Numeri
23 UBhalami wathi kuBhalaki: “Ngakhele ama-altare ayisikhombisa kule ndawo, + ungilungisele izinkunzi eziyisikhombisa nezinqama eziyisikhombisa.” 2 Ngokushesha uBhalaki wenza njengoba nje uBhalami ayeshilo. UBhalaki noBhalami banikela ngenkunzi nangenqama e-altare ngalinye. + 3 UBhalami wabe esethi kuBhalaki: “Hlala lapha ngasemnikelweni wakho oshiswayo, mina ngizohamba. Mhlawumbe uJehova uzongithinta. Noma yini ayembula kimi ngizokutshela yona.” Ngakho waya egqumeni elingenalutho.
4 Ngemva kwalokho uNkulunkulu wathintana noBhalami, + owathi kuYe: “Ngihlele ama-altare ayisikhombisa ngezinhlu, nganikela ngenkunzi nangenqama e-altare ngalinye.” 5 UJehova waqondisa lokho uBhalami okufanele akusho, wathi: + “Buyela kuBhalaki, futhi nakhu ozokusho.” 6 Ngakho wabuyela, wabona ukuthi uBhalaki nazo zonke izikhulu zakwaMowabi babemi ngasemnikelweni wakhe oshiswayo. 7 Wabe esesho lesi saga: +
“UBhalaki inkosi yakwaMowabi wangisusa e-Aramu, +
Ezintabeni zasempumalanga:
‘Woza ungiqalekisele uJakobe.
Yebo, woza, ulahle u-Israyeli.’ +
8 Ngingabaqalekisa kanjani labo uNkulunkulu angabaqalekisanga?
Ngingabalahla kanjani labo uJehova angabalahlanga? +
9 Ngibabona ngiphezu kwamadwala,
Ngibabona ngisemagqumeni.
Bayisizwe esihlezi sodwa lapho; +
Abazibali kanye nezinye izizwe. +
10 Ubani ongabala izinhlayiya zothuli lukaJakobe +
Noma ongabala ngisho ingxenye yesine ka-Israyeli?
Mangife ukufa kwabaqotho,
Futhi ukuphela kwami makube njengokwabo.”
11 UBhalaki wabe esethi kuBhalami: “Yini le ongenze yona? Ngikulethe lapha ukuba uzoqalekisa izitha zami, kodwa okwenzile nje ukuzibusisa.” + 12 Waphendula wathi: “Akumele yini ngikhulume noma yikuphi uJehova akufaka emlonyeni wami?” +
13 UBhalaki wathi kuye: “Ngicela uhambe nami siye kwenye indawo ozokwazi ukubabona ukuyo. Uzobona ingxenye yabo kuphela; ngeke ubabone bonke. Ungiqalekisele bona ulapho.” + 14 Ngakho wamthatha wamyisa ensimini kaZofimu, esiqongweni sePhisiga, + wabe esemakhela ama-altare ayisikhombisa, wanikela ngenkunzi nenqama e-altare ngalinye. + 15 Ngakho uBhalami wathi kuBhalaki: “Hlala lapha ngasemnikelweni wakho oshiswayo, ngesikhathi mina ngithintana naYe laphaya.” 16 UJehova wathintana noBhalami wafaka leli zwi emlonyeni wakhe: + “Buyela kuBhalaki futhi yilokhu okufanele ukusho.” 17 Ngakho wafika kuye wabona ukuthi wayelinde ngasemnikelweni wakhe oshiswayo, izikhulu zakwaMowabi zikanye naye. UBhalaki wambuza: “Utheni uJehova?” 18 Wabe esesho lesi saga: +
“Vuka, Bhalaki, ulalele.
Ngilalele, O ndodana kaZipori.
19 UNkulunkulu akayena umuntu yena oqamba amanga, +
Lapho esho okuthile, ngeke yini akwenze?
Lapho ekhuluma, ngeke yini akufeze akushoyo? +
21 Akabekezeleli noma yimaphi amandla omlingo ngokumelene noJakobe,
Akavumeli noma iyiphi inkathazo ngokumelene no-Israyeli.
UJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe unabo, +
Udunyiswa ngokuzwakalayo njengenkosi phakathi kwabo.
22 UNkulunkulu ubakhipha eGibhithe. +
Ufana nezimpondo zenkunzi yasendle kubo. +
23 Ngoba akukho mabika okubi ngokumelene noJakobe, +
Nanoma yikuphi ukubhula ngokumelene no-Israyeli. +
Ngalesi sikhathi kungashiwo ngoJakobe nango-Israyeli ukuthi:
‘Bheka lokho uNkulunkulu akwenzile!’
24 Nasi isizwe esiyovuka njengebhubesi,
Njengebhubesi, siyoziphakamisa. +
Asiyikulala phansi size sidle inyamazane,
Siphuze negazi lababulewe.”
25 UBhalaki wathi kuBhalami: “Uma kuwukuthi awukwazi ukumqalekisa, khona-ke akufanele umbusise.” 26 UBhalami waphendula uBhalaki wathi: “Angishongo yini kuwe ukuthi, ‘Ngizokwenza konke uJehova akushoyo’?” +
27 UBhalaki wathi kuBhalami: “Ngicela uze ngikuyise kwenye indawo. Mhlawumbe kuzoba kuhle emehlweni kaNkulunkulu weqiniso ukuba ungiqalekisele yena ulapho.” + 28 Ngakho uBhalaki wathatha uBhalami wamyisa esiqongweni sePheyori, esibheke eJeshimoni. *+ 29 UBhalami wathi kuBhalaki: “Ngakhele ama-altare ayisikhombisa kule ndawo, ungilungisele izinkunzi eziyisikhombisa nezinqama eziyisikhombisa.” + 30 Ngakho uBhalaki wenza njengoba nje uBhalami ayeshilo, wanikela ngenkunzi nangenqama e-altare ngalinye.