Using the word Ass in the King James Version 436 references. New King James Version, 444 Ass references. And the 21rst King James Version 431 references.
In Bible Times, if we can call that era that, many people rode on donkeys. It seems to me they had their own personal donkeys. Kings also had and rode on donkeys. Several people that are recorded as riding donkeys also owned horses. Many folks today will tell you that horses were only used in war. I find that *not* to be true. Donkeys were, it seems, to be the choice of folks that did not want to bring attention to themselves while traveling.
Not only were donkeys a choice ride, they were considered a possession of the rich, many times when we are told in the Bible how wealthy someone was it gives a count of their donkeys.
Donkeys were not only considered a great and treasured booty in times of war, but if you read the Bible you will find that God Himself used donkeys as examples in stories and verses.
Did Mary the mother of Jesus ride a donkey in to Bethlehem to deliver baby Jesus in the barn? We might never know. It is not in scripture that Mary rode a donkey. I think (notice I said this is just my opinion) the photos that we do see of Joseph walking the donkey with Mary seated on it is probably what did happen. I gather this for two reasons. They probably did own a donkey and Mary being pregnant would have been the one to ride. Mary and Joseph were poor. I know this by the offering they made when Jesus was taken to the temple. The old testament says that a woman should give an offering of a year old lamb as well as a pigeon or dove. It goes on to say (Leviticus 12:4 - eight) if she can not afford a lamb she is to bring two pigeons. Mary you will remember (Luke 2:22-24) took two birds (unclear if they were pigeons or doves). So because they were poor they probably only owned one donkey or could only bring one donkey to care for. (They would have had to buy food for their animals in Bethlehem. Think the prices of hay and grain may have gone up for the festival?) But the truth is we do not know if Mary did indeed ride a donkey into Bethlehem....but I like to think so.
If all this does not convince you that the Lord likes the donkeys, think about this. The Bible only records one ride that Jesus took. In that day there were donkeys, camels, horses, mules, and other riding animals. What did Jesus choose to ride into on to the biggest event of the times? It is recorded as "His Triumphal Entry" and, as recorded in Isaiah 62, "See your King comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey".
Genesis 12:16He treated Abram well for her sake, and Abram acquired sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, menservants and maidservants, and camels.
Genesis 16:12
He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers."
Genesis 22:3
Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about.
Genesis 22:5
He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."
Genesis 24:35
The LORD has blessed my master abundantly, and he has become wealthy. He has given him sheep and cattle, silver and gold, menservants and maidservants, and camels and donkeys.
Genesis 30:43
In this way the man grew exceedingly prosperous and came to own large flocks, and maidservants and menservants, and camels and donkeys.
Genesis 32:5
I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, menservants and maidservants. Now I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes.' "
Genesis 32:15
...thirty female camels with their young, forty cows and ten bulls, and twenty female donkeys and ten male donkeys.
Genesis 34:28
They seized their flocks and herds and donkeys and everything else of theirs in the city and out in the fields.
Genesis 36:24
The sons of Zibeon: Aiah and Anah. This is the Anah who discovered the hot springs in the desert while he was grazing the donkeys of his father Zibeon.
Genesis 42:26
...they loaded their grain on their donkeys and left.
Genesis 42:27
At the place where they stopped for the night one of them opened his sack to get feed for his donkey, and he saw his silver in the mouth of his sack.
Genesis 43:18
Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, "We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys."
Genesis 43:24
The steward took the men into Joseph's house, gave them water to wash their feet and provided fodder for their donkeys.
Genesis 44:3
As morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys.
Genesis 44:13
At this, they tore their clothes. Then they all loaded their donkeys and returned to the city.
Genesis 45:23
And this is what he sent to his father: ten donkeys loaded with the best things of Egypt, and ten female donkeys loaded with grain and bread and other provisions for his journey.
Genesis 47:17
So they brought their livestock to Joseph, and he gave them food in exchange for their horses, their sheep and goats, their cattle and donkeys. And he brought them through that year with food in exchange for all their livestock.
Genesis 49:11
He will tether his donkey to a vine, his colt to the choicest branch; he will wash his garments in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes.
Genesis 49:14
"Issachar is a rawboned donkey lying down between two saddlebags.
Exodus 4:20
So Moses took his wife and sons, put them on a donkey and started back to Egypt. And he took the staff of God in his hand.
Exodus 9:3
the hand of the LORD will bring a terrible plague on your livestock in the field?on your horses and donkeys and camels and on your cattle and sheep and goats.
Exodus 13:13
Redeem with a lamb every firstborn donkey, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem every firstborn among your sons.
Exodus 20:17
"You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
Exodus 21:33
"If a man uncovers a pit or digs one and fails to cover it and an ox or a donkey falls into it,
Exodus 22:4
"If the stolen animal is found alive in his possession?whether ox or donkey or sheep?he must pay back double.
Exodus 22:9
In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, 'This is mine,' both parties are to bring their cases before the judges. The one whom the judges declare guilty must pay back double to his neighbor.
Exodus 22:10
"If a man gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep or any other animal to his neighbor for safekeeping and it dies or is injured or is taken away while no one is looking,
Exodus 23:4
"If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him.
Exodus 23:5
If you see the donkey of someone who hates you fallen down under its load, do not leave it there; be sure you help him with it.
Exodus 23:12
"Six days do your work, but on the seventh day do not work, so that your ox and your donkey may rest and the slave born in your household, and the alien as well, may be refreshed.
Exodus 34:20
Redeem the firstborn donkey with a lamb, but if you do not redeem it, break its neck. Redeem all your firstborn sons. "No one is to appear before me empty-handed.
Numbers 16:15
Then Moses became very angry and said to the LORD, "Do not accept their offering. I have not taken so much as a donkey from them, nor have I wronged any of them."
Numbers 22:21
[ Balaam's Donkey ] Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the princes of Moab.
Numbers 22:22
But God was very angry when he went, and the angel of the LORD stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him.
Numbers 22:23
When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with a drawn sword in his hand, she turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat her to get her back on the road.
Numbers 22:25
When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam's foot against it. So he beat her again.
Numbers 22:27
When the donkey saw the angel of the LORD, she lay down under Balaam, and he was angry and beat her with his staff.
Numbers 22:28
Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?"
Numbers 22:29
Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now."
Numbers 22:30
The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?" "No," he said.
Numbers 22:32
The angel of the LORD asked him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.
Numbers 22:33
The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her."
Numbers 31:28
From the soldiers who fought in the battle, set apart as tribute for the LORD one out of every five hundred, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep or goats.
Numbers 31:30
From the Israelites' half, select one out of every fifty, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats or other animals. Give them to the Levites, who are responsible for the care of the LORD's tabernacle."
Numbers 31:34
...61,000 donkeys...
Numbers 31:39
...30,500 donkeys, of which the tribute for the LORD was 61;...
Numbers 31:45
...30,500 donkeys...
Deuteronomy 5:14
...but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals, nor the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest, as you do.
Deuteronomy 5:21
"You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor's house or land, his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
Deuteronomy 22:3
Do the same if you find your brother's donkey or his cloak or anything he loses. Do not ignore it.
Deuteronomy 22:4
If you see your brother's donkey or his ox fallen on the road, do not ignore it. Help him get it to its feet.
Deuteronomy 22:10
Do not plow with an ox and a donkey yoked together.
Deuteronomy 28:31
Your ox will be slaughtered before your eyes, but you will eat none of it. Your donkey will be forcibly taken from you and will not be returned. Your sheep will be given to your enemies, and no one will rescue them.
Joshua 6:21
They devoted the city to the LORD and destroyed with the sword every living thing in it?men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys.
Joshua 7:24
Then Joshua, together with all Israel, took Achan son of Zerah, the silver, the robe, the gold wedge, his sons and daughters, his cattle, donkeys and sheep, his tent and all that he had, to the Valley of Achor.
Joshua 9:4
they resorted to a ruse: They went as a delegation whose donkeys were loaded with worn-out sacks and old wineskins, cracked and mended.
Joshua 15:18
One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What can I do for you?"
Judges 1:14
One day when she came to Othniel, she urged him to ask her father for a field. When she got off her donkey, Caleb asked her, "What can I do for you?"
Judges 5:10
"You who ride on white donkeys, sitting on your saddle blankets, and you who walk along the road, consider
Judges 6:4
They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys.
Judges 10:4
He had thirty sons, who rode thirty donkeys. They controlled thirty towns in Gilead, which to this day are called Havvoth Jair.
Judges 12:14
He had forty sons and thirty grandsons, who rode on seventy donkeys. He led Israel eight years.
Judges 15:15
Finding a fresh jawbone of a donkey, he grabbed it and struck down a thousand men.
Judges 15:16
Then Samson said, "With a donkey's jawbone I have made donkeys of them. With a donkey's jawbone I have killed a thousand men."
Judges 19:3
...her husband went to her to persuade her to return. He had with him his servant and two donkeys. She took him into her father's house, and when her father saw him, he gladly welcomed him.
Judges 19:10
But, unwilling to stay another night, the man left and went toward Jebus (that is, Jerusalem), with his two saddled donkeys and his concubine.
Judges 19:19
We have both straw and fodder for our donkeys and bread and wine for ourselves your servants?me, your maidservant, and the young man with us. We don't need anything."
Judges 19:21
So he took him into his house and fed his donkeys. After they had washed their feet, they had something to eat and drink.
Judges 19:28
He said to her, "Get up; let's go." But there was no answer. Then the man put her on his donkey and set out for home.
I Samuel 8:16
Your menservants and maidservants and the best of your cattle and donkeys he will take for his own use.
I Samuel 9:3
Now the donkeys belonging to Saul's father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, "Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys."
I Samuel 9:4
So he passed through the hill country of Ephraim and through the area around Shalisha, but they did not find them. They went on into the district of Shaalim, but the donkeys were not there. Then he passed through the territory of Benjamin, but they did not find them.
I Samuel 9:5
When they reached the district of Zuph, Saul said to the servant who was with him, "Come, let's go back, or my father will stop thinking about the donkeys and start worrying about us."
I Samuel 9:20
As for the donkeys you lost three days ago, do not worry about them; they have been found. And to whom is all the desire of Israel turned, if not to you and all your father's family?"
I Samuel 15: 3
I Samuel 16:20
I Samuel 22:19
I Samuel 25
I Samuel 27:9
II Samuel 17:23
II Samuel 19
I Kings 13:
II Kings 4:24
II Kings 5:17
II Kings 6:25
II Kings 7:7
I Chronicles 12:40
I Chronicles 27:30
II Chronicles 28:15
Ezra 2
Nehemiah 7
Nehemiah 13:15
Job 1:3
Job 6:5
Job 24:3
Job 24:5
Job 39:5
Job 42:12
Psalm 104:11
Proverbs 26:3
Proverbs 27:23
Isaiah 1:3
Isaiah 21:7
Isaiah 30:6
Isaiah 30:24
Isaiah 32:14
Jeremiah 2:23-24
Jeremiah 14:6
Jeremiah 22:19
Ezekiel 23:20
Daniel 5:21
Hosea 8:9
Zechariah 9:9
Zechariah 9:15
Zechariah 15
Matthew 21:1-11
Mark 11:1-11
Luke 19:28-44
John 12:12-19
II Peter 2:16
There are many references to pack donkeys or packing things unto a donkey or donkeys in the Bible. I found that there are 6 references to loaded donkeys in the New Living Translation, three references to loaded donkey in the English Standard Version and five in the New American Standard version. If you look up loaded donkeys in King James Version, look under or up Lad or laded Ass, there are six references. The following are the seven scriptures references I found in the NIV for loaded donkey.
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