The Israelites had been in the wilderness for almost 40 years. They had conquered many strong cities. Now, as they camped on the plains of Moab east of the Jordan River, it was time for them to enter the Promised Land. Balak, the king of Moab, was scared that he was going to lose his land to them. So he invited a man named Balaam to come to Moab and curse the Israelites.

But Jehovah told Balaam: ‘You must not curse the Israelites.’ So Balaam refused to go. King Balak invited him a second time and promised to give him anything he wanted. Still, Balaam refused. Then God said: ‘You may go, but you may say only what I tell you to say.’

Balaam got on his donkey and headed south to Moab. He planned to curse the Israelites, even though Jehovah had told him not to. Jehovah’s angel appeared on the road three times. Balaam could not see the angel, but Balaam’s donkey could. First the donkey went off the road into a field. Then the donkey moved up against a stone wall, jamming Balaam’s foot against it. Finally the donkey lay down in the middle of the road. Each time, Balaam hit the donkey with a stick.

After the third time, Jehovah made the donkey speak. The donkey asked Balaam: ‘Why do you keep hitting me?’ Balaam said: ‘You made me look stupid. I would kill you if I had a sword.’ The donkey said: ‘You’ve ridden me for years. Have I ever treated you this way before?’

Then Jehovah let Balaam see the angel. The angel said: ‘Jehovah warned you not to curse Israel.’ Balaam said: ‘I did  wrong. I will go back home.’ But the angel said: ‘You can go to Moab, but you may say only what Jehovah tells you to say.’

Had Balaam learned his lesson? No. After that, Balaam tried to curse Israel three times, but each time Jehovah made him bless them instead. Eventually, the Israelites attacked Moab, and Balaam was killed. Would it not have been better if Balaam had listened to Jehovah in the first place?

Te ọ ghi bu ukpo 40 ne Ivbi Izrẹl ya rre uwu ato. Iran khọn ẹvbo nibun mu tan. Nia, te iran ghi rre ato ọghe Moab nọ rre ọkpẹn Ẹzẹ e Jọdan. Ẹghẹ na kha na, te iran khian ghi la Otọ Na Yan Rẹn. Ohan na gha mu e Balak ne ọba ọghe Moab wẹẹ te Ivbi Izrẹl khian vbe do khọnmiotọ yan iran. Ẹre ọ na ghi tie okpia ọkpa na tie ẹre Balam nọ gha die Moab nọ do tie ihẹn ne Ivbi Izrẹl.

Sokpan e Jehova keghi tama e Balam wẹẹ: ‘Ghẹ tie ihẹn ne Ivbi Izrẹl.’ Rhunmwuda ọni, e Balam ma ghi yo. Ọba e Balak keghi werriegbe tie Balam vbene ọ na tama rẹn wẹẹ irẹn gha viọ emwi ke emwi nọ gualọ nẹ. E Balam na wẹẹ irẹn i khian ye yo. Osanobua keghi tama e Balam wẹẹ: ‘U sẹtin gha khian, sokpan emwi ne I rhirhi tama ruẹ, ẹre u khian ta vbe u gha sẹ evba.’

E Balam keghi hin ekẹtẹkẹtẹ ọghẹe gha rrie Moab. Ọ na gha mwẹ ọnrẹn vbe orhiọn wẹẹ te irẹn khian tie ihẹn ne Ivbi Izrẹl agharhemiẹn wẹẹ e Jehova tama rẹn nẹ ghẹ ru vberriọ. Odibo ọghe Jehova keghi rhiegbe ma igba eha vbe odẹ. Sokpan e Balam ma bẹghe nene odibosa, ekẹtẹkẹtẹ ọghẹe ọkpa ẹre ọ ghaa bẹghe ẹre. Vbe ẹghẹ okaro ne odibo nii ya rhiegbe ma, ekẹtẹkẹtẹ ọghẹe na la uwu oha. Vbe iyeke ọni, ọ na vbe lẹẹ la eke ne okuta ye, ẹre ọ na mu owẹ e Balam gbe okuta. Vbe okiekie, ekẹtẹkẹtẹ nii na wa de lovbiẹ ye adesẹneva ukpo. Na kha na, e Balam na gha ya ukpokpo kinmwi ẹnrẹn.

Vbe iyeke ọni, e Jehova keghi ruẹ ne ekẹtẹkẹtẹ nii guan. Ẹre ekẹtẹkẹtẹ nii na gha nọ e Balam wẹẹ: ‘Vbọsiẹ ne u na fi mwẹ emwi vbenia?’ E Balam keghi kha wẹẹ: ‘Te u wa ya mwẹ ma. Akpawẹ te agbada mwẹ gue mwẹ mwa, I gha te gbuẹ rua.’ Ẹre ekẹtẹkẹtẹ nii na ghi kha wẹẹ: ‘Ẹi imẹ ẹre uwẹ hin ke otọ gha dee? I he ka ru ruẹ vbenia ẹdẹ ra?’

Vbe iyeke ọni, e Jehova keghi ruẹ ne Balam bẹghe odibo nii. Odibo nii na ghi nọ e Balam wẹẹ: ‘E Jehova ma tama ruẹ, ne u ghẹ tie ihẹn ne  Ivbi Izrẹl?’ E Balam keghi wanniẹn wẹẹ: ‘Orukhọ ẹre I wa ru na. I gha werriegbe gha rrie owa.’ Sokpan odibosa nii keghi tama rẹn wẹẹ: ‘U sẹtin ye gha rrie Moab, sokpan emwi ne Jehova wẹẹ ne u ta ọkpa ẹre u khian ta.’

Ọna rhie ẹwaẹn ne Balam ra? Hiehie! Vbe Balam ghi sẹ e Moab, ọ na ye gha hoo nọ tie ihẹn ne Ivbi Izrẹl, sokpan ẹghẹ ke ẹghẹ ne ọ ya gha hoo nọ tie ihẹn, ọ ghi gha na erhunmwu ne iran. Vbene ẹghẹ ghi ya gha khian, Ivbi Izrẹl keghi ya gu e Moab khọn, okuo nii ẹre Balam wu yi. U ma bẹghe ẹre wẹẹ, akpawẹ e Balam họn ẹmwẹ ne Jehova, ọni ẹre ọ gha te maan sẹ?