Numbers 22

¹ The Israelites continue to dey go and dem set up camp for Moab hills, wey dey east of Jordan, opposite Jericho.

² When king of Moab, Balak son of Zippor, hear wetin Israelite don do to the Amorite and how plenty dem be,

³ him and him people start to dey fear.

⁴ The Moabites tell Midianites leader say, “This large number of people go destroy everything wey dey around us, like a bull wey dey eat for field.” Naso King Balak

⁵ send messengers to go call Balaam son of Beor, wey dey Pethor near Euphrate River for land of Amaw. Dem bring this message for him from Balak: “I wan make you know say a full nation of people don come from Egypt; dem plenty so tail dem cover all land. Dem don camp next to me.

⁶ Abeg come help me and put curse on them, dem plenty pass us. Then we go fit defeat them, and send them out of the land. I know say when you bless people, good thing dey happen to them, and when you curse people, bad things dey happen to them,

⁷ Naso leaders of Moab and Midian leave, and dem go talk to Balaam. Dem carry money wey dem go use pay him with them, and dem tell him wetin Balak don say.

⁸ Balaam tell them say, “Make una stay for the night, I go follow God talk and tell una the answer wey he give me.” Naso leaders of Moab stay there with Balaam for that night.

⁹ God come meet Balaam and ask say, “Who be these men wey dey stay with you?”

¹⁰ He answer say, “Na king Balak of Moab send them make dem tell me

¹¹ say people wey come from Egypt don spread on top the whole land. He wan make I curse them for him, so that he go fit fight them and drive them out.”

¹² God tell Balaam say, “No follow these men, and make you no put curse on people of Israel, because my blessings dey on top them.”

¹³ Next morning, Balaam go meet Balak messenger and tell them say, “Make una go back home; God no allow me go with una.”

¹⁴ Naso dem go back to Balak and tell him say Balaam no gree come with them.

¹⁵ Balak come send plenty leaders wey dey important pass the first ones.

¹⁶ Dem go to Balaam and give him this message from Balak: “Abeg no allow anything stop you from coming to me!

¹⁷ I go reward you with plenty riches and I go hear wetin you say. Abeg come curse these people for me.

¹⁸ But Balaam answer say, “Even if Balak give me all gold and silver wey dey him palace, I no fit disobey the command of the Lord my God, even the smallest one.

¹⁹ But abeg stay for the night, as others do, so that I fit find out whether God get something else to tell me or not.”

²⁰ That night God come meet Balaam and say, “If these men don come ask you make you follow them, get ready to go, but make you do only wetin I tell you.”

²¹ Naso Balaam take him donkey and go with the Moabites for next morning.

²² God dey vex say Balaam dey go, and as Balaam dey ride him donkey, him two servants follow him, angel of God stand for road to block him way.

²³ When the donkey see as the angel dey stand for road with sword, e leave road and turn enter bush. Balaam beat the donkey and bring am back to the road.

²⁴ The angel come stand for where narrow road dey between two vineyards wey get wall for each side.

²⁵ When the donkey see the angel, e move close to the wall and crush Balaam foot on the wall. Balaam beat am again.

²⁶ Later, the angel stand for another place wey the road narrow, and no road to pass at all for any side.

²⁷ This time, when the donkey see angel, e lie down. Balaam come vex and begin dey beat the donkey with him stick.

²⁸ Naso God give the donkey power to talk, and e tell Balaam say, “Wetin I don do to you? Why you beat me three times?”

²⁹ Balaam answer say, “because you don turn me to fool! If I get sword, I for don kill you.”

³⁰ The donkey come reply say, “No be me be the same donkey wey you dey ride all your life? Shey I don ever treat you like this before?” He answer say, “No.”

³¹ God come allow Balaam see the angel wey dey stand there with him sword; and Balaam bow him face down to the ground.

³² The angel come ask him say, “Why you don beat your donkey three times like this? Na me block your way, because you no suppose dey for this journey.

³³ But your donkey see me and turn three times. If e no turn, I for don kill you and spare the donkey.”

³⁴ Balaam reply say, “I don sin. I no know say you dey stand for road to stop me; but now if you think say e no dey right for me to go, I go return home.”

³⁵ But the angel say, “Go on with these men, but you go only say wetin I tell you..” Naso Balaam go with them.

³⁶ When Balak hear say Balaam dey come, he go meet him for Ar, a city wey dey near Arnon River for Moab border.

³⁷ Balak tell him say, “Why you no come when I send for you first time? Shey you think say I no go give you enough reward?”

³⁸ Balaam answer say, “I don come, shey I no come? But now, wetin I don get? I only fit say wetin God tell me make I say.”

³⁹ Naso Balaam go with Balak to Huzoth town,

⁴⁰ where Balak kill cattle and sheep, and give some of the meat to Balaam and the leaders wey dey with him.

⁴¹ Next morning, Balak take Balaam go Bamoth Baal, where Balaam fit see some of the Israelites.