AmaNani
24 UBhalamu wathi ebona ukuthi kuyamthokozisa uJehova* ukubusisa u-Israyeli kasazange aphinde asuke ayedinga imilingo yokubaqalekisa+ kodwa watshibilika wakhangela enkangala. 2 UBhalamu wathi ephakamisa amehlo wabona abako-Israyeli bekhempile kusiya ngezizwana zabo+ njalo umoya kaNkulunkulu wehlela kuye.+ 3 Wasehaya inkondlo wathi:+
“Amazwi kaBhalamu indodana kaBheyori,
Amazwi endoda esivulwe amehlo.
5 Ayisibuhle bamatende akho, wena Jakhobe,
Ayisibuhle bamathabanikeli akho, wena Israyeli!+
6 Athe wathalala njengezigodi ezitshaya ziyefika khatshana,+
Njengezingadi eziseceleni komfula,
Njengamachena ahlanyelwe nguJehova,
Njengezihlahla zomsedari eziseduze kwamanzi.
7 Amanzi aphuma ezitsheni zakhe ezimbili zesikhumba aqhubeka ethonta,
8 UNkulunkulu umkhipha eGibhithe,
Unjengempondo zenkunzi yeganga kuye.
Uzaqothula izizwe ezimcindezelayo,+
Aqhobe amathambo azo, azidilize ngemitshoko yakhe.
9 Ucatheme, walala phansi njengesilwane,
Ngubani ongaba lesibindi sokumvusa?
Labo abakubusisayo babusisiwe,
Lalabo abakuqalekisayo baqalekisiwe.”+
10 UBhalakhi wamthukuthelela kakhulu uBhalamu, waze waqakeza izandla wathi kuye: “Ngikubizele ukuthi uzoqalekisa izitha zami+ kodwa akulalutho olwenzileyo ngaphandle kokubusisa abantu laba kathathu konke. 11 Buyela khathesi emzini wakho. Bengifuna ukukunika udumo olukhulu+ kodwa uJehova ukuphuthise udumo obuzaluthola.”
12 UBhalamu waphendula uBhalakhi wathi: “Angitshongo yini ebantwini owabathumayo ngathi, 13 ‘Lanxa uBhalakhi enganginika indlu yakhe igcwele isiliva legolide angisoze ngenze loba yini engizicabangele yona,* ngeqe umlayo kaJehova, kungelani lokuthi inhle kumbe imbi. Ngizakhuluma lokho uJehova azangitshela khona kuphela’?+ 14 Khathesi sengibuyela ebantwini bakithi. Kodwa woza ngikuncwebe indlebe ngalokho isizwe lesi esizakwenza ebantwini bakho ngesikhathi esizayo.”* 15 Ngakho wahaya inkondlo wathi:+
“Amazwi kaBhalamu indodana kaBheyori,
Amazwi endoda esivulwe amehlo,+
16 Amazwi alowo ozwa ilizwi likaNkulunkulu,
Lowo ololwazi ngaye oPhezukonke,
Obone umbono kaSomandla,
Wazilahla phansi evule amehlo:
17 Ngizambona kodwa hatshi khathesi,
Ngizambona kodwa hatshi masinyane.
Loba sekutheni uzaliphahlaza ibunzi likaMowabi,+
Aphahlaze lokhakhayi lwawo wonke amadodana okuxokozela.
18 U-Edomi uzakuba lilifa,+
USeyiri+ abe lilifa lezitha zakhe,+
Kodwa u-Israyeli uzatshengisa isibindi.
19 Umnqobi uzaphuma kuJakhobe,+
Uzatshabalalisa loba ngubani osindileyo edolobheni.”
20 Wathi ebona u-Amaleki waqhubeka ehaya inkondlo wathi:
21 Wathi ebona amaKheni+ waqhubeka ngenkondlo yakhe wathi:
“Indawo yakho yokuhlala ivikelekile, indlu yakho imiswe phezu kwedwala.
22 Kodwa ukhona ozatshisa iKhayini ayilobise.
Kambe kuzadlula isikhathi esinganani i-Asiriya ingakakuthumbi?”
23 Waqhubeka ngenkondlo yakhe wathi:
“Maye! Ngubani ozasila nxa uNkulunkulu esekwenza lokhu?
24 Kuzafika imikhumbi evela ekhunjini leKhithimu,+
Izayithwalisa nzima i-Asiriya,+
Ithwalise le-Ebheri amagabha avuzayo.
Kodwa laye uzatshabalala.”
25 Ngemva kwalokho uBhalamu+ wasuka wabuyela emzini wakhe, uBhalakhi laye wasuka wahamba.