3 akubuqonda nobungakanani bawo, suka yena nabantu bakhe bankwantya.
4 Ke amaMowabhi athetha neenkokheli zamaMidiyan, athi: “Eli hlokondiba losuka livuthulule nje konke kule ngingqi yethu, kanye oku kwenkunzi yenkomo igramza ingca edlelweni.”Ngoko ke ukumkani uBhalaki
5 wathumela kuBhalam unyana kaBhehore owayesePetore ngakumlambo iEfrati, kumhlaba wamawabo. Umyalezo lowo wawusithi: “Ndiyakwazisa ukuba kukho isizwe esifikileyo apha siphuma eJiputa. Abantu baso banwenwele kulo lonke eli, futhi sebefike kwimida yam.
6 Ngokwamanani bangaphezu kwethu; ngoko ke nceda uze kubaqalekisa. Mhlawumbi xa ubaqalekisile singanako ukuboyisa, sibadudule baphume kweli lizwe. Kaloku ndiyazi ukuba xa uthe wabathamsanqela abantu, bayathamsanqeleka; ukanti xa uthe waqalekisa, abantu bahlelwa lishwangusha.”
7 Zasuka ke iinkokheli zamaMowabhi nezamaMidiyan zahamba ziphethe intlawulo kaBhalam. Zakufika kuye zawugqithisa umyalezo kaBhalaki.
8 UBhalam wathi kuwo la madoda: “Lalani. Mna ndonazisa ngomso into endiyixelelwe *nguNdikhoyo.” Ngenene ke amatshawe amaMowabhi alala apho kwaBhalam.
9 UThixo wafika, wabuza uBhalam, wathi: “Ngoobani la madoda unawo apha?”