Numeri
23 UBhalami wathi kuBhalaki: “Ngakhela ama-aldara alikhomba,+ ungihlabele iinkunzi ezilikhomba namaramu alikhomba endaweni le.” 2 Khonokho uBhalaki wenza njengombana uBhalami amtjelile. UBhalaki noBhalami banikela ikunzi neramu e-aldareni ngalinye.+ 3 UBhalami wathi kuBhalaki: “Hlala lapha hlanu komnikelwakho otjhiswako, mina ngisakhamba. Mhlamunye uJehova angakhuluma nami. Nanyana yini angitjela yona ngizokutjela.” Nje-ke wakhamba waya esiqongolweni sentaba.
4 UZimu wakhuluma noBhalami+ owathi kuye: “Ngibeke ama-aldara alikhomba ngokulandelana, nganikela ikunzi neramu e-aldareni ngalinye.” 5 UJehova watjela uBhalami ekufuze akutjho, wathi kuye:+ “Buyela kuBhalaki umtjele engizokutjela khona.” 6 Wabuyela wabona uBhalaki nawo woke amakhosana wakwaMowabi bajame hlanu komnikelwakhe otjhiswako. 7 Wakhuluma amezwi asakondlo la, wathi:+
“UBhalaki ikosi yakwaMowabi ungisuse e-Aramu,+
Eentabeni ezingepumalanga:
‘Yewize uzongiqalekisela uJakopo.
Yewize uqalekise ama-Israyeli.’+
8 Ngingabaqalekisa njani labo uZimu angakabaqalekisi?
Ngingabajezisa njani labo uJehova angakabajezisi?+
9 Ngibabona ngiphezu kwamatje,
Ngibabona ngisemibundwini.
10 Ngubani ongabala iinzukulwana zakaJakopo+ ezinengi njengehlabathi?
Ngubani ongabala ingcenye yesine yama-Israyeli?
Angihlongakale njengomuntu olungileko,
Ukufa kwami akube njengekwabo.”
11 UBhalaki wathi kuBhalami: “Khuyini le ongenze yona? Ngikulethe lapha bona uzongiqalekisela amanabami kodwana akhenge wenze litho ngaphandle kokuwabusisa.”+ 12 Wamphendula wathi: “Kghani akukafuzi ngikhulume nanyana yini uJehova athe ngiyikhulume?”+
13 UBhalaki wathi kuye: “Yewize ukhambe nami kwenye indawo lapha uzowabona khona. Uzokubona amanye wawo, angekhe uwabone woke. Ngibawa ungiqalekisele wona ulapho.+ 14 Wamthatha wakhamba naye emmangweni weTsofimu esiqongolweni sePisiga+ begodu wakha ama-aldara alikhomba, wanikela ngekunzi neramu e-aldareni ngalinye.+ 15 UBhalami wathi kuBhalaki: “Hlala lapha eduze nomnikelwakho otjhiswako mina nangisayokukhuluma noZimu lapha.” 16 UJehova wakhuluma noBhalami wamtjela okufuze akutjho, wathi:+ “Buyela kuBhalaki utjho engikutjele khona.” 17 Waya kuye wambona ajame hlanu komnikelwakhe otjhiswako namakhosana wakwaMowabi. UBhalaki wambuza wathi: “Utheni uJehova?” 18 Wakhuluma amezwi asakondlo la, wathi:+
“Sikima Bhalaki ungilalele.
Yewizwe ndodana kaTsipori.
Akukhulumileko akazukwenza na?
Akuthembisileko angeze akwenza na?+
21 Akavumi ukuthi kube nomlingo osetjenziselwa uJakopo,
Akavumi bona ama-Israyeli atshwenywe.
UJehova uZimawo unawo,+
Ayamdumisa ngombana uyikosawo.
22 UZimu uwakhupha eGibhide.+
Unjengeempondo zekunzi yommango kiwo.+
Nje-ke kuzokuthiwa ngoJakopo no-Israyeli:
‘Qala lokho uZimu akwenzileko!’
24 Abantwaba bazokusikima njengebhubezi,
Njengebhubezi bayazisikimela.+
Angekhe balale bangakadli inyamazana
Begodu basele iingazi zeenlwana abazibuleleko.”
25 UBhalaki wathi kuBhalami: “Nangabe awukghoni ukubaqalekisa, ungababusisi.” 26 UBhalami waphendula uBhalaki wathi: “Ngitheni kuwe, akhenge ngikutjele na bona ngizokwenza lokho uJehova akutjhoko’?”+
27 UBhalaki wathi kuBhalami: “Ngibawa ukhambe nami ngikuse kwenye indawo. Mhlamunye uZimu weqiniso uzakuvumela ukuthi ungiqalekisele bona nawulapho.”+ 28 UBhalaki wathatha uBhalami watjhinga naye esiqongolweni sePewori esiqale eJetjhimoni.*+ 29 UBhalami wathi kuBhalaki: “Ngakhela ama-aldara alikhomba endaweni le, ungihlabele neenkunzi ezilikhomba namaramu alikhomba.”+ 30 UBhalaki wenza njengombana uBhalami atjhwile, wanikela ikunzi neramu e-aldareni ngalinye.