THE SCRIPTURES IN STORIES
BALAK’S COURT
‘Uneasy lies the head that bears the crown’ I remembered my father Zippor’s words.

The journey from the palace to the supreme chambers was more of a ghost walk than a king’s journey.

No one was running out of the way to avoid obstructing my carriage. There weren’t lines of poor bowed heads on either sides of the street.

The whole capital seemed to be in unison to observe an unwritten stay at home order.

They…No! We all were afraid of these strange so called sons of Jacob that now camped at the tips of
our noses. They were literally living rent free in our heads.

‘Yeah…in our heads’ I repeated when I noticed that even I was putting on two different left feet sandals.

I entered the chambers knowing fully well I was behind schedule. They all looked at me with disdain in their eyes.

‘Those old potbellied fools’ (I said that in my head so no one else heard it).

‘My king, you must apologise to the council for your lateness before this meeting can commence’ said the councillor.

‘I am Balak, I beg no one. So, substitute my father’s apologies for this, I don’t have time’. I was still their king no matter what.
‘So what do we do? We must strike first lest these people catch us unguarded’ a noble man said.
‘You can call your brethren to war, but as for me it’s a NO..NO’ replied the Chief of the royal guard.
‘I wasn’t talking about the royal guards, everyone knows you people can’t catch a three limbed
rabbit’ The noble man snorted.
‘Didn’t you hear how the whole of Egypt’s army ended up in the Sea of Reeds. Do you know there is no firstborn son in the whole of Egypt? These people slaughtered Sihon the king of the Amorites,
they’re invincible. Do you…….’
‘ENOUGH!!!’ I was already shaking on my seat.
‘Have mercy your majesty’ They all chorused.
‘Your majesty’ The oldest member of the chamber called.
Speak
‘To kill good you use evil and to kill evil, you use good’
‘Spare us the motivational and… who’s good or evil here?’ I was getting impatient
‘We will fight, but before then we have to curse them’
His statement erupted so much laughter among the council men that they seemed to forget how
serious the issue was. I saw some sense in this and decided to probe further.
‘How?’
‘we can call Balam BEOR of Pethor; the donkey prohpet’.
Adapted from Numbers 22 vs 2-4.
Written by Pen JOTs (a subsidiary of J.O Tunnels).
Julius Osho.
© PenJOTs