Ama-Israyeli besekaneminyaka ema-40 asemmangweni. Ahlula iinarha ezinengi ezinamandla. Njengombana ahlome amatende hlanu kwenarha yakwaMowabi, eduze noMlambo iJordani, bekusikhathi sokobana angene eNarheni yesiThembiso. Yeke, uBhalaki, ikosi yakwaMowabi beyithukiwe bona izokulahlekelwa yinarhayo. Njeke, yamema uBhiliyamu bona eze kwaMowabi azokunikelela ama-Israyeli.

Kodwana uJehova wathi kuBhiliyamu: ‘Ungathomi uwanikelele ama-Israyeli.’ Ngalokho uBhiliyamu wala ukuya. Kwesibili ikosi uBhalaki yammema begodu yamthembisa ukumupha nanyana yini ayifunako. Nakilokho uBhiliyamu wala. Yeke uZimu wathi: ‘Ungaya, kodwana uzokutjho kwaphela lokho engikutjela khona.’

UBhiliyamu wakhwela udumbanakhe waya ngesewula kwaMowabi. Bekanqophe ukuqalekisa ama-Israyeli nanyana uJehova amtjelile ukuthi angenzi njalo. Ingilozi kaJehova yavela kathathu endlelenakhe. UBhiliyamu azange ayibone, kodwana udumbanakhe wayibona ingilozi. Kokuthoma, udumbana waphuma endleleni wavundla ummango. Ngokulandelako, udumbana waziyama ngomthangala, warhuhlisa inyawo lakaBhiliyamu ngomthangala loyo. Ekugcineni, udumbana walala phasi phakathi nendlela. Wabila khulu uBhiliyamu, wamsawula ngentonga.

Nakamsawula kwesithathu, uJehova wenza udumbana, wakhuluma. Wabuza uBhiliyamu wathi: ‘Ungibethelani kangaka?’ UBhiliyamu wathi: ‘Kungombana ungenze isidlhayela. Ngathana bengiphethe isabula, bengizokubulala.’ Udumbana wathi: ‘Seminengi iminyaka ungikhwela, khengakwenza into enjengale na?’

UJehova wavula amehlo kaBhiliyamu, wabona ingilozi. Ingilozi yathi: ‘UJehova ukuyelelisile bona ungawanikeleli ama-Israyeli.’ UBhiliyamu wathi: ‘Ngonile. Ngizakubuyela emva ekhaya.’ Kodwana ingilozi yathi: ‘Ungaya kwaMowabi, kodwana utjho lokho uJehova azokutjela khona kwaphela.’

 Kghani uBhiliyamu wasithola na isifundo? Awa. Ngemva kwalokho, uBhiliyamu walinga ukuwanikelela amahlandla amathathu ama-Israyeli, kodwana uJehova wamenza bona awabusise kiwo woke amahlandla amathathu lawo. Ama-Israyeli ahlasela inarha yakwaMowabi, noBhiliyamu wabulawa. Bengeze kwaba kuhle na ngoBhiliyamu bona alalele uJehova zisuka?