood, the whole scene becomes practical. It shows that manifestation is an inner coordination of thought, feeling, and assumption. When you drift, you feel it. When you return to the state, everything aligns again. Balaam’s final turn toward the angel mirrors our own moment of coming back to the wish fulfilled, allowing imagination to lead rather than external pressure.
Jacob's Twelve Son's and Tribes Series | Angel Series | Baal Series | Animals Series