Num 22 | NdeIBE | STEP | Abako-Israyeli basuka lapho baya emagcekeni aseMowabi bamisa izihonqo zabo zisekele umfula iJodani ngaphetsheya kweJerikho.

Numbers 22

UBhalaki unxusa UBhalamu

1 Abako-Israyeli basuka lapho baya emagcekeni aseMowabi bamisa izihonqo zabo zisekele umfula iJodani ngaphetsheya kweJerikho.

2 UBhalaki indodana kaZiphori wabona konke okwenziwa ngu-Israyeli kuma-Amori,

3 ngakho uMowabi wesaba ngoba abantu bako-Israyeli babebanengi kakhulu. Ngempela uMowabi watshaywa luvalo ngenxa yokwesaba abako-Israyeli.

4 AbakoMowabi bathi ebadaleni bamaMidiyani, “Ixuku leli lizahuquluza konke esilakho, njengenkabi isidla utshani emadlelweni.” Ngakho uBhalaki indodana kaZiphori, owayeyinkosi yamaMowabi ngalesosikhathi,

5 wathumela izigijimi ukuyabiza uBhalamu indodana kaBhewori, owayehlala ePhethore eduzane lomfula iYufrathe elizweni lakibo lomdabuko. UBhalaki wathi, “Kulabantu abanengi kakhulu abavela eGibhithe; bagcwele ilizwe lonke njalo bahlezi eduze kwami. 6 Woza khathesi uzeletha isithuko phezu kwabo, ngoba balamandla kulami. Mhlawumbe ngalokho ngingabehlula ngibaxotshe elizweni. Ngoba ngiyakwazi ukuthi labo obabusisayo bayabusiseka, njalo labo obaqalekisayo baba ngabaqalekisiweyo.”

7 Abadala bamaMowabi labamaMidiyani basuka, bathatha imbadalo yokuhlawula. Bathe befika kuBhalamu, bamtshela lokho okwatshiwo nguBhalaki.

8 “Lalani lapha okwalamuhla,” watsho uBhalamu kubo, “Ngizalilethela impendulo engizayiphiwa nguJehova.” Ngakho amakhosana amaMowabi ahlala laye.

9 UNkulunkulu weza kuBhalamu wambuza wathi, “Amadoda la olawo ngobani?”

10 UBhalamu wathi kuNkulunkulu, “UBhalaki indodana kaZiphori inkosi yamaMowabi ungithumele lelizwi elithi: 11 ‘Kulabantu abavele eGibhithe abagcwele elizweni lonke. Woza masinyane uzongiqalekisela lababantu. Mhlawumbe ngingaba lakho ukubalwisa ngibaxotshe lapha.’ ”

12 Kodwa uNkulunkulu wathi kuBhalamu, “Ungahambi labo. Ungabaqalekisi lababantu, ngoba babusisiwe.”

13 Ekuseni ngosuku olulandelayo uBhalamu wavuka esithi kumakhosana kaBhalaki, “Buyelani ezweni lenu, ngoba uJehova walile ukuthi ngihambe lani.”

14 Ngakho amakhosana amaMowabi abuyela kuBhalaki athi, “UBhalamu walile ukubuya lathi.”

15 Ngakho uBhalaki wathumela amanye amakhosana amanengi njalo adumileyo kulawakuqala. 16 Eza kuBhalamu afika athi: “Nanku okutshiwo nguBhalaki indodana kaZiphori: Akungabi lalutho olungakuvimbela ukuza kimi, 17 ngoba ngizakunika umvuzo omuhle njalo ngenze konke okutshoyo. Woza uzongiqalekisela lababantu.”

18 Kodwa uBhalamu wabaphendula wathi, “Loba uBhalaki ubenganginika isigodlo sakhe sigcwele isiliva legolide, angingeke ngenze ulutho olukhulu loba oluncane oluphambene lelizwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wami.

19 Khathesi hlalani lapha okwalobubusuku njengalokhu okwenziwe ngabanye, mina ngizadingisisa ukuthi kuyini okunye uJehova azangitshela khona.”

20 Ngalobo busuku uNkulunkulu weza kuBhalamu wathi, “Njengoba ethunywe ukuzakubiza, hamba lawo, kodwa wenze lokho kuphela engizakutshela khona.”

Ubabhemi kaBhalamu

21 UBhalamu wavuka ekuseni, wagada ubabhemi wakhe wahle wahamba lamakhosana amaMowabi. 22 Kodwa uNkulunkulu wathukuthela kakhulu ngokuhamba kwakhe, ngakho ingilosi kaJehova yajama phambi kwakhe yamvimbela. UBhalamu wayegade ubabhemi wakhe elezinceku zakhe ezimbili. 23 Kwathi ubabhemi ebona ingilosi kaJehova imi endleleni iphethe inkemba esandleni sayo, waphambuka endleleni waqonda iganga. UBhalamu wamtshaya ubabhemi embuyisela endleleni.

24 Ngakho ingilosi kaJehova yayakuma emkhandlwini phakathi kwezivini ezimbili, kulemiduli nxa zonke. 25 Kwathi ubabhemi ebona ingilosi kaJehova, ubabhemi wasondela emdulini, ehluzulela unyawo lukaBhalamu emdulini. Ngalokho wamtshaya njalo ubabhemi.

26 Ngakho ingilosi kaJehova yaya phambili yema emkhandlwini onciphileyo lapho okwakungelandlela yokuphendukela kwesokudla loba esenxele. 27 Kwathi ubabhemi ebona ingilosi kaJehova, ubabhemi walala phansi, uBhalamu wathukuthela kakhulu wamtshaya ubabhemi ngodondolo lwakhe.

28 Ngalokho uJehova wavula umlomo kababhemi, wathi kuBhalamu, “Kanti ngenzeni na kuwe uze ungitshaye okwamahlandla amathathu?”

29 UBhalamu waphendula ubabhemi wathi, “Ungenze isiwula! Ngabe bengilenkemba esandleni sami bengizakubulala khathesi.”

30 Ubabhemi wathi kuBhalamu, “Kanti kangisubabhemi wakho na, ovele uhlezi umgada izinsuku zonke, kuze kube namhlanje? Kambe ngikwejayele ukwenza lokhu kuwe na?” UBhalamu waphendula wathi, “Hatshi.”

31 Ngakho uJehova wavula amehlo kaBhalamu, wabona ingilosi kaJehova imi endleleni iqaphise inkemba. Ngakho wakhothama wawa phansi ngobuso.

32 Ingilosi kaJehova yambuza yathi, “Kungani utshaye ubabhemi wakho okwamahlandla amathathu na? Ngize lapha ukukuvimbela ngoba indlela yakho ibutshapha phambi kwami. 33 Ubabhemi ungibonile waphambuka okwamahlandla amathathu. Alubana kaphambukanga, ngabe khathesi sengikubulele wena, ngayekela ubabhemi.”

34 UBhalamu wathi engilosini kaJehova, “Ngonile. Angizange nginanzelele ukuthi umi endleleni ukungivimbela. Nxa kungakuthokozisi khathesi, ngizabuyela emuva.”

35 Ingilosi yathi kuBhalamu, “Hamba lawo lamadoda, kodwa ukhulume lokho engikutshela khona kuphela.” Ngakho uBhalamu wahamba lamakhosana kaBhalaki.

36 Kwathi uBhalaki esizwa ukuthi uBhalamu uyeza, waphuma ukumhlangabeza edolobheni lamaMowabi emngceleni wase-Anoni emaphethelweni elizwe lakhe. 37 UBhalaki wathi kuBhalamu, “Angikuthumelanga ilizwi lokuphangisa na? Kungani ungezanga kimi? Kambe kangenelisi ukukupha umvuzo na?”

38 UBhalamu waphendula wathi, “Ye, sengifikile kuwe khathesi. Kodwa ngingakhuluma loba kuyini na? Ngizakhuluma lokho uNkulunkulu azakubeka emlonyeni wami kuphela.”

39 Ngakho uBhalamu wahamba loBhalaki eKhiriyathi Huzothi. 40 UBhalaki wenza umhlatshelo wezinkomo lezimvu, njalo ezinye wazipha uBhalamu ezinye wazipha amakhosana ayehamba lawo.

41 Ekuseni ngosuku olulandelayo uBhalaki wathatha uBhalamu waya eBhamothi Bhali, kulapho abona abanye babantu.