Numbers 24

1Kwathi uBhalamu esebonile ukuthi kuyamthokozisa uThixo ukubusisa u-Israyeli, kasadinganga njalo imilingo njengakuqala, kodwa waphenduka wakhangela enkangala. 2Kwathi uBhalamu ekhangela wabona u-Israyeli emise izihonqo zakhe ngokwezizwe zakhe, uMoya kaNkulunkulu wehlela phezu kwakhe 3wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe:

“Isambulelo sikaBhalamu indodana kaBheyori,
isambulelo salowo omehlo akhe abonisisa kuhle,
4isambulelo salowo ozwa amazwi kaNkulunkulu,
lowo obona umbono ovela kuSomandla,
lowo owela phansi ngokuzehlisa,
njalo omehlo akhe avulekile:

5Aze aba mahle amathente akho, Oh Jakhobe,
izindawo zakho zokuhlala, Oh Israyeli!

6Njengezigodi zisabalele,
njengezivande zisekele umfula,
sanhlaba ehlanyelwe nguThixo,
njengezihlahla zomsedari ezingasemanzini.
7Amanzi azageleza emigqonyeni yabo;
inhlanyelo yabo ibe semanzini amanengi.

Inkosi yabo izakuba nkulu kulo-Agagi;
umbuso wabo uzakuba ngophakemeyo.

8UNkulunkulu wabakhupha eGibhithe;
balamandla anjengawenyathi.
Bayazitshwabadela izizwe eziyizitha
njalo bephule amathambo azo abe yizicucu;
ngemitshoko yabo babacibe.
9Njengesilwane bayaqutha bacathame phansi,
njengesilwanekazi, ngubani olesibindi sokubavusa na?

Akuthi labo abakubusisayo babusiswe
njalo lalabo abakuqalekisayo baqalekiswe!”
10Ngakho uBhalaki wamthukuthelela kakhulu uBhalamu. Watshaya izandla zakhe wathi, “Ngikubizele ukuthi uzengiqalekisela izitha zami, kodwa wena usubabusise okwamahlandla la amathathu. 11Wohle usuke nje khathesi ubuyele kini! Ngithe ngizakupha umvuzo omuhle kakhulu, pho-ke uThixo usekuvimbele ukwamukeliswa umvuzo.”

12UBhalamu wamphendula uBhalaki wathi, “Kanti kangizitshelanga yini izithunywa zakho owazithuma kimi ukuthi, 13‘Loba uBhalaki enganginika isigodlo sakhe sigcwele isiliva legolide, akulalutho lolulodwa ebengizalwenza ngokwentando yami, okuhle kumbe okubi, okuphambene lomlayo kaThixo, kufanele ngitsho lokho kuphela uThixo akutshoyo na’? 14Khathesi sengibuyela ebantwini bakithi, kodwa woza, ngikuxwayise ukuthi kuyini okuzakwenziwa ngabantu laba ebantwini bakho ensukwini ezilandelayo.”

Isambulo Sesine SikaBhalamu

15Ngakho uBhalamu wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe:

“Isambulelo sikaBhalamu indodana kaBheyori,
isambulelo salowo omehlo akhe abonisisa kuhle,
16isambulelo salowo olalela ezwe amazwi kaNkulunkulu,
ololwazi oluvela koPhezukonke,
obona umbono ovela kuSomandla, owela phansi ngokuzehlisa,
njalo omehlo akhe avulekile:

17Ngiyambona, kodwa hatshi khathesi;
ngiyambona, kodwa kungesikho eduze.
Inkanyezi izaphuma ivela kuJakhobe;
intonga yobukhosi izaphakama ivela ku-Israyeli.
Uzacobodisa amabunzi kaMowabi,
inkakhayi zamadodana wonke kaSethi.
18I-Edomi izanqotshwa;
uSeyiri, oyisitha sakhe, uzanqotshwa,
kodwa u-Israyeli uzakhula abe lamandla.
19Umbusi uzavela kuJakhobe
njalo uzabhubhisa abaseleyo balelodolobho.”

Isambulelo Sesihlanu SikaBhalamu

20Ngakho uBhalamu wabona u-Amaleki wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe:

“U-Amaleki wayengowokuqala ezizweni,
kodwa ekucineni uzakuba lunxiwa.”

Isambulelo Sesithupha SikaBhalamu

21Ngakho wasebona amaKheni wasesitsho isambulelo sakhe njalo:

“Indawo yakho yokuhlala ivikelekile,
isidleke sakho sakhelwe edwaleni;
22kanti-ke lina maKheni lizabhujiswa
ekuthunjweni kwenu yi-Asiriya.”

Isambulelo Sesikhombisa SikaBhalamu

23Ngakho wasitsho isambulelo sakhe:

“Kambe ngubani ongaphila nxa uNkulunkulu esenza lokhu na?
24Imikhumbi izakuza ivela okhunjini lwaseKhithimi;
bazayehlula u-Asiriya kanye le-Ebha,
kodwa laba bazachithwa babe ngamanxiwa.”
25Ngakho uBhalamu wasukuma wasebuyela kibo loBhalaki wahamba ngeyakhe indlela.