The Talking Kāihe

THE TALKING KĀIHE .truestory

The Israelites were a special iwi to Ihowā, and they were a mighty tribe. As they wandered through the desert, many other tribes became scared of them. They fought and won many battles. They captured cities and conquered the enemies of Ihowā who attacked them.

The Israelites camped not far from a place called Moab. When the Moabites saw the huge number of iwi and heard about the many battles they had won, they became worried. The Moabite King (King Balak) decided he was going to do something about the Israelites.

In those days, many iwi believed in evil spirits and magic. King Balak believed in these things and knew a sorcerer (wizard) named Balaam who cursed iwi. That meant he would wish kino things to happen to iwi.

King Balak sent some men to ask Balaam to curse the iwi of Ihowā. The King’s men offered Balaam a lot of moni to go with them to the Israelite camp and curse them. Balaam told the King’s men he would ask Ihowā whether he should go and curse the Israelites, but Ihowā told him “kāo, you must not put a curse on those iwi because they are blessed.”

The next morning Balaam told the King’s men that Ihowā had said kāo, he could not go with them. When the King heard about this, he offered Balaam even more moni. Balaam asked Ihowā again if he could go with the King’s men, and Ihowā said “seeing as they have come to get you again, go with them but you must only do what I tell you”.

The King’s men thought Balaam would curse the Israelites, but Ihowā had another plan. He wanted to show Balaam that He is more powerful than the magic and evil spirits Balaam believed in.

Balaam put a saddle on his kāihe and began riding towards the Israelite camp. Ihowā knew that Balaam still planned to curse the iwi of Israel, and He was angry with him. As Balaam travelled on his kāihe, Ihowā put an anahera on the road. When the kāihe saw the anahera with a sword in his hand, he walked off the path and into a field to avoid it. Balaam could not see the anahera and became angry. He beat the kāihe to get it back on the path. Balaam got back on the kāihe and rode until they came to a narrow path through some vineyards, with walls on both sides. The anahera stood in the path, but Balaam could not see it. The kāihe pressed close against the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot. This made Balaam very angry, so he beat the kāihe again.

Then Balaam got back on the kāihe and rode until they came to a narrow place in the road. The anahera appeared to the kāihe again. This time there was nowhere to go so the kāihe sat down in the middle of the path. Balaam could not believe it!! What was wrong with his kāihe? He was just about to hit the kāihe again when an amazing thing happened. The kāihe began to talk to him!!

“What have I done to make you beat me e toru times?”

Balaam answered “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword I would kill you.”

The kāihe said to Balaam “Am I not your own kāihe which you have always ridden? Have I ever done this to you before?”

“No” he said.

Then Ihowā opened Balaam’s eyes and he saw the anahera standing in the road with his sword drawn. He bowed low and fell facedown.

The anahera asked him “Why have you beaten your kāihe e toru times? I have come to stop you because you want to curse the iwi of Ihowā. The kāihe saw me and turned away from me e toru times. If it had not turned away, I would have killed you but instead I have spared you.”

Balaam said to the anahera “I have done wrong (sinned). I did not realise you were standing on the road to stop me.”

The anahera told Balaam he could continue his journey with the King’s men but he could only speak what Ihowā tells him to. So Balaam continued with King Balak’s men.

When Balaam met King Balak at the Israelite camp, he did not curse the Israelites. He only said good things about them. He blessed them and talked about how good Ihowā was. He did not say one kino thing.

King Balak was angry. This is not what he wanted. He wanted Balaam to say kino things to the Israelites but Balaam only said good.

Because of the aroha Ihowā had for the iwi of Israel, He would not allow Balaam to curse them –only to say good things to them. When we give our lives to Ihu (this means when we choose to follow Ihu and do what He wants us to do instead of doing what we want to do), Ihowā will look after us.

Nga Waiata 118:6-7 tells us “Ihowā is on my side; I will not fear (be afraid). What can man do to me? Ihowā is on my side as my helper; I will look in victory on those who hate me.”