Balaam reaches the absolute peak of his prophetic boasting, describing a profound and intensely physical experience of Divine communication. He presents himself not merely as a passive messenger, but as someone granted a rare, inner understanding of God's will.
His claim of knowing the mind of God presents a striking contrast. How could a man who failed to understand the behavior of his own donkey claim to understand the thoughts of his Creator? The primary approach resolves this by explaining that his knowledge was highly specific: he possessed the unique ability to pinpoint the exact, fleeting moment of Divine anger [רש״י, תורה תמימה, שפתי חכמים, נחלת יעקב]. This anger is not a human emotion, but rather a specific moment when strict justice is unleashed upon the world, often triggered by the idolatrous practices of nations worshipping the sun [נחלת יעקב].
Conversely, other scholars understand his claim in a much broader sense, suggesting he was given access to God’s actual thoughts and decrees [שד״ל]. Through this clarity, Balaam realized that God had no intention of cursing the Israelites as long as they remained worthy [חזקוני, פענח רזא]. He finally grasped the ultimate Divine purpose, which was to elevate and bring greatness to the nation [העמק דבר].
This realization marked a profound shift in his understanding. Until this point, he was like a royal chef preparing a magnificent feast without knowing who the guest of honor was or why the meal was being held. Now, the deep purpose behind God's actions was fully revealed to him [העמק דבר]. This heightened awareness was achieved through pure prophecy rather than his usual sorcery [אבן עזרא], granting him the ability to look far into the future and even uncover the secrets of the Messianic era [קיצור בעל הטורים].
The sheer intensity of this revelation caused him to collapse physically, yet his mind remained perfectly attuned to the visions appearing clearly before him [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Alternatively, his physical state points to an unbroken chain of prophecy rather than a single overwhelming moment. Collapsing into his bed at night and keeping his eyes open during the day both served as opportunities for revelation. Unlike other prophets who received messages only in the darkness of night, he experienced a continuous connection to God, seeing Divine visions both day and night [חזקוני, פענח רזא].