Izinombolo
23:1 UBileyamu wathi kuBalaki: “Ngakhele lapha ama-altare ayisikhombisa, ungilungisele
lapha izinkabi eziyisikhombisa nezinqama eziyisikhombisa.
2 UBalaki wenza njengalokho uBileyamu ekhulumile; oBalaki noBileyamu banikela
i-altare ngalinye libe yinkunzi nenqama.
23:3 Wathi uBileyamu kuBalaki: "Yima ngasemnikelweni wakho wokushiswa, mina ngihambe.
mhlawumbe uJehova uyakufika ukungihlangabeza, nakho konke angibonisa khona
ngizokutshela. Futhi waya endaweni ephakemeyo.
23:4 UNkulunkulu wahlangana noBileyamu, wathi kuye: “Ngilungise ama-altare ayisikhombisa;
nginikele phezu kwalelo nalelo altare inkunzi nenqama.
23:5 UJehova wafaka izwi emlonyeni kaBileyamu, wathi: “Buyela kuBalaki;
ukhulume kanje.
23:6 Wabuyela kuye, bheka, wayemi ngasemnikelweni wakhe wokushiswa.
nazo zonke izikhulu zakwaMowabi.
23:7 Wayesethatha isisho sakhe, wathi: "UBalaki inkosi yakwaMowabi."
wangikhipha e-Aramu ezintabeni zasempumalanga, wathi: “Woza!
ngiqalekisele uJakobe, uze, udelele u-Israyeli.
23:8 Ngingaqalekisa kanjani, lowo uNkulunkulu angamqalekisanga? noma ngingadelela bani
uJehova akadeleli na?
23:9 Ngoba kusukela esiqongweni samadwala ngiyambona, futhi kusukela emagqumeni ngibheke
bheka, abantu bayakuhlala bodwa, angabalwa
izizwe.
23:10 Ubani ongabala uthuli lukaJakobe, futhi inombolo ingxenye yesine
Israyeli? Mangife ukufa kolungileyo, kube ukuphela kwami
njengaye!
23:11 UBalaki wayesethi kuBileyamu: "Wenzeni kimi na? ngikuyise
qalekisa izitha zami, bheka, uzibusisile kanyekanye.
23:12 Waphendula wathi: "Angifanele ukuqaphela ukukhuluma lokho akushoyo."
UJehova ubeke emlonyeni wami na?
23:13 UBalaki wathi kuye: "Ake uze nami kwenye indawo.
lapho ungababona khona: uzobona kuphela umphetho
kubo, futhi ngeke ubabone bonke: futhi ungiqalekisele bona kusukela lapho.
23:14 Wamyisa ensimini yaseZofi, esiqongweni sasePisga,
wakha ama-altare ayisikhombisa, wanikela ngenkunzi nangenqama kulelo nalelo altare.
23:15 Wathi kuBalaki, "Yima lapha ngasemnikelweni wakho wokushiswa, mina ngihlangane."
uJehova laphaya.
23:16 UJehova wahlangana noBileyamu, wafaka izwi emlonyeni wakhe, wathi: "Buyela emuva."
kuBalaki, usho kanje.
23:17 Lapho efika kuye, bheka, wayemi ngasemnikelweni wakhe wokushiswa neminikelo yokushiswa
izikhulu zakwaMowabi kanye naye. UBalaki wathi kuye: “INkosi inabani na?
kukhulunywa?
23:18 Wayesethatha isisho sakhe, wathi: "Vuka, Balaki, uzwe; lalela
kimi, wena ndodana kaSipori.
23:19 UNkulunkulu akasiye umuntu ukuba aqambe amanga; nendodana yomuntu ukuthi yona
aphenduke: ushilo, angakwenzi na? noma ukhulumile,
futhi angayikukwenza na?
23:20 Bheka, ngamukele umyalo wokubusisa, futhi ubusisile; nami
ayikwazi ukukuhlehlisa.
23:21 Akabonanga ububi kuJakobe, futhi akazange abone inkohlakalo
kwa-Israyeli: uJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe unaye, nokuduma kwenkosi kunaye
phakathi kwazo.
23:22 UNkulunkulu wabakhipha eGibhithe; unamandla anjengamandla
i-unicorn.
23:23 Ngokuqinisekile akukho imilingo ngokumelene uJakobe, futhi akukho noma yimuphi
ukubhula ngo-Israyeli; kuyakuthiwa ngalesi sikhathi
UJakobe no-Israyeli, uNkulunkulu akwenzileyo!
23:24 Bheka, abantu bayovuka njengengonyama enkulu, futhi aziphakamise njengoba
ibhongo lengonyama, aliyikulala, lize lidle inyamazane, liphuze
igazi lababuleweyo.
23:25 UBalaki wathi kuBileyamu: "Ungabaqalekisi nokubaqalekisa, futhi ungababusisi
konke.
23:26 Kepha uBileyamu waphendula, wathi kuBalaki: "Angikutshelanga ukuthi: Konke
lokho uJehova akukhulumile, ngiyakukwenza na?
23:27 UBalaki wathi kuBileyamu: "Ake uze, ngikuyise kuBileyamu.
enye indawo; mhlawumbe kungaba kuhle kuNkulunkulu ukuba ungiqalekise
kusukela lapho.
23:28 UBalaki wayesemyisa uBileyamu esiqongweni sasePeyori, elibheke ngasempumalanga
IJeshimoni.
23:29 UBileyamu wathi kuBalaki: "Ngakhele lapha ama-altare ayisikhombisa, futhi ungilungisele."
lapha izinkunzi eziyisikhombisa nezinqama eziyisikhombisa.
23:30 UBalaki wenza njengokusho kukaBileyamu, wanikela phezu kwenkunzi nenqama
lonke ilathi.