Abantwana bakwa-Israyeli bahamba, bamisa emathafeni akwaMowabi ngaphesheya kweJordani ngaseJeriko.
UBalaki indodana kaSipori wabona konke akwenzile u-Israyeli kuwo ama-Amori. UMowabi wayesesaba kakhulu abantu, ngokuba babebaningi; uMowabi waba nosizi ngenxa yabantwana bakwa-Israyeli.
UMowabi wathi kumalunga akwaMidiyani: “Manje leli bandla liyakukhotha konke okungakithi nxazonke, njengalokhu inkabi ikhotha utshani bedlelo.”
UBalaki indodana kaSipori wayeyinkosi yakwaMowabi ngaleso sikhathi. Wathuma izithunywa kuBileyamu indodana kaBeyori ePethori elingasemfuleni ezweni labantwana babantu bakhe ukumbiza ngokuthi: “Bheka, nampa abantu abaphumile eGibithe; bheka, basibekela ubuso bomhlaba; sebehlala malungana nami; ngalokho ake uze manje, ungiqalekisele laba bantu, ngokuba bayangahlula; mhlawumbe ngingaze ngibe namandla ukuba sibanqobe, ngibaxoshe ezweni, ngokuba ngiyazi ukuthi ombusisayo ubusisiwe, nomqalekisayo uqalekisiwe.”
Amalunga akwaMowabi namalunga akwaMidiyani asuka enenkokhelo yokubhula esandleni sawo; ayesefika kuBileyamu, akhuluma kuye amazwi kaBalaki.
Wathi-ke kuwo: “Hlalani lapha lobu busuku, nginibuyisele izwi, njengalokhu uJehova eyakukhuluma kimi.” Izikhulu zakwaMowabi zahlala-ke kuBileyamu.
UNkulunkulu wafika kuBileyamu, wathi: “Ngobani lawa madoda akuwe na?”
UBileyamu wathi kuNkulunkulu: “UBalaki indodana kaSipori, inkosi yakwaMowabi, uthumile kimi wathi: ‘Bheka, abantu abaphumile eGibithe basibekela ubuso bomhlaba; woza kalokhu, ungiqalekisele bona; mhlawumbe ngingaze ngibe namandla ukulwa nabo, ngibaxoshe.’ ”
UNkulunkulu wathi kuBileyamu: “Awuyikuhamba nawo; awuyikuqalekisa abantu, ngokuba babusisiwe.”
UBileyamu wavuka ekuseni, wathi kuzo izikhulu zikaBalaki: “Buyelani ezweni lakini, ngokuba uJehova uyangalela ukuba ngihambe nani.”
Izikhulu zakwaMowabi zasuka, zaya kuBalaki, zathi: “UBileyamu uyala ukufika nathi.”
UBalaki wabuye wathuma izikhulu, ziningi, zidumile kunezokuqala. Zafika kuBileyamu, zathi kuye: “Usho kanje uBalaki indodana kaSipori, uthi: ‘Ake ungavinjwa lutho ukuza kimi, ngokuba ngiyakukunika udumo olukhulu, nakho konke ongitshela khona ngiyakukwenza; ake uze ngalokho manje, ungiqalekisele laba bantu.’ ”
UBileyamu waphendula wathi kuzo izinceku zikaBalaki: “Noma uBalaki ebeyakunginika indlu yakhe igcwele isiliva negolide, anginakulidlula izwi likaJehova uNkulunkulu wami ukwenza okuncane nokukhulu. Ngalokho ake nihlale nani lapha lobu busuku, ukuze ngazi ukuthi uJehova useyakukhulumani kimi futhi.”
UNkulunkulu weza kuBileyamu ebusuku, wathi kuye: “Uma amadoda efika ukukubiza, vuka uhambe nawo; kepha lelo zwi kuphela engilikhuluma kuwe uyakulenza.”
Uhlelo Lokusebenza lweBhayibheli
Uhlelo Lokusebenza LweBhayibheli yezingane
