"Thou shalt not curse the people: for they are blessed."--_Numbers
22:12._
[Illustration]
THERE was a prophet called Balaam. A prophet means a man to whom God
made His will known, and who was thus much wiser than other men. This
prophet one day saw some rich great men come to his house. They brought
him a message, that a king named Balak wanted him to come with them,
and would give him great rewards for coming. Balaam said he must wait
for one night, and God would make known to him what he was to do.
And at night God told him he was not to go; for what Balak wanted of
him was to curse the children of Israel, and God would not have them
cursed. So Balaam said he must not go, and the messengers went away.
But Balak sent more princes, still grander men, with larger presents,
to fetch Balaam. He answered, "If Balak would give me his house full
of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the word of the Lord my God,
to do less or more." But he had not left off wishing. He begged the
messengers to stay, and see if God would give him leave to go. And this
time God did say he might go, but that he should not say anything about
the Israelites but what God put in his mouth. Balaam knew that God was
not pleased with him; but he wanted Balak's rewards, and he set off in
the morning, riding on his ass.
Presently the ass was frightened, and turned out of the road into
the field. Balaam was angry at this, and beat the ass. But again the
ass turned aside in a narrow walled path, and squeezed Balaam's foot
against the wall. He beat her again. Presently, in a very narrow road,
the poor ass fell quite down for fear; and Balaam was very angry, and
beat her harder.
[Illustration: BALAAM MET BY THE ANGEL OF THE LORD.--Num. 22:31.]
Then God worked a wonder. He made the dumb ass to speak, and ask why
he was so cruel to her. He answered that he only wished for a sword to
kill her. The ass asked if she had ever been like this before. He said,
No. And then, full before him, he saw God's holy angel with a sword in
his hand. And he fell down on his face.
The poor ass had seen the angel all the time; but Balaam could not see
him till God made him able. And now he was afraid, and would have gone
back; but the angel said he must go on now, though he would only be
able to speak the words which God put in his mouth.
Think if, sometimes when you have been told you must not do something,
you fret and teaze to do it--is not that like Balaam? And perhaps you
teaze till some one gives you leave to do as you wish. Then you get
quite cross with eagerness, and are unkind to all that hinders you;
and, after all, you do not find that any good comes of getting your own
way.