This script is to go with the video of our summer 2025 Drama Camp performance! It was prepared by the Rev. Miranda Hassett. 

The Story of Balaam (Numbers 22 – 24)

DONKEY This story happened a long time ago, in the early days of God’s people. They had escaped from Egypt, where things were terrible for them. Now they needed a new place to live, somewhere safe to make a new home. They camped near the Jordan River, across from a place called Moab. 

ANGEL The Moabites didn’t like that much. They didn’t say, “Maybe there’s room for everybody.” Instead, they got really upset. 

OFFICIALS peer out at audience. 

OFFICIAL 1 Look at those new people! There are so many of them!

OFFICIAL 2 They look so fierce! They will eat us up, like an ox eats up grass! 

KING BALAK comes to center. 

DONKEY The officials told King Balak of Moab about the newcomers.

KING BALAK These people have come from Egypt and spread out over the whole countryside. They’re taking over! They’ll eat us up like a fox eats up a rabbit! 

OFFICIAL 1 What will we do? Who can help us?

OFFICIAL 2 What about that prophet guy, Balaam? 

KING BALAK Oh, good idea! I’ll ask Balaam. He is a powerful prophet. Everything he says comes true. 

ANGEL Now Balaam was not one of God’s people. But he was a true prophet. He listened to the words of the one God, and said only what God told him to say. 

DONKEY So King Balak sent officials to Balaam, who lived far away, near the great river Euphrates. They brought money, and a message. 

OFFICIALS go up to BALAAM. 

OFFICIAL 1 This is a message from King Balak of Moab. Some people have moved in next to my kingdom. I’m afraid that they will eat us up, like a wolf eats up a lamb! 

OFFICIAL 2 Whoever you curse is cursed, and whoever you bless is blessed. Come curse these people for me! Then I can drive them away. 

OFFICIAL 1 Will you do what the King asks? 

BALAAM Hmm. I don’t know. Stay here tonight, and I’ll let you know the answer when I receive word from God. 

OFFICIALS and BALAAM pretend to sleep. 

ANGEL That night, God spoke to Balaam. 

GOD wakes up BALAAM. 

GOD Who are these men and what do they want?

BALAAM King Balak of Moab has sent me a message: “A people has come out of Egypt and spread over the land next to my kingdom. Come and curse this people for me, so I can get rid of them!”

GOD Don’t go with them, and don’t curse the people. They are blessed in my eyes. 

GOD leaves. OFFICIALS and BALAAM wake up. 

DONKEY So in the morning Balaam told the officials what God had said. 

BALAAM Go home. God won’t let me go with you.

OFFICIALS react, then go to KING BALAK. 

OFFICIAL 1 Balaam refuses to come with us.

OFFICIAL 2 SO rude. 

KING BALAK What?!? This is unacceptable. You just didn’t ask him right! 

BALAK turns away.  OFFICIALS approach BALAAM again. 

ANGEL So Balak sent more important officials to talk to Balaam, with more money! 

OFFICIAL 1 Thus says King Balak: Please come, and I will do you great honor, and reward you richly. 

OFFICIAL 2 Thus says King Balak: Come, curse this people for me, and hurry!! 

BALAAM Even if Balak were to give me his whole house full of silver and gold, I can’t do anything if God says no. But spend the night, and maybe I will receive a new word from God. 

OFFICIALS and BALAAM pretend to sleep. GOD wakes up BALAAM. 

ANGEL That night, God spoke to Balaam again.

GOD Get up and go with them. But only do and say what I tell you!

DONKEY In the morning, Balaam told the officials that he would come to Moab. 

OFFICIAL 1 Thank goodness! Finally!

OFFICIAL 2 The King will be so happy! 

OFFICIALS and KING stand aside. BALAAM pick up stick donkey.

DONKEY Balaam saddled his donkey – that’s me! – and set out for Moab, as the officials went on ahead. I was excited about going on a trip! Hee-haw! 

But God was angry about being treated like a weapon. So God sent the Angel of the Lord to stop Balaam. Balaam and I were making our way down the road… 

BALAAM start across stage with stick donkey… 

BALAAM It’s a long journey to Moab….

ANGEL come to center stage, with sword, facing BALAAM.

DONKEY Suddenly the angel of the Lord was standing before us, holding a drawn sword! 

ANGEL YOU SHALL NOT PASS.

DONKEY Balaam didn’t see it – but I sure did! I was terrified! Hee-haw!!!! So I turned off the road, onto the grass!

BALAAM Hey! What are you doing? We’re going THIS way! 

DONKEY He was really angry. In fact – he HIT me!

BALAAM hits the toy donkey. EVERYONE gasps. 

DONKEY You can imagine how I felt about that! But we’d passed the angel… so I got back on the road, like he wanted. We kept going towards Moab… 

BALAAM This whole business is a pain in my tuckus! 

DONKEY We were walking past a stone wall… when suddenly there was the Angel again!

ANGEL YOU SHALL NOT PASS!

DONKEY Balaam still couldn’t see it, but I could, and I was even more scared! I tried to creep around it… and scraped Balaam’s foot against stone wall. 

BALAAM Ouch! What are you doing!?!

DONKEY Guess what? He hit me AGAIN. 

BALAAM hits the toy donkey. WHOLE CAST gasps. 

DONKEY But we were past that scary angel and their sword, so we kept going. Until we came to a narrow place in the road, with no room to turn off to right or left… and there was the Angel again!

ANGEL YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!

DONKEY Hee-haw!!! What could I do? There was no room to squeeze past! So I STOPPED! In fact, I lay down on the ground!!

BALAAM drop stick donkey, make a show of falling over.

DONKEY This time Balaam was so angry, he hit me with his stick. 

DONKEY come on stage and join the scene. BALAAM pretends to hit the donkey. 

BALAAM Why, I oughta!!!!

DONKEY [hurt and mad] Hee-haw!!!

ANGEL Then God had mercy on the donkey, and made it able to talk. 

DONKEY What have I done to you, that you have hit me three times?!?

BALAAM You’ve made me look stupid! If I had a sword in my hand, I’d kill you right now!

ANGEL hides sword behind themself. 

DONKEY Aren’t I your faithful donkey, which you have ridden your whole life? 

BALAAM Yes…

DONKEY Do I usually go off the road, or scrape you against a wall for no reason? 

BALAAM No…..

ANGEL (Holding sword up again) Then God opened Balaam’s eyes, and he saw me standing in the road, holding a drawn sword. 

BALAAM (terrified) AAAAAH! 

ANGEL Stop hitting your donkey!!! I came to stop you because God will not be used as a weapon. Three times your donkey saw me; three times your donkey has saved you from my sword. If your donkey hadn’t helped you, you’d be dead by now! 

DONKEY … And I’d be a free donkey!

BALAAM I didn’t know!! If God doesn’t want me to do this, I’ll turn around and go home.

ANGEL. [SIGHS]   Go ahead, go on to Moab. But only say what God tells you to say! And apologize to your donkey!

BALAAM Sorry. 

DONKEY It’s okay, I guess. But trust me next time!! 

ANGEL AND DONKEY back to NARRATOR positions. STICK DONKEY offstage.

ANGEL So Balaam came to Moab. King Barak met him at the border of his territory.

BALAK and OFFICIALS come to meet BALAAM, center stage. 

BALAAM I’m here. But I warn you, I can only say what God allows me to say. You may not get what you’re hoping for. 

BALAK Oh, but it’s very simple – I just need you to curse those people you can see out there, so we can defeat them and drive them away! You can seem them pretty well from here; will that do? 

BALAAM Build me seven altars here, and prepare seven rams for sacrifice. 

OFFICIAL 1 Yes, sir, of course. 

OFFICIALS rush to set up box and fire, and pretend to sacrifice goats. 

ANGEL So seven altars were built, and seven rams were sacrificed. 

CAST make unhappy goat noises. 

BALAAM Let me see what God tells me to say… 

BALAK and OFFICIALS huddle together. 

GOD whispers in BALAAM’s ear, then steps aside. 

BALAAM (to the congregation) God has spoken! How can I curse what God has not cursed? I see this people in the distance and I know that God loves them and wants them to find safety! 

KING BALAK What are you doing?!? You’re supposed to CURSE my enemies, not bless them!!

BALAAM I told you – I can only say the words God puts in my mouth!!

KING BALAK Hmmm… maybe we’re in the wrong place. Maybe over HERE?…. 

BALAK leads BALAAM over to one side. 

OFFICIALS quickly bring and reset the altars and goats. 

DONKEY So they went to another high place, and built ANOTHER seven altars, and sacrificed ANOTHER seven rams. 

CAST make unhappy goat noises. 

BALAAM  Okay, I’ll see what God gives me to say here… 

BALAK and OFFICIALS watch expectantly. 

GOD enters and whispers in BALAAM’s ear, then leaves. 

KING BALAK What has God said this time?

BALAAM (Shaking his head) God says: Listen to me, Balak of Moab! I’m not a human being who changes their mind. I brought these people out of danger, and I want them to find new homes. 

KING BALAK SHHHH!!! Please stop!!

BALAAM I’m sorry! God has blessed these people, and I can’t take back the blessing, no matter how mad it makes you! 

KING BALAK Let’s try one more place… maybe you can curse them from over HERE? 

They all go to the far side of the stage. OFFICIALS quickly reset altars and rams. 

OFFICIAL 1 This is getting old. 

OFFICIAL 2 We’re running low on rams… 

ANGEL Balaam looked down at the newcomers’ camp by the river, and the spirit of God came upon him. 

GOD come on stage and stand right beside BALAAM. 

BALAAM AND GOD Listen to God’s words: My people, I am the one who brought you out of slavery and danger in Egypt! Blessed be everyone who blesses you, and cursed be everyone who curses you! 

KING BALAK [HUGE TANTRUM!!!!] I summoned you to CURSE my enemies but instead you have BLESSED them! GO HOME! And FORGET about any REWARD!

BALAAM I TOLD you I could only say what God told me to say, no matter how much you pay me!!

OFFICIAL 1 It’s true. He did. 

OFFICIAL 2 I heard him say it myself.

BALAAM I’m going home – and gladly. But listen, King Balak: You can’t change God’s mind. These people are your neighbors now, and God loves them, so maybe you should learn to love them too, and figure out how to share the land with them. Looks to me like there’s plenty to go around! Come on, Donkey… let’s go.