Numbers 22:21
New International Version
Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials.

New Living Translation
So the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials.

English Standard Version
So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.

Berean Standard Bible
So in the morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

King James Bible
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

New King James Version
So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

New American Standard Bible
So Balaam arose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the leaders of Moab.

NASB 1995
So Balaam arose in the morning, and saddled his donkey and went with the leaders of Moab.

NASB 1977
So Balaam arose in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the leaders of Moab.

Legacy Standard Bible
So Balaam arose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the leaders of Moab.

Amplified Bible
So Balaam got up in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the leaders of Moab.

Christian Standard Bible
When he got up in the morning, Balaam saddled his donkey and went with the officials of Moab.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When he got up in the morning, Balaam saddled his donkey and went with the officials of Moab.

American Standard Version
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

Contemporary English Version
So Balaam got up the next morning and saddled his donkey, then left with the Moabite officials.

English Revised Version
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When Balaam got up in the morning, he saddled his donkey and left with the Moabite princes.

Good News Translation
So the next morning Balaam saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite leaders.

International Standard Version
The next morning, Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started to leave, accompanied by the Moabite officials.

Majority Standard Bible
So in the morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

NET Bible
So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

New Heart English Bible
Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Balaam rose in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

World English Bible
Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Balaam rises in the morning, and saddles his donkey, and goes with the princes of Moab,

Young's Literal Translation
And Balaam riseth in the morning, and saddleth his ass, and goeth with the princes of Moab,

Smith's Literal Translation
And Balaam will rise up in the morning, and saddle his ass, and go with the leaders of Moab.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
Balaam arose in the morning, and saddling his ass went with them.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddling his donkey, he set out with them.

New American Bible
So the next morning when Balaam arose, he saddled his donkey, and went off with the princes of Moab.

New Revised Standard Version
So Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the officials of Moab.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
So Balaam rose up in the morning and saddled his ass and went with the princes of Balak.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Balaam arose at dawn and mounted on his donkey and he went on with the Princes of Moab.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Balak Summons Balaam
20That night God came to Balaam and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.” 21So in the morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.

Cross References
2 Peter 2:15-16
They have left the straight way and wandered off to follow the way of Balaam son of Beor, who loved the wages of wickedness. / But he was rebuked for his transgression by a donkey, otherwise without speech, that spoke with a man’s voice and restrained the prophet’s madness.

Jude 1:11
Woe to them! They have traveled the path of Cain; they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam; they have perished in Korah’s rebellion.

Revelation 2:14
But I have a few things against you, because some of you hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to place a stumbling block before the Israelites so they would eat food sacrificed to idols and commit sexual immorality.

Deuteronomy 23:4-5
For they did not meet you with food and water on your way out of Egypt, and they hired Balaam son of Beor from Pethor in Aram-naharaim to curse you. / Yet the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam, and the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you.

Joshua 24:9-10
Then Balak son of Zippor, the king of Moab, set out to fight against Israel. He sent for Balaam son of Beor to curse you, / but I would not listen to Balaam. So he blessed you again and again, and I delivered you from his hand.

Nehemiah 13:2
because they had not met the Israelites with food and water, but had hired Balaam to call down a curse against them (although our God had turned the curse into a blessing).

Micah 6:5
My people, remember what Balak king of Moab counseled and what Balaam son of Beor answered. Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal, so that you may acknowledge the righteousness of the LORD.’”

2 Kings 22:13
“Go and inquire of the LORD for me, for the people, and for all Judah concerning the words in this book that has been found. For great is the wrath of the LORD that burns against us because our fathers have not obeyed the words of this book by doing all that is written about us.”

1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.

1 Corinthians 10:10-11
And do not complain, as some of them did, and were killed by the destroying angel. / Now these things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

Genesis 24:10
Then the servant took ten of his master’s camels and departed with all manner of good things from his master in hand. And he set out for Nahor’s hometown in Aram-naharaim.

Genesis 31:17
Then Jacob got up and put his children and his wives on camels,

Exodus 4:20
So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey, and headed back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.

Judges 6:38
And that is what happened. When Gideon arose the next morning, he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.

1 Samuel 25:13
And David said to his men, “Strap on your swords!” So David and all his men strapped on their swords, and about four hundred men followed David, while two hundred stayed with the supplies.


Treasury of Scripture

And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.

Proverbs 1:15,16
My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path: …

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Ass Chiefs Donkey Leaders Making Moab Morning Princes Ready Riseth Rose Saddled Saddleth
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Ass Chiefs Donkey Leaders Making Moab Morning Princes Ready Riseth Rose Saddled Saddleth
Numbers 22
1. Balak's first message for Balaam is refused
15. His second message obtains him
22. An angel would have slain him, if he had not been saved by his donkey
36. Balak entertains him














So in the morning
The phrase "in the morning" often signifies a time of new beginnings or fresh starts in the Bible. In Hebrew culture, the morning was a time for action and decision-making. Here, it marks the commencement of Balaam's journey, a pivotal moment that sets the stage for the unfolding narrative. The morning can symbolize clarity and purpose, yet in Balaam's case, it also foreshadows the spiritual blindness and moral ambiguity that will characterize his actions.

Balaam got up
Balaam's rising indicates readiness and willingness to proceed with the task at hand. The Hebrew root for "got up" (קוּם, qum) often implies establishing or confirming one's intentions. Balaam's actions reflect a conscious decision to follow the path laid before him, despite the divine warnings he had received. This highlights the tension between human free will and divine sovereignty, a recurring theme in Scripture.

saddled his donkey
The act of saddling the donkey is a practical preparation for travel, but it also carries symbolic weight. In ancient Near Eastern culture, donkeys were common beasts of burden, representing humility and service. Balaam's choice to saddle his donkey himself, rather than having a servant do it, might suggest a personal investment in the journey. However, it also foreshadows the irony of the narrative, where the donkey will become a vehicle of divine intervention and revelation.

and went with the princes of Moab
Balaam's decision to accompany the princes of Moab signifies his alignment with their mission, despite the moral and spiritual implications. The Moabites, descendants of Lot, were often in conflict with Israel, and their princes represent worldly power and influence. Balaam's association with them underscores the allure of earthly rewards and the danger of compromising one's spiritual integrity for material gain. This phrase serves as a cautionary reminder of the importance of discerning God's will over human ambition.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So Balaam
בִּלְעָם֙ (bil·‘ām)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1109: Balaam -- a prophet

got up
וַיָּ֤קָם (way·yā·qām)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 6965: To arise, stand up, stand

in the morning,
בַּבֹּ֔קֶר (bab·bō·qer)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 1242: Dawn, morning

saddled
וַֽיַּחֲבֹ֖שׁ (way·ya·ḥă·ḇōš)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2280: To wrap firmly, to stop, to rule

his donkey,
אֲתֹנ֑וֹ (’ă·ṯō·nōw)
Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 860: A female donkey

and went
וַיֵּ֖לֶךְ (way·yê·leḵ)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

with
עִם־ (‘im-)
Preposition
Strong's 5973: With, equally with

the princes
שָׂרֵ֥י (śā·rê)
Noun - masculine plural construct
Strong's 8269: Chieftain, chief, ruler, official, captain, prince

of Moab.
מוֹאָֽב׃ (mō·w·’āḇ)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 4124: Moab -- a son of Lot,also his descendants and the territory where they settled


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OT Law: Numbers 22:21 Balaam rose up in the morning (Nu Num.)
Numbers 22:20
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