Cishe kwase kuphele iminyaka engu-40 ama-Israyeli ehlala ehlane. Ayesenqobe amadolobha amaningi anamandla. Manje njengoba ayemise amatende emathafeni akwaMowabi empumalanga yoMfula iJordani, kwase kuyisikhathi sokuba angene eZweni Lesithembiso. UBhalaki, inkosi yakwaMowabi, wayesaba ukuthi uzokwehlulwa ama-Israyeli. Ngakho wabizela kwaMowabi indoda okuthiwa uBhalami ukuze iqalekise ama-Israyeli.

UJehova wathi kuBhalami: ‘Ungawaqalekisi ama-Israyeli.’ Ngakho, uBhalami wenqaba ukuya kuBhalaki. INkosi uBhalaki yaphinde yambiza yabe isithembisa ukuthi izomnika noma yini ayifunayo. Noma kunjalo, uBhalami wenqaba. UNkulunkulu wabe esethi: ‘Ungahamba kodwa kufanele ukhulume kuphela lokho engizokutshela kona.’

UBhalami waya kwaMowabi ehamba ngembongolo yakhe. Wayehlele ukuqalekisa ama-Israyeli ngisho noma uJehova ayemtshele ukuba angawaqalekisi. Ingelosi kaJehova yavela izikhathi ezintathu endleleni. UBhalami wayengayiboni ingelosi kodwa imbongolo yakhe yayiyibona. Okokuqala, imbongolo yaphambuka endleleni yahamba esigangeni. Imbongolo yabe isigudla udonga yacindezela unyawo lukaBhalami. Ekugcineni, imbongolo yahlala phansi phakathi komgwaqo. Isikhathi ngasinye uBhalami wayelokhu eshaya imbongolo ngenduku.

UJehova wabe esenza ukuba imbongolo ikhulume. Imbongolo yabuza uBhalami: ‘Ungishayelani?’ UBhalami wathi: ‘Ngoba ungenza isilima. Ukube benginenkemba bengizokubulala.’ Imbongolo yaphendula yathi: ‘Sekuphele iminyaka ngilokhu ngiyimbongolo yakho. Ngake ngakuphatha yini ngale ndlela?’

Ngemva kwalokho uJehova wenza ukuba uBhalami ayibone ingelosi. Ingelosi yabe isithi: ‘UJehova ukutshelile nje ukuthi ungamqalekisi u-Israyeli.’ UBhalami wathi: ‘Ngonile. Ngizobuyela emuva ekhaya.’ Kodwa ingelosi yathi: ‘Ungaya kwaMowabi kodwa kufanele ukhulume kuphela lokho uJehova azokutshela kona.’

 UBhalami wayefundile yini ephutheni lakhe? Cha. Ngemva kwalokho wazama ukuqalekisa ama-Israyeli izikhathi ezintathu kodwa isikhathi ngasinye uJehova wenza ukuba uBhalami awabusise. Ngokuhamba kwesikhathi, ama-Israyeli ahlasela abakwaMowabi futhi uBhalami wabulawa. Kwakungeke yini kumhambele kahle uBhalami ukube walalela uJehova kwasekuqaleni?