21 And Balaam rose up in the morning, and saddled his ass, and went with the princes of Moab.
21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials.
21 So Balaam rose in the morning and saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.
21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went off with the noblemen from Moab.
21 So Balaam rose in the morning, saddled his donkey, and went with the princes of Moab.
21 So the next morning Balaam got up, saddled his donkey, and started off with the Moabite officials.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Numbers 22:21
Commentary on Numbers 22:15-21
(Read Numbers 22:15-21)
A second embassy was sent to Balaam. It were well for us, if we were as earnest and constant in prosecuting a good work, notwithstanding disappointments. Balak laid a bait, not only for Balaam's covetousness, but for his pride and ambition. How earnestly should we beg of God daily to mortify such desires in us! Thus sinners stick at no pains, spare no cost, and care not how low they stoop, to gratify their luxury, or their malice. Shall we then be unwilling to do what is right? God forbid! Balaam's convictions charged him to keep to the command of God; nor could any man have spoken better. But many call God theirs, who are not his, not truly because not only his. There is no judging men by their words; God knows the heart. Balaam's corruptions at the same time inclined him to go contrary to the command. He seemed to refuse the temptation; but he expressed no abhorrence of it. He had a strong desire to accept the offer, and hoped that God might give him leave to go. He had already been told what the will of God was. It is a certain evidence of the ruling of corruption in the heart, to beg leave to sin. God gave Balaam up to his own heart's lusts. As God sometimes denies the prayers of his people in love, so sometimes he grants the desires of the wicked in wrath.