And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and more honorable than they. And they came to Balaam, and said to him, Thus saith Balak ..., Let nothing, I pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: for I will promote thee unto very great honor, and whatsoever thou sayest unto me I will do: come therefore, I pray thee, curse me this people. And Balaam answered and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah my God, to do less or more. Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what Jehovah will speak unto me more. And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men are come to call thee, rise up, go with them; but only the word which I speak unto thee, that shalt thou do.
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and ..., and went with the princes of Moab. And God’s anger was kindled because he went; and the angel of Jehovah placed himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants were with him. And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam smote the ass, to turn her into the way. Then the angel of Jehovah stood in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah, and she thrust herself unto the wall, and crushed Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again. And the angel of Jehovah went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to turn either to the right hand or to the left. And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah, and she lay down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with his staff. And Jehovah opened the mouth of the ass, and she said unto Balaam,
Introductory Debate
Divide the class into teams.
Team A believes money is more important than fame and honor.
Team B believes fame and honor are more important than money.
Allow students to discuss their ideas and then debate.
Introductory Discussion Questions
Some say that given enough money, everyone would do an evil thing. What do you think? Does everyone have a price?
Can you think of some things you would never do for money, no matter how much?
Do you think many people are motivated by greed (love of money)? Why or why not?
Have you ever ridden a donkey or horse? What was the experience like?
If the animals in our community could talk, what do you think they would say about us humans?
Synonym Matching
honorable home
pray God
hinder prevent
house respected
tarry get up
speak ask
rise up hit
ass donkey
smote stay
Jehovah say
Antonym Matching
full of quenched or stopped
adversary closed
drawn lie down
narrow wide
kindled empty of
opened right
left less
more bless
rise up sheathed
curse friend
Listening Blank Fill
And Balak sent yet again princes, more, and ________ honorable than they. And they came to Balaam, ________ said to him, Thus saith Balak ..., Let nothing, _____ pray thee, hinder thee from coming unto me: _______ I will promote thee unto very great honor, and _____________ thou sayest unto me I will do: come _____________, I pray thee, curse me this people. And Balaam ____________ and said unto the servants of Balak, If Balak _________ give me his house full of silver and ________, I cannot go beyond the word of Jehovah ______ God, to do less or more. Now therefore, I ________ you, tarry ye also here this night, that ______ may know what Jehovah will speak unto me more. _______ God came unto Balaam at night, and said _______ him, If the men are come to call ________, rise up, go with them; but only the ________ which I speak unto thee, that shalt ________ do.
Verb Bank Fill in the Blank
And Balaam ________ up in the morning ..., and went with the princes of Moab. And God’s anger was ___________ because he went; and the angel of Jehovah __________ himself in the way for an adversary against him. Now he was riding upon his ass, and his two servants ________ with him. And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah standing in the way, with his sword _________ in his hand; and the ass turned aside out of the way, and went into the field: and Balaam _________ the ass, to turn her into the way. Then the angel of Jehovah _________ in a narrow path between the vineyards, a wall being on this side, and a wall on that side. And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah, and she thrust herself unto the wall, and ___________ Balaam’s foot against the wall: and he smote her again. And the angel of Jehovah went further, and stood in a narrow place, where was no way to _______ either to the right hand or to the left. And the ass saw the angel of Jehovah, and she _______ down under Balaam: and Balaam’s anger was kindled, and he smote the ass with his staff. And Jehovah opened the mouth of the ass, and she ________ unto Balaam,
smote
said
lay
were
drawn
rose
stood
crushed
turn
placed
kindled
Pair Work Discussion Questions
A
What is king Balak using to try to bribe Balaam into cursing the people of Israel?
Is money or fame more tempting to people? Explain why.
Why do you think God was angry with Balaam about going when He told him he could go?
If Balaam went, what did God require?
What do you think of this story?
B
Was Balaam tempted by money and fame? How can you tell?
Did king Balak believe in Balaam's cursing ability? How can you tell?
What mistake did Balaam make in his response to temptation?
Have you ever been angry at an animal? What happened?
How do you think this story will end?
Guess the Donkey's Words and Finish the Story
In pairs or groups, have students discuss what they think the donkey said and how the story ended. Have a spokesperson from each group share their ideas. In the next class, see who was the closest!
Research and Writing
This story contained the following old English words: ass, thee, and thou. Do some research on these words using online dictionaries and be prepared to share your findings in the next class.
Chinese Version
巴 勒 又 差 遣 使 臣 ， 比 先 前 的 又 多 又 尊 贵 。
他 们 到 了 巴 兰 那 里 ， 对 他 说 ： 西 拨 的 儿 子 巴 勒 这 样 说 ： 求 你 不 容 甚 麽 事 拦 阻 你 不 到 我 这 里 来 ，
因 为 我 必 使 你 得 极 大 的 尊 荣 。 你 向 我 要 甚 麽 ， 我 就 给 你 甚 麽 ； 只 求 你 来 为 我 咒 诅 这 民 。
巴 兰 回 答 巴 勒 的 臣 仆 说 ： 巴 勒 就 是 将 他 满 屋 的 金 银 给 我 ， 我 行 大 事 小 事 也 不 得 越 过 耶 和 华 ─ 我 神 的 命 。
现 在 我 请 你 们 今 夜 在 这 里 住 宿 ， 等 我 得 知 耶 和 华 还 要 对 我 说 甚 麽 。
当 夜 ， 神 临 到 巴 兰 那 里 ， 说 ： 这 些 人 若 来 召 你 ， 你 就 起 来 同 他 们 去 ， 你 只 要 遵 行 我 对 你 所 说 的 话 。
巴 兰 早 晨 起 来 ， 备 上 驴 ， 和 摩 押 的 使 臣 一 同 去 了 。
神 因 他 去 就 发 了 怒 ； 耶 和 华 的 使 者 站 在 路 上 敌 挡 他 。 他 骑 着 驴 ， 有 两 个 仆 人 跟 随 他 。
驴 看 见 耶 和 华 的 使 者 站 在 路 上 ， 手 里 有 拔 出 来 的 刀 ， 就 从 路 上 跨 进 田 间 ， 巴 兰 便 打 驴 ， 要 叫 他 回 转 上 路 。
耶 和 华 的 使 者 就 站 在 葡 萄 园 的 窄 路 上 ； 这 边 有 墙 ， 那 边 也 有 墙 。
驴 看 见 耶 和 华 的 使 者 ， 就 贴 靠 墙 ， 将 巴 兰 的 脚 挤 伤 了 ； 巴 兰 又 打 驴 。
耶 和 华 的 使 者 又 往 前 去 ， 站 在 狭 窄 之 处 ， 左 右 都 没 有 转 折 的 地 方 。
驴 看 见 耶 和 华 的 使 者 ， 就 卧 在 巴 兰 底 下 ， 巴 兰 发 怒 ， 用 杖 打 驴 。
耶 和 华 叫 驴 开 口 ， 对 巴 兰 说 ：
Exercise Answers:
Synonym Matching: honorable-->respected, pray-->ask, hinder-->prevent, house-->home, tarry-->stay, speak-->say, rise up-->get up, ass-->donkey, smote-->hit, Jehovah-->God.
Antonym Matching: full of-->empty of, adversary-->friend, drawn-->sheathed, narrow-->wide, kindled-->quenched or stopped, opened-->closed, left-->right, more-->less, rise up-->lie down, curse-->bless.
Listening Blank Fill: more, and, I, for, whatsoever, therefore, answered, would, gold, my, pray, I, And, unto, thee, word, thou.
Verb Bank Fill in the Blank: rose, kindled, placed, were, drawn, smote, stood, crushed, turn, sat, said.
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