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A Donkey Talks (Pentateuch [Part 3])

5/28/2017

1 Comment

 
Picture
And God opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done to you, that you have beat me these three times? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because you have mocked me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I had killed thee. And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I your ass, upon which you have ridden all your life long unto this day? Have I ever wanted to do so unto you? and he said, No.

Then Jehovah opened the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the angel of Jehovah standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he bowed his head, and fell on his face. And the angel of Jehovah said unto him, Why have you hit your ass these three times? Behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because your way is perverse before me: and the ass saw me, and turned aside before me these three times: unless she had turned aside from me, surely now I had even slain thee, and saved her alive. And Balaam said unto the angel of Jehovah, I have sinned; for I knew not that you stood in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease you, I will go back again. And the angel of Jehovah said unto Balaam, Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak unto you, that you shall speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

Introductory Discussion
As a class or in groups, discuss the differences and similarities between humans and animals. How are they the same? How are they different.


Introductory Discussion Questions
If animals could talk about us humans, what do you think they would say?
​How do you think animals should be disciplined for bad behavior? 
What would your response be, if an animal talked to you?
Have you ever been frustrated by an animal's behavior? What happened?  

Do you enjoy riding donkeys or horses? Why or why not?  

Synonym Matching
Jehovah                                                wrong
ass                                                         say
adversary                                             enemy
perverse                                               hit
speak                                                    make fun of
beat                                                       God
mocked                                                 donkey


Antonym Matching
opened                                                             be silent
angel                                                                 sheathed  
speak                                                                 alive
drawn                                                                good
bowed                                                               please
adversary                                                         closed
perverse                                                           demon
slain                                                                   stood
displease                                                          friend
                                                                        


Listening Blank Fill
And God opened the mouth of the donkey, ______ she said unto Balaam, What have I done ______ you, that you have beat me these three ___________? And Balaam said unto the ass, Because you ________ mocked me, I wish there were a sword ________ my hand, for now I had killed you. ________ the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I __________ ass, upon which you have ridden all your _________ long unto this day? Have I ever wanted to ________ so unto you? And he said, No.

Then Jehovah opened the eyes of Balaam, and he ________ the angel of Jehovah standing in the way, ___________ his sword drawn in his hand; and he ___________ his head, and fell on his face. And __________ angel of Jehovah said unto him, Why have you __________ your ass these three times? Behold, I am ___________ forth for an adversary, because your way is perverse ___________ me: and the ass saw me, and turned __________ before me these three times: unless she had __________ aside from me, surely now I had even __________ you, and saved her alive. And Balaam said ___________ the angel of Jehovah, I have sinned; for I ___________ not that you stood in the way against _________: now therefore, if it displease you, I will ________ back again. And the angel of Jehovah said ____________ Balaam, Go with the men; but only the __________ that I shall speak unto you, that you shall ____________. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.

Verb Bank Fill in the Blank
And God _____________ the mouth of the donkey, and she said unto Balaam, What have I done to you, that you have beat me these three times? And Balaam ___________ unto the ass, Because you have _____________ me, I wish there were a sword in my hand, for now I had killed you. And the ass said unto Balaam, Am not I your ass, upon which you have ___________ all your life long unto this day? Have I ever ______________ to do so unto you? and he said, No.

Then Jehovah opened the eyes of Balaam, and he _________ the angel of Jehovah standing in the way, with his sword drawn in his hand; and he ____________ his head, and fell on his face. And the angel of Jehovah said unto him, Why have you _________ your ass these three times? Behold, I am come forth for an adversary, because your way ________ perverse before me: and the ass saw me, and turned aside before me these three times: unless she had ____________ aside from me, surely now I had even slain you, and __________ her alive. And Balaam said unto the angel of Jehovah, I have sinned; for I _________ not that you stood in the way against me: now therefore, if it displease you, I will _______ back again. And the angel of Jehovah said unto Balaam, Go with the men; but only the word that I shall speak unto you, that you shall speak. So Balaam _________ with the princes of Balak.

mocked
go
opened
went
wanted
saw
knew
hit
is
turned
saved
bowed
said

ridden

Pair Work Discussion Questions
A
Why was Balaam angry at the donkey?
What real dangers do we sometimes not see? 
Do you think Balaam was humbled by the donkey? Why or why not?
Do you think Ballam said what God told him to or did his own thing? Why?
What does this story show us about God?
B
Why do you think Balaam didn't seem surprised that the donkey spoke to him? 
Have you ever been in a situation in which another person saw the danger you didn't see? What happened? 
What did God require of Balaam if he went? 
What does this story show us about Balaam?
Do you think Balaam was truly sorry for his sin? Why or why not?

Closing Discussion
As a class or in groups, discuss how animals communicate without human language. When you do not know a language, do you ever resort to any of their methods?

Research And Writing
Look up Balak and Balaam and try to discover what happened to them after this story. Did Balaam obey God and never curse Israel? Did Balaam ever become a friend of Israel? Write and be prepared to share your findings. 

Chinese Version

耶和华叫驴开口对巴兰说:“我向你行了什么,你竟打我这三次呢?” 巴兰对驴说:“因为你戏弄我。我恨不能手中有刀,把你杀了。” 驴对巴兰说:“我不是你从小时直到今日所骑的驴吗?我素常向你这样行过吗?”巴兰说:“没有。”

当时,耶和华使巴兰的眼目明亮,他就看见耶和华的使者站在路上,手里有拔出来的刀。巴兰便低头俯伏在地。 耶和华的使者对他说:“你为何这三次打你的驴呢?我出来抵挡你,因你所行的,在我面前偏僻。 驴看见我就三次从我面前偏过去,驴若没有偏过去,我早把你杀了,留它存活。” 巴兰对耶和华的使者说:“我有罪了,我不知道你站在路上阻挡我。你若不喜欢我去,我就转回。” 耶和华的使者对巴兰说:“你同这些人去吧,你只要说我对你说的话。”于是巴兰同着巴勒的使臣去了。

Exercise Answers:
Synonym Matching: Jehovah-->God, ass-->donkey, adversary-->enemy, perverse-->wrong, speak-->say, beat-->hit, mocked-->make fun of. 
Antonym Matching: opened-->closed, angel-->demon, drawn-->sheathed, bowed-->stood, adversary-->friend, perverse-->good, displease-->please, slain-->alive. 
Listening Blank Fill: and, unto, times, have, in, And, your, life, do, saw, with, bowed, the, hit, come, before, aside, turned, slain, unto, knew, me, go, unto, word, speak.  

Verb Bank Fill in the Blank: opened, said, mocked, ridden, wanted, saw, bowed, hit, is, turned, saved, knew, go, went.


1 Comment

    Author

    My name is Paul. I am from Michigan, USA. I am a perpetual language learner and teacher, trading my time between two continents. I obtained my MA in TESOL from Cornerstone University. 

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