1LWAZA lwanduluka usapo luka‐Sirayeli, lwaya lwati waca ematafeni ase‐Mowabi, nganeno kwe‐Yoredane, malungana ne‐Jeriko.
2Kekaloku u‐Balaki, unyana ka‐Tsipore, wabona konke abekwenzile u‐Sirayeli kuba‐Amori. 3Wandula u‐Mowabi woyika kakulu abantu abo, ngokuba bebaninzi bona; waye u‐Mowabi enesitukutezi ngenxa yalo usapo luka‐Sarayeli. 4Waza wati u‐Mowabi kubadala bama‐Midiyane: Kaloku lomhlambi uya kukotulula konke okusingqongayo, njengokuba inkabi ikotulula utyani basendle. Kekaloku u‐Balaki, unyana ka‐Tsipore, ebengukumkani wama‐Mowabi ngeloxesha ke. 5Wandula watuma izigidimi ukuya ku‐Bilame, unyana ka‐Behori, e‐Petore, engasemlanjeni, elizweni losapo lwabantu bakowabo, ukuba ambize, esiti: Bona ke, kuvelile abantu e‐Jipete; naba begubungele ubuso bomhlaba, behleli malungana nam. 6Kauze ke ngoko, undiqalekisele ababantu, ngokuba bona bendigqitisile ngamandla; kungati ndingaba namandla okuba sibabete, ndize ndibagxote elizweni: ngokuba ndisazi ukuba lowo umtamsanqelisayo uya kutanyusanqeliswa, nokuba lowo umqalekisayo uya kuqalekiswa. 7Baza besuka abadala bama‐Mowabi nabadala bama‐Midiyane, benemilandu yokulaula ezandleni zabo; bada bafika ku‐Bilame, bateta kuye amazwi ka‐Balaki. 8Wayesiti kubo: Lalisani apa obubusuku, ndandiya kuzisa impendulo kuni, njengokuba uyehova eya kunditetela. Zaza inkosana zase‐Mowabi zahlala no‐Bilame.
9Kekaloku weza utixo ku‐Bilame, wati: Ngawapina lamadoda akuwe? 10Waza u‐Bilame wati kutixo: u‐Balaki, unyana ka‐Tsipore, ukumkani wama‐Mowabi, uwatumile kum, esiti: 11Bona ke, kuvelile abantu e‐Jipete, abagubungele ubuso bomhlaba: kauze ke, undiqalekisele bona; kungati ndingaba namandla okulwa ngakubo, ndize ndibagxote. 12Waza utixo wati ku‐Bilame: Akuyi kuhamba nawo; akuyi kuqalekisa abobantu, ngokuba benetamsanqa bona.
13Wesuka u‐Bilame kusasa, wati kwinkosana zika‐Balaki: Hambani niye elizweni lenu, ngokuba esala uyehova ukundivumela ukuba ndiye nani. 14Zaza zesuka inkosana zase‐Mowabi, zaya ku‐Balaki, zati: Walile u‐Bilame ukuhamba nati.
15Wapinda nakanjako u‐Balaki watuma inkosana, ezininzi nezibekekileyo pezu kwazo ezo; 16ezezayo ku‐Bilame, zati kuye: Utsho u‐Balaki, unyana ka‐Tsipore, ukuti: Zungabanjezelwa nto ukuba ungezi kum. 17Ngokuba ndiya kukubeka kakulu kunene, nako konke uya kundixelela kona ndiya kukwenza: uze ke ngoko, undiqalekisele abantu aba. 18Wapendula u‐Bilame wati kwizicaka zika‐Balaki: Nakuba u‐Balaki abeya kundinika indlu yake izele yisilivere negolide, andingegqite elizwini likayehova, utixo wam, ukuba ndenze okuncinane umhlaumbi okukulu. 19Ngako kaloku, kenihlale apa nani obubusuku, ukuze ndiyazi into aya kwongeza uyehova ukuyiteta kum.
20Waye utixo esiza ku‐Bilame ebusuku, wati kuye: Ukuba amadoda lawo eze kukubiza, suka, uhambe nawo; kodwa noko, lonto endiya kuyiteta kuwe, yiyo uya kuyenza.
21Waselesuka u‐Bilame kusasa, wabopa iqwaṙashekazi lake, wahamba nenkosana zase‐Mowabi. 22Yaza yavuta ingqumbo katixo, ngokuba ehambile: yasuka ingelosi kayehova yazimisa endleleni ibe ngumalane kuye. Kekaloku yena ebekwele pezu kweqwaṙashekazi lake, nabafana bake ababini benaye. 23Lati iqwaṙashekazi labona ingelosi kayehova imi endleleni, neṙele layo lir̔oliwe esandleni sayo; ngako iqwaṙashekazi lapambuka endleleni, laya ngasendle. Waza u‐Bilame wabeta iqwaṙashekazi, ukuba alisonge liye endleleni. 24Koko ingelosi kayehova ibimi endleleni yasezitiyeni zemiti yeveyine, udonga lungelicala, nodonga lungelocala. 25Lati iqwaṙashekazi, lakubona ingelosi kayehova, lazincinezela ngaseludongeni, laluncinezela unyawo luka‐Bilame ngaseludongeni kanjalo; ngako wapinda walibeta. 26Yaza ingelosi kayehova yabuya yagqita, yema endaweni exineneyo, apo ibingeko ndlela yokujika nangasekunene nangasekohlo. 27Lati iqwaṙashekazi, lakubona ingelosi kayehova, lati butu ngapantsi kwo‐Bilame; yaza yavuta ingqumbo ka‐Bilame, wada walibeta iqwaṙashekazi ngenduku. 28Wandula uyehova wawuvula umlomo weqwaṙashekazi, elati ku‐Bilame: Ndenze nto nina kuwe, ukuba undibetile lamaxesha omatatu? 29Wayesiti u‐Bilame kwiqwaṙashekazi: Ngokokuba udlale ngam; akwaba bendineṙele esandleni sam! ngokuba kaloku ndinge ndikubulala. 30Lati iqwaṙashekazi ku‐Bilame: Andililo iqwaṙashekazi lako na, okweleyo pezu kwalo kuseloko ubuko kwada kwanamhla nje? ndike ndaqela ukwenje njalo na kuwe? Wayesiti: Hai. 31Waza uyehova watyila amehlo ka‐Bilame, wada wayibona ingelosi kayehova imi endleleni, neṙele layo lir̔oliwe esandleni sayo; wandula watoba ngapantsi, waqubuda ngobuso bake. 32Yati kuye ingelosi kayehova: Yinina ukuba ulibetile iqwaṙashekazi lako lamaxesha omatatu? bona ke, ndipumile ndibe ngumalane, ngokuba igwenxekile indlela yako pambi kwam. 33Kodwa iqwaṙashekazi lindibonile, lapambuka ebusweni bam lamaxesha omatatu; ukuba belingapambukanga kum, okunene kaloku ngendibe ndibulele wena, ndalondoloza lona lihleli. 34Waza u‐Bilame wati kuyo ingelosi kayehova: Ndonile, ngokuba bendingakwazi ukuba uzimisile ngakum endleleni; ngako kaloku, ukuba kubi emehlweni ako, sendiya kubuya. 35Koko ingelosi kayehova yati ku‐Bilame: Hamba nawo amadoda la; kodwa elozwi ndiya kuliteta kuwe, elona uya kuliteta kupela. Waza u‐Bilame wahamba nenkosana zika‐Balaki.
36Kekaloku u‐Balaki akuva ukuba uyeza u‐Bilame, wandula wapuma ukuya kumkaulela esixekweni sase‐Mowabi, esisemdeni wase‐Arenone, esemdeni wokugqibela. 37Waye u‐Balaki wati ku‐Bilame: Bendingatumi kuwe ngokunxama na, ukuba ndikubize? kunganina ukuba ubungezi kum? andingekubeke ngenyaniso na? 38Wati u‐Bilame ku‐Balaki: Bona ke, ndize kuwe nje, ndingaka ndibe namandla okuteta into na? ilizwi alibekayo uyehova emlonyeni wam, lelo ndiya kuliteta.
39Wasuka u‐Bilame waya no‐Balaki; bada bafika e‐Kiriyate‐hutsote. 40Waza u‐Balaki wabinga inkabi negusha, waseletuma ku‐Bilame, nakwinkosana ezinaye.
41Kwaye kute kwakusa, u‐Balaki wamtabata u‐Bilame, wamnyusela ezindaweni ezipakamileyo zika‐Bali, ukuba ekona agqibele ukukangela abantu.
