Numeri
23 Emva koko wathi uBhileham kuBhalaki: “Yakha izibingelelo ezisixhenxe kule ndawo,+ uze undilungisele iinkunzi zeenkomo ezisixhenxe neenkunzi zeegusha ezisixhenxe.” 2 Ngokukhawuleza uBhalaki wenza kanye njengokuba wayetshilo uBhileham. Bobabini banikela ngenkunzi yenkomo nangenkunzi yegusha kwisibingelelo ngasinye.+ 3 Emva koko wathi uBhileham kuBhalaki: “Yima apha ecaleni komnikelo wakho otshiswayo, mna ndiza kuhamba. Mhlawumbi uYehova uza kuthetha nam. Nantoni na andixelela yona ndiza kukuxelela.” Wahamba ke waya kwinduli eyomileyo.
4 UThixo wafika kuBhileham,+ waza uBhileham wathi: “Ndakhe izibingelelo ezisixhenxe ndaza ndanikela ngenkunzi yenkomo nangenkunzi yegusha kwisibingelelo ngasinye.” 5 UYehova waxelela uBhileham into amele ayithethe esithi:+ “Buyela kuBhalaki uze uthethe le nto.” 6 Ngoko wabuyela waza wafika uBhalaki nazo zonke iinkosana zakwaMowabhi zimi ngakumnikelo wakhe otshiswayo. 7 Wathetha intetho engumzekeliso esithi:+
“UBhalaki ukumkani wakwaMowabhi undibize ndikwa-Aram,+
Ndikwiintaba zasempuma, wathi:
‘Yiza uqalekise uYakobi.
Yiza uqalekise uSirayeli.’+
8 njani abantu angabaqalekisanga uThixo?
Ndingabaqalekisa njani abantu angabaqalekisanga uYehova?+
9 Ndibabona ndimi phezulu emaweni,
Ndibabona ndimi phezu kweenduli.
10 Ngubani na onokubala inyambalala yakwaYakobi eninzi njengothuli,+
Okanye abale nokuba yikota yabantu bakwaSirayeli?
Mandife ngendlela abafa ngayo abantu abalungileyo,
Isiphelo sam masifane nesabo.”
11 Emva koko wathi uBhalaki kuBhileham: “Yintoni le undenza yona? Ndikubizele ukuba uziqalekise iintshaba zam, kodwa wena uyazisikelela.”+ 12 UBhileham wathi: “Ngaba ndimele ndingathethi nantoni na uYehova athi mandiyithethe?”+
13 Wathi uBhalaki kuye: “Makhe siye kwenye indawo oza kubabona kuyo. Uza kubona abambalwa; awuzukubabona bonke. Uze ubaqalekise ukuloo ndawo.”+ 14 Ngoko wamsa kumhlaba kaZofim, phezu kwePisga,+ waza wakha izibingelelo ezisixhenxe, wabingelela ngenkunzi yenkomo nangenkunzi yegusha kwisibingelelo ngasinye.+ 15 UBhileham wathi kuBhalaki: “Yima apha ecaleni komnikelo wakho otshiswayo. Mna ndiza kuya kuthetha noThixo phaya.” 16 Ngoko uYehova wathetha noBhileham waza wamxelela into amele ayithethe esithi:+ “Buyela kuBhalaki uze uthethe le nto.” 17 Ngoko wabuyela kuye, wafika uBhalaki nazo zonke iinkosana zakwaMowabhi zimi ngakumnikelo wakhe otshiswayo. UBhalaki wambuza wathi: “Uthini uYehova?” 18 Wathetha intetho engumzekeliso esithi:+
“Phakama Bhalaki, umamele.
Khawundimamele nyana kaTsipore.
Akayenzi na into ayithethileyo?
Akayenzi iphumelele na into ayithethileyo?+
21 Akawunyamezeli nawuphi na umlingo osetyenziselwa ukulwa uYakobi,
Akawavumeli ehlelwe yinto embi amaSirayeli.
UYehova uThixo wawo uyawaxhasa,+
Ayamdumisa njengokumkani wawo.
22 UThixo uyawakhupha eYiputa.+
Kuwo ufana neempondo zenkunzi yenkomo yasendle.+
23 Ayinakuphumelela imilingo eyingozi kuYakobi,+
Kungenakuvunyiswa ukuze ehlelwe yinto embi uSirayeli.+
Nantsi into enokuthethwa ngoku ngoYakobi noSirayeli:
‘Khawubone izinto azenzileyo uThixo!’
Asizukulala de sitye ixhoba,
Sisele negazi lababuleweyo.”
25 Emva koko wathi uBhalaki kuBhileham: “Ukuba ke awukwazi kubaqalekisa, sukubasikelela.” 26 UBhileham wamphendula uBhalaki wathi: “Bendingatshongo na kuwe ukuba, ‘Ndiza kwenza into ethethwa nguYehova’?”+
27 UBhalaki wathi kuBhileham: “Ndicela siye kwenye indawo. Mhlawumbi kuza kulunga kuThixo wokwenene xa ubaqalekisa ukuloo ndawo aba bantu.”+ 28 UBhalaki wamsa ke uBhileham phezu kwePehore, evelele iYeshimon.*+ 29 Emva koko wathi uBhileham kuBhalaki: “Yakha izibingelelo ezisixhenxe kule ndawo, uze undilungisele iinkunzi zeenkomo ezisixhenxe neenkunzi zeegusha ezisixhenxe.”+ 30 UBhalaki wenza kanye njengokuba wayetshilo uBhileham, wanikela ngenkunzi yenkomo nangenkunzi yegusha kwisibingelelo ngasinye.