Unumeri 23 Ibhayibheli Elingcwele (ZUL59)

UBileyamu ubusisa u-Israyeli

1. UBileyamu wathi kuBalaki: “Ngakhele lapha ama-altare ayisikhombisa, ungilungisele lapha izinkunzi eziyisikhombisa nezinqama eziyisikhombisa.”

2. UBalaki wenza-ke njengalokho uBileyamu ekhulumile; oBalaki noBileyamu banikela kulelo nalelo altare inkunzi nenqama.

3. UBileyamu wathi kuBalaki: “Yima ngasemnikelweni wakho wokushiswa, mina ngihambe; mhlawumbe uJehova angafika ukungihlangabeza; konke angitshengisa khona ngiyakukutshela.” Waya edulini elingenalutho.

4. UNkulunkulu wahlangana noBileyamu; yena wathi kuye: “Sengilungisile ama-altare ayisikhombisa, nganikela ngenkunzi nangenqama kulelo nalelo altare.”

5. UJehova wafaka izwi emlonyeni kaBileyamu, wathi: “Buyela kuBalaki, ukhulume kanje.”

6. Wayesebuyela kuye; bheka, wayemi ngasemnikelweni wokushiswa, yena nazo zonke izikhulu zakwaMowabi.

7. Wayesethatha isisho sakhe, wathi:“E-Aramu uBalaki ungilandile,inkosi yakwaMowabi ezintabeni zasempumalanga:woza ungiqalekisele uJakobe;woza umdlelesele u-Israyeli.

8. Ngingamqalekisa kanjaniongaqalekiswanga nguNkulunkulu na?Ngingamdleleselaongadleleselwanga nguNkulunkulu na?

9. Ngokuba ngisesiqongweni samadwalangiyambona,ngisemadulini ngiyambuka;bheka, kungabantu abahlala bodwa,abangayikubalwa phakathi kwezizwe.

10. Ngubani ongabala uthuli lukaJakobe,abale okwesine kuka-Israyeli, na?Mangife ukufa kolungileyo,nokuphela kwami makube njengokwakhe.”

11. UBalaki wathumela kuBileyamu, wathi: “Wenzeni kimi na? Ngakuthatha ukuba uqalekise izitha zami; bheka, uzibusisile nokuzibusisa.”

12. Waphendula wathi: “Angiyikuqaphela ukukhuluma lokhu uNkulunkulu akufakile emlonyeni wami na?”

13. UBalaki wayesethi kuye: “Ake uze nami, siye kwenye indawo, lapho ungababona khona; uyakubona inxenye yabo kuphela, ungaboni bonke; ungiqalekisele bona uselapho.”

14. Wamyisa ensimini yaseSofimu esiqongweni sasePisiga, wakha ama-altare ayisikhombisa, wanikela ngenkunzi nangenqama kulelo nalelo altare.

15. Wathi kuBalaki: “Yima lapha ngasemnikelweni wakho wokushiswa, mina ngilinde laphaya.”

16. UJehova wayesehlangana noBileyamu, wafaka izwi emlonyeni wakhe, wathi: “Buyela kuBalaki, ukhulume kanje.”

17. Wayesefika kuye; bheka, wayemi ngasemnikelweni wakhe wokushiswa, izikhulu zakwaMowabi zinaye. UBalaki wathi kuye: “UJehova ukhulume ngokuthini na?”

18. Wayesethatha isisho sakhe, wathi:“Vuka, Balaki, uzwe;ngilalele, wena ndodana kaSipori:

19. uNkulunkulu akasiye umuntu ukubaaqambe amanga,nandodana yomuntu ukuba azisole;ushilo, angayikukwenza, na?Ukhulumile, angayikukuphelelisa, na?

20. Bheka, ngiyaliwe ukubusisa;yena ubusisile, anginakukubuyisa.

21. Akabonanga ingozi kuJakobe,akabukanga nankathazo kwa-Israyeli.UJehova uNkulunkulu wakhe unaye,nesenanelo senkosi siphakathi kwabo.

22. UNkulunkulu wabakhipha eGibithe;unjengezimpondo zenyathi kubo.

23. Ayikho imilingo engamelananoJakobe;akukho ukubhula okungamelana no-Israyeli;manje sekuyashiwo ngoJakobe nango-Israyeliukuthi uNkulunkulu wenzeni.

24. Bheka, abantu bavukanjengengonyamakazi,nanjengengonyama bayaziphakamisa;abayikulala phansi, bengakayidli impango,baphuze igazi lababuleweyo.”

25. UBalaki wayesethi kuBileyamu: “Ungabaqalekisi nokubaqalekisa, futhi ungababusisi nokubabusisa.”

26. Kepha uBileyamu waphendula, wathi kuBalaki: “Angikutshelanga yini ukuthi konke uNkulunkulu akukhulumayo ngiyakukwenza na?”

27. Wathi uBalaki kuBileyamu: “Ake uze, ngikuyise kwenye indawo; mhlawumbe kungaba kuhle emehlweni kaNkulunkulu ukuba ungiqalekisele bona uselapho.”

28. UBalaki wamyisa uBileyamu esiqongweni sasePeyori elibheke ngenzansi ngasehlane.

29. UBileyamu wayesethi kuBalaki: “Ngakhele lapha ama-altare ayisikhombisa, ungilungisele izinkunzi eziyisikhombisa nezinqama eziyisikhombisa.”

30. UBalaki wenza-ke njengalokho eshilo uBileyamu; wanikela ngenkunzi nangenqama kulelo nalelo altare.