And Balak (king of Moab) saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites. And Moab
was sore afraid of the people, because they were many: .... And Moab said unto the
elders ..., Now will this multitude lick up all that is round about us, as the ox licketh
up the grass of the field. And he sent messengers unto Balaam ...to call him, saying,
Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of the
earth, and they abide over against me. Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me
this people; for they are too mighty for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may
smite them, and that I may drive them out of the land; for I know that he whom thou
blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is cursed.
And the elders ...departed with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they
came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak. And he said unto them,
Lodge here this night, and I will bring you word again, as Jehovah shall speak unto
me: and the princes of Moab abode with Balaam. ...And God said unto Balaam,
Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not curse the people; for they are blessed.
And Balaam rose up in the morning, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you
into your land; for Jehovah refuseth to give me leave to go with you. And the
princes of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to
come with us.
Warm up Chat: A. In pairs, students talk about prophets and prophecy. Students should change partners often in order to hear many ideas.
B. In pairs, students talk about guessing future winners in sports and politics. Do they enjoy trying? Why or why not?
Introductory Discussion Questions
If invaders entered your land, what would you do?
Who would you go to for help?
What do you think of curses? Are they useful or useless? Explain.
What do you think of blessings? Are they useful or useless? Explain.
Who do you like to receive blessings from?
Synonym Matching
sore afraid many people
elders perhaps/ maybe
multitude very scared
lick up land
messengers couriers
behold look
earth win
pray thee older leaders
peradventure hit them
prevail push them out
smite them ask you
drive them out use up
Antonym Matching
many consequences
curse evening
mighty deny permission
sent few
departed laid down
rewards bless
blessed weak
rose up received
morning arrived
refuse cursed
give leave consent
Listening Blank Fill
And Balak (king of Moab) saw all that Israel ________ done to the Amorites. And Moab
was sore _________ of the people, because they were many: .... And Moab said unto the
__________ ..., Now will this multitude lick up all that __ round about us, as the ox licketh
up the ________ of the field. And he sent messengers unto Balaam ...___ call him, saying,
Behold, there is a people _________ out from Egypt: behold, they cover the face of ______
earth, and they abide over against me. Come ________ therefore, I pray thee, curse me
this people; _____ they are too mighty for me: peradventure I _____ prevail, that we may
smite them, and that ___ may drive them out of the land; for I ___________that he whom
thou blessest is blessed, and he _________ thou cursest is cursed.
And the elders ...departed with the rewards of _______________ in their hand; and they
came unto Balaam, _______ spake unto him the words of Balak. And he said unto them,
Lodge _________ this night, and I will bring you word again, ___ Jehovah shall speak unto
me: and the princes _______ Moab abode with Balaam. ...And God said ________ Balaam,
Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt ________ curse the people; for they are blessed.
And Balaam _________ up in the morning, and said unto the princes _____ Balak, Get you
into your land; for Jehovah refuseth ______ give me leave to go with you. And the
__________ of Moab rose up, and they went unto Balak, and ________, Balaam refuseth to
come with us.
Word Bank Fill in the Blank
And Balak (king of Moab) saw all that Israel had _________ to the Amorites. And Moab
was sore _________ of the people, because they were many: .... And Moab said unto the
elders ..., Now will this multitude _______ up all that is round about us, as the ox licketh
up the _________ of the field. And he sent messengers unto Balaam ...to call him, saying,
Behold, there is a people come out from Egypt: behold, they __________ the face of the
earth, and they abide over ___________ me. Come now therefore, I pray thee, curse me
this people; for they are too _________ for me: peradventure I shall prevail, that we may
smite them, and that I may _______ them out of the land; for I know that he whom thou
blessest is blessed, and he whom thou cursest is ___________.
cover
done
cursed
against
afraid
grass
lick
mighty
drive
And the elders ..._____________ with the rewards of divination in their hand; and they
came unto Balaam, and spake unto him the words of Balak. And he _______ unto them,
Lodge here this night, and I will _________ you word again, as Jehovah shall speak unto
me: and the princes of Moab ___________ with Balaam. ...And God said unto Balaam,
Thou shalt not go with them; thou shalt not __________ the people; for they are blessed.
And Balaam rose up in the _____________, and said unto the princes of Balak, Get you
into your land; for Jehovah refuseth to give me __________ to go with you. And the
princes of Moab _________ up, and they went unto Balak, and said, Balaam refuseth to
_________ with us.
give
curse
departed
abode
morning
said
leave
come
rose
Pair Work Discussion Questions
A
Why was king Balak afraid of the the Israelites (those who came of of Egypt)?
If you were king Balak, would you look for the help of a prophet? Why or why not?
Have you ever been tempted to do something because of money?
What happened?
Did Balaam do the right thing? Why or why not?
What do you think of this story? Explain.
B
What did king Balak think of Balaam?
What do you think the rewards of divination might do to Balaam?
What did God tell Balaam?
What do you think King Balak might do next? Guess.
What do you think of prophets? Explain.
Debate
Divide the class into teams.
Team A believes predicting the future is important. We should be interested
in prophecy.
Team B believes predicting the future is of no use. Prophecy is a waste of time.
Allow students to discuss their ideas and then debate.
Research and Writing
Research cultures that place importance upon predicting the future, blessings
and curses. Write about this culture and be prepared to share your findings in the next class.
Chinese Version
2 以 色 列 人 向 亚 摩 利 人 所 行 的 一 切 事 ， 西 拨 的 儿 子 巴 勒 都 看 见 了 。
3 摩 押 人 因 以 色 列 民 甚 多 ， 就 大 大 惧 怕 ， 心 内 忧 急 ，
4 对 米 甸 的 长 老 说 ： 现 在 这 众 人 要 把 我 们 四 围 所 有 的 一 概 ? 尽 ， 就 如 牛 ? 尽 田 间 的 草 一 般 。 那 时 西 拨 的 儿 子 巴 勒 作 摩 押 王 。
5 他 差 遣 使 者 往 大 河 边 的 ? 夺 去 ， 到 比 珥 的 儿 子 巴 兰 本 乡 那 里 ， 召 巴 兰 来 ， 说 ： 有 一 宗 民 从 埃 及 出 来 ， 遮 满 地 面 ， 与 我 对 居 。
6 这 民 比 我 强 盛 ， 现 在 求 你 来 为 我 咒 诅 他 们 ， 或 者 我 能 得 胜 ， 攻 打 他 们 ， 赶 出 此 地 。 因 为 我 知 道 ， 你 为 谁 祝 福 ， 谁 就 得 福 ； 你 咒 诅 谁 ， 谁 就 受 咒 诅 。
7 摩 押 的 长 老 和 米 甸 的 长 老 手 里 拿 着 卦 金 ， 到 了 巴 兰 那 里 ， 将 巴 勒 的 话 都 告 诉 了 他 。
8 巴 兰 说 ： 你 们 今 夜 在 这 里 住 宿 ， 我 必 照 耶 和 华 所 晓 谕 我 的 回 报 你 们 。 摩 押 的 使 臣 就 在 巴 兰 那 里 住 下 了 。
12 神 对 巴 兰 说 ： 你 不 可 同 他 们 去 ， 也 不 可 咒 诅 那 民 ， 因 为 那 民 是 蒙 福 的 。
13 巴 兰 早 晨 起 来 ， 对 巴 勒 的 使 臣 说 ： 你 们 回 本 地 去 罢 ， 因 为 耶 和 华 不 容 我 和 你 们 同 去 。
14 摩 押 的 使 臣 就 起 来 ， 回 巴 勒 那 里 去 ， 说 ： 巴 兰 不 肯 和 我 们 同 来 。
Exercise Answers:
Synonym Matching: sore afraid-->very scared, elders-->older leaders,
multitudes-->many people, lick up-->use up, messengers-->couriers, behold--> look, earth-->land, pray thee-->ask you, peradventure-->perhaps/maybe, prevail-->win, smite them-->hit them, drive them out-->push them out.
Antonym Matching: many-->few, curse-->bless, mighty-->weak, sent-->receive,
departed-->arrived, rewards-->consequences, blessed-->cursed, rose up-->laid down, morning-->evening, refuse-->consent, give leave-->deny permission.
Listening Blank Fill: had, afraid, elders, is, grass, to, come, the, now, for, shall, I, know, whom, divination, and, here, as, of, unto, not, rose, of, to, princes, said,
Word Bank Fill in the Blank: done, afraid, lick, grass, cover, against, mighty,
drive, cursed, departed, said, give, abode, curse, morning, leave, rose, come.
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