Balaam and Di Donkey Wey Talk

One donkey stop sharp for one narrow road between two vineyard walls. Di man wey ride am vex well well. E raise im stick. And then di donkey turn her head and talk.

Israel camp for di plains of Moab, just across di Jordan from Jericho. Dem don already defeat two kings wey attack dem, and fear catch di Moabites well well. Their king, Balak, look down at di tents wey spread across di valley and talk, Dis crowd go lick everything wey dey around us, di way cow dey lick grass for field. E no fit beat dem for war. So e try another thing. Far away, near di big river, Balaam son of Beor dey live, one seer wey everybody for di area know. People dey talk say whoever Balaam bless, di person don bless, and whoever e curse, di person don curse. Balak send messengers with money for their hand. Come curse dis people for me.

Dat night God talk to Balaam. No go with dem. You must not curse dis people, because dem don bless. So Balaam send di messengers go home. Balak try again, with bigger princes and bigger offer. Name your price. Balaam answer with big voice, Even if Balak give me im house full with silver and gold, I no fit pass di word of di Lord my God. But e ask dem make dem sleep there di night, in case God go talk something different. And God tell am, If dis men don come call you, go with dem. But na only wetin I tell you, you go do.

For morning Balaam saddle im donkey and set out. And here di Bible talk something wey surprise: God vex say e go. People wey dey explain di Bible don wonder why for long, and many talk say Balaam heart still dey on top Balak gold. Whatever di reason, di angel of di Lord stand for di road with sword for hand. Balaam no see am. Im donkey see am. She turn comot from di road enter one field. Balaam beat her back to di road. Small distance after, di road narrow between two vineyard walls. Di angel stand there too. Di donkey press against di wall and crush Balaam leg. E beat her again. Then dem reach one place wey narrow so tey no space to turn at all. Di angel stand there. And di donkey just lie down under am. Balaam vex finish and beat her with im stick.

Then di Lord open di donkey mouth. Wetin I do you, wey you beat me dis three times? And Balaam, wey vex too much to even surprise, begin argue with her! Because you don make me look like fool! If sword dey my hand, I for kill you now now. Di donkey talk, No be me be your own donkey, wey you don ride all your life reach today? I don ever do you like dis before? No, e agree. Then di Lord open Balaam eyes. E see di angel, sword for hand, and e fall flat for im face. Your donkey see me and turn comot three times, di angel talk. If she no do am, I for don kill you and spare her life. Di great seer, wey dey claim say e dey see wetin others no fit see, im own donkey see pass am. I don sin, Balaam talk. Go on, di angel talk. But na only wetin I tell you, you go talk.

Balak carry Balaam go up to high places where e fit look down on Israel camp. Seven altars. Seven bulls. Seven rams. Balaam open mouth to curse, and blessing comot. How I go curse di people wey God no curse? Balak shock and e try another mountain. Again blessing. God no be man, wey go lie. E don talk am, and e no go do am? Third time, from di third mountain top, Balaam look di tents of Israel wey spread for down like gardens near river, and e sing, How your tents fine, O Jacob, di place where you dey live, O Israel! Balak clap im hands together with vex. I call you to curse my enemies, and you don bless dem three times! But word from God, nobody fit buy am, and nobody fit turn am round.

Balaam no be just name for old story. For nineteen sixty-seven, archaeologists wey dey dig for Tell Deir Alla, for di Jordan Valley for di country of Jordan today, find pieces of writing wey dem paint with ink on top plastered wall. Di writing, from around di eighth century before Christ, talk about one vision wey Balaam son of Beor receive, one seer of di gods. Na different story from di one for Numbers. But e show say people remember Balaam as famous seer for dat very area, centuries after Moses.

Balaam story dey for Numbers, chapter twenty-two to twenty-four. One king pay for curse, one seer try to deliver am, and one donkey see clear pass both of dem. And God turn every curse to blessing. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Anything dey pull you go toward wetin you know say God don say no to, and who God fit dey use to stop you?