Bhalaki ulandza Bhalamu
1Sive sema-Israyeli sesuka lapho sacondza ematsafeni akaMowabi, sefike semisa emathende ngesheya kwemfula iJordane malungana neJerikho.
2Watsi kube Bhalaki, umsa waSiphori, abone konkhe lekwase kwentiwe sive sema-Israyeli esiveni sema-Amori, 3Mowabi watfutfumela ngenca yebunyenti bawo. Yebo, Mowabi watfutfumela ngenca yema-Israyeli. 4BakaMowabi bakhuluma nebaholi bakaMidiyani, batsi: “Lesicumbi sebantfu sitawudla konkhe lesinako, njengenkhomo idla luhlata lwesiganga.”
Ngako Bhalaki, umsa waSiphori, labeyinkhosi yakaMowabi ngaleso sikhatsi, 5watfumela tigijimi kutsi tiyewumbitela Bhalamu, umsa waBheyori, labesePhethori ngasemfuleni iYufrathe, eveni laka-Amawu; tafike tatsi kuye: “Kunesive lesaphuma eGibhithe lesesigcwele umhlaba wonkhe, manje sesize semisa nalapha eceleni kwelive lami. 6Manje kota utengicalekisela lesive, ngobe sinemandla kakhulu kunami; kumbe ngingakhona kusehlula ngisikhiphe lapha eveni lami. Ngiyati kutsi lababusiswa nguwe bayabusiseka, nalabo labacalekiswa nguwe bayacalekiseka.”
7Ngako-ke baholi bakaMowabi nebakaMidiyani besuka bahamba baphatsa imali yekuphengula. Batsi nabefika kuBhalamu, bafike bamtjela loko bebakutfunywe nguBhalaki. 8Bhalamu wabaphendvula watsi: “Lalani lapha kulobusuku, kusasa ngitanibuyela nemphendvulo levela kuSimakadze.” Ngako labaholi bakaMowabi balala kaBhalamu.
9Nkulunkulu wefika wabuta Bhalamu, watsi: “Ngakabani lamadvodza lalele lapha kakho?”
10Bhalamu waphendvula Nkulunkulu, watsi: “Bhalaki, umsa waSiphori, inkhosi yakaMowabi, utfumele kimi umbiko lotsi: 11‘Kunesive lesaphuma kulela laseGibhithe lesigcwele umhlaba wonkhe. Ngako wota utengicalekisela sona, kumbe ngingakhona kusehlula ngisicoshe kulelive lami.’ ”
12Kodvwa Nkulunkulu wakhuluma kuBhalamu, watsi: “Ungacali uhambe nawo. Ungasibeki sicalekiso kuleso sive leso, ngobe sabusiswa.”
13Ngakusasa ekuseni Bhalamu wavuka watjela labaholi lababetfunywe nguBhalaki, watsi: “Hambani nibuyele eveni lakini, Simakadze walile kutsi ngihambe nani.” 14Ngako labaholi bakaMowabi babuyela kuBhalaki, bafike bamtjela batsi: “Bhalamu walile kuta natsi.”
15Waphindza Bhalaki watfumela labanye baholi lababemcoka, baba banyenti kakhulu kunalaba bekucala. 16Befika kuBhalamu batsi: “Bhalaki, umsa waSiphori, utsi: ‘Akubete lutfo lolukuvimbelako kutsi ute kimi, 17ngobe ngiyakukukhokhela kahle kakhulu nome ungangibitani; kota ungicalekisele lesive.’ ”
18Kodvwa Bhalamu wabaphendvula, watsi: “Ngisho nome Bhalaki abenganginika sigodlo sakhe sigcwele isiliva negolide, ngingeke sengente lutfo lolukhulu nome loluncane loluphambene nemyalo waSimakadze Nkulunkulu wami. 19Hlalani nani kulobusuku njengalaba bakucala, ngize ngati kutsi yini lenye Simakadze latangitjela yona.”
20Ngalobo busuku Nkulunkulu wefika kuBhalamu, watsi: “Njengobe lamadvodza akulandzile, hamba nawo, kuphela wente loko lengikutjela kona.” 21Bhalamu wavuka ekuseni wabophela imbongolo yakhe, wahamba nalabaholi bakaMowabi.
Bhalamu nembongolo yakhe
22Simakadze wamtfukutselela kakhulu nasahamba, ingilosi yaSimakadze yammela endleleni imvimbela. Bhalamu abegibele imbongolo yakhe, ahamba netinceku takhe letimbili. 23Imbongolo yatsi kube ibone lengilosi ime endleleni, yelule inkemba yayo iyiphetse ngesandla, yaphambuka endleleni yacondza esigangeni. Bhalamu wayishaya, ayibuyisela endleleni.
24Ingilosi yaSimakadze yachubeka yayakuma emngcingweni wendlela leyayijuba emkhatsini wetivini letimbili, kume tibondza emaceleni ngala nangala. 25Imbongolo yatsi kube ibone ingilosi yaSimakadze, yagudla lubondza yahhudla umbala waBhalamu kulolubondza. Bhalamu waphindza wayishaya futsi.
26Ingilosi yaSimakadze yaphindza yachubekela ngembidlana, yefika yema emngcengcemaneni wendlela, lapho bekute khona ngisho nendzawana nje yekujikela ngesekudla nome ngesancele. 27Imbongolo yatsi kube ibone lengilosi yaSimakadze, yalala phansi, Bhalamu asetulu kuyo; watfukutsela wabila, wayishaya ngalendvuku yakhe. 28Simakadze wase uvula umlomo walembongolo, yakhuluma kuBhalamu yatsi: “Kodvwa ngenteni kuwe kutsi ungaze ungishaye kuze kube katsatfu?”
29Bhalamu wayiphendvula watsi: “Ungente silima! Kube bengiphetse inkemba esandleni sami, ngabe ngiyakubulala khona nyalo.”
30Imbongolo yaphendvula Bhalamu, yatsi: “Angisiyo yini imbongolo yakho lohlala ngekuyigibela njalo nje, kuze kube ngulamuhla? Ngake ngakwenta yini loku kuwe?” Bhalamu watsi: “Cha.”
31Simakadze wase uvula emehlo eBhalamu, wayibona lengilosi yaSimakadze ime endleleni yelule inkemba yayo. Ngako watitfoba, wawa phansi ngebuso. 32Ingilosi yaSimakadze yambuta yatsi: “Uyishayeleni lembongolo yakho kuze kube katsatfu? Ngite lapha kutewuncandza wena, ngobe lendlela yakho inengoti embikwami. 33Lembongolo beyibona mine ingibalekele kulamahlandla lamatsatfu. Kube beyingangibalekeli, ngabe wena sengikubulele nyalo, kodvwa yona bengitayishiya iphila.”
34Bhalamu wakhuluma kulengilosi yaSimakadze, watsi: “Ngonile, bengingaboni kutsi ume endleleni kutewuncandza mine. Nangabe-ke akukujabulisi lokuhamba kwami, ngitawuncandzeka.”
35Ingilosi yaSimakadze yakhuluma kuBhalamu, yatsi: “Hamba nalamadvodza, kodvwa ukhulume kuphela loko lengitakutjela kona.” Ngako Bhalamu wahamba nalabaholi bakaBhalaki.
Bhalaki wemukela Bhalamu
36Watsi kube eve Bhalaki kutsi Bhalamu sewuyeta, waphuma wayawumhlangabeta edolobheni lakaMowabi lelise-Anoni, lekungumnyele lokhashane kakhulu welive lakhe. 37Bhalaki wakhuluma naBhalamu, watsi: “Angikatfumeli yini tigijimi kuwe kutsi tikulandze masinyane? Awuketi ngani kimi? Bewucabanga kutsi anginalutfo yini lwekukukhokhela?”
38Bhalamu waphendvula watsi: “Sengikhona, kepha nginawo yini mine emandla ekukhuluma lutfo ngaphandle kwaloko lengikutjelwa nguNkulunkulu?” 39Ngako Bhalamu wahamba naBhalaki, baya eKhiriyathi Husothi. 40Bhalaki wenta umhlatjelo ngetinkhomo netimvu, lenye inyama wayinika Bhalamu nalabaholi lababehamba naye.
Umlayeto wekucala waBhalamu
41Ngakusasa ekuseni Bhalaki watsatsa Bhalamu, benyukela etulu eBhamothi Bhali, lapho afike wabona kahle incenye yalesive.
