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Balaki Ayitana Balaamu

22 Aisraeli anayenda kupita ku zigwa za Mowabu nakamanga misasa yawo tsidya lina la Yorodani moyangʼanana ndi Yeriko.

Tsono Balaki mwana wa Zipori anaona zonse zimene Aisraeli anachitira Aamori, ndipo Amowabu anaopa anthuwo chifukwa analipo ambiri. Amowabuwo anachita mantha kwambiri mpaka ananjenjemera chifukwa cha Aisraeli.

Iwo anati kwa akuluakulu a ku Midiyani, “Gulu ili lidzabudula zonse zimene zatizungulira monga momwe ngʼombe yothena imathera udzu wa ku tchire.”

Tsono Balaki mwana wa Zipori, yemwe anali mfumu ya Mowabu pa nthawi imeneyo, anatumiza amithenga kwa Balaamu mwana wa Beori, yemwe anali ku Petori, pafupi ndi mtsinje, mʼdziko la kwawo kuti akamuyitane. Balaki anati:

“Taonani, anthu ochokera ku Igupto abwera, adzaza dziko lonse ndipo akufuna kuchita nane nkhondo. Tsopano bwera, utemberere anthu amenewa chifukwa ndi amphamvu kwambiri kuposa ine. Mwina ndingadzawagonjetse ndi kuwatulutsira kunja kwa dzikoli chifukwa ndikudziwa kuti amene umawadalitsa amadalitsika, ndipo amene umawatemberera amatembereredwa.”

Akuluakulu a Mowabu ndi akuluakulu a Midiyani ananyamuka atatenga ndalama zokalipirira mawula. Atafika kwa Balaamu, anamuwuza zomwe Balaki ananena.

Balaamu anawawuza kuti, “Mugone konkuno usiku uno, ndipo ndikuyankhani zomwe Yehova andiwuze.” Choncho akuluakulu a Amowabu anagona kwa Balaamu.

Mulungu anabwera kwa Balaamu namufunsa kuti, “Kodi anthu ali ndi iwewa ndani?”

10 Balaamu anayankha Mulungu kuti, “Balaki mwana wa Zipori, mfumu ya Mowabu, ananditumizira uthenga uwu: 11 ‘Taonani, anthu amene achokera ku dziko la Igupto adzaza dziko lonse. Tsopano bwera udzawatemberere mʼmalo mwanga. Mwina ndidzatha kumenyana nawo ndi kuwatulutsa.’ ”

12 Koma Mulungu anawuza Balaamu kuti, “Usapite nawo. Usawatemberere anthu amenewo chifukwa ndi odalitsika.”

13 Mmawa mwake Balaamu anadzuka ndi kuwuza akuluakulu a Balaki aja kuti, “Bwererani ku dziko la kwanu chifukwa Yehova sanandilole kuti ndipite nanu.”

14 Kotero akuluakulu a Mowabu anabwerera kwa Balaki ndi kukanena kuti, “Balaamu wakana kubwera nafe.”

15 Kenaka Balaki anatumanso akuluakulu ena ambiri ndi olemekezeka kwambiri kuposa oyamba aja ndipo 16 anafika kwa Balaamu nati;

“Zomwe Balaki mwana wa Zipori akunena ndi izi: ‘Usalole kuti china chilichonse chikulepheretse kubwera kwa ine, 17 chifukwa ndidzakulipira bwino kwambiri ndipo ndidzakuchitira chilichonse chimene unganene. Bwera ndipo uwatemberere anthu amenewa mʼmalo mwanga.’ ”

18 Koma Balaamu anayankha atumiki a Balaki kuti, “Ngakhale Balaki atandipatsa nyumba yaufumu yodzaza ndi siliva ndi golide sindingachite chilichonse chachikulu kapena chachingʼono kuposa kuchita lamulo la Yehova Mulungu wanga. 19 Tsopano mukhale kuno usiku uno monga ena anachitira, ndidzaona chimene Yehova adzandiwuza.”

20 Usiku umenewo Mulungu anabwera kwa Balaamu ndipo anati, “Popeza anthu awa abwera kudzakuyitana, nyamuka, pita nawo koma ukachite zokhazo zimene ndikuwuze.”

Bulu Ayankhula

21 Balaamu anadzuka mmawa, namanga bulu wake wamkazi ndipo anapita ndi akuluakulu a Mowabu. 22 Koma Mulungu anakwiya kwambiri pamene ankapita ndipo mngelo wa Yehova anayima pa njira kutsutsana naye. Balaamu anakwera bulu wake wamkazi ndipo antchito ake awiri anali naye. 23 Pamene buluyo anaona mngelo wa Yehova atayima pa njira ndi lupanga mʼmanja mwake, anapatukira kumbali kwa msewu napita kutchire. Balaamu anamumenya kuti abwerere mu msewu.

24 Kenaka mngelo wa Yehova anayima mʼkanjira kakangʼono pakati pa minda iwiri ya mpesa yokhala ndi makoma mbali zonse 25 Bulu uja ataona mngelo wa Yehova anadzipanikiza ku khoma, kukhukhuza phazi la Balaamu kukhomako. Ndipo pomwepo Balaamu anamenya buluyo kachiwiri.

26 Kenaka mngelo wa Yehova anapita patsogolo ndi kuyima pamalo opanikizika pomwe panalibe poti nʼkutembenukira ku dzanja lamanja kapena lamanzere. 27 Buluyo ataonanso mngelo wa Yehova uja, anagona pansi Balaamu ali pa msana, ndipo iye anakwiya ndi kumumenya ndi ndodo yake. 28 Pamenepo Yehova anayankhulitsa bulu uja, ndipo buluyo anati kwa Balaamu, “Ndakuchitirani chiyani kuti mundimenye katatuka?”

29 Balaamu anati kwa buluyo, “Wandipusitsa, ndikanakhala ndi lupanga mʼmanja mwanga, ndikanakupha pomwe pano.”

30 Buluyo anati kwa Balaamu, “Kodi sindine bulu wanu, amene mumakwera nthawi zonse kufikira lero? Kodi ndinakuchitiranipo zoterezi?”

Iye anati “Ayi.”

31 Pomwepo Yehova anatsekula maso Balaamu ndipo anaona mngelo wa Yehovayo ali chiyimire pa njira ndi lupanga losolola. Tsono iye anawerama nalambira pamaso pake.

32 Mngelo wa Yehova anamufunsa kuti, “Chifukwa chiyani wamenya bulu wako katatu? Taona, Ine ndabwera kudzakutsutsa chifukwa ulendo wakowu ndi woyipa pamaso panga. 33 Buluyu anandiona ndi kupatuka katatu aka. Akanakhala kuti sanapatuke, ndikanakupha tsopano, koma buluyu nʼkanamusiya ndi moyo.”

34 Balaamu anati kwa mngelo wa Yehova uja, “Ndachimwa. Sindinadziwe kuti munayima pa njira kunditsutsa. Tsopano ngati Inu simunakondwe, ineyo ndibwerera.”

35 Mngelo wa Yehova anati kwa Balaamu, “Pita ndi anthuwa koma ukayankhule zokhazo zimene ndikakuwuze.” Choncho Balaamu anapita ndi akuluakulu a Balaki.

36 Balaki atamva kuti Balaamu akubwera, anapita kukakumana naye ku mzinda wa Mowabu umene unali mʼmalire a Arinoni, mʼmphepete mwa dziko lake. 37 Balaki anati kwa Balaamu, “Kodi sindinakutumizire uthenga woti ubwere msanga? Chifukwa chiyani sunabwere kwa ine? Kodi sindingathe kukulipira mokwanira?”

38 Balaamu anayankha Balaki kuti, “Taonani, ndabwera kwa inu lero, kodi ine ndili ndi mphamvu zoti nʼkuyankhula chilichonse? Inetu ndiyenera kuyankhula zokhazo zimene Mulungu wandiwuza.”

39 Pamenepo Balaamu anapita pamodzi ndi Balaki ku Kiriati-Huzoti. 40 Balaki anapereka nsembe ngʼombe ndi nkhosa, ndipo anapereka zina kwa Balaamu ndi kwa akuluakulu omwe anali naye. 41 Mmawa mwake Balaki anatenga Balaamu napita limodzi ku Bamoti Baala, ndipo kumeneko anakaonako gulu lina la Aisraeliwo.

Balak Summons Balaam

22 Then the Israelites traveled to the plains of Moab(A) and camped along the Jordan(B) across from Jericho.(C)

Now Balak son of Zippor(D) saw all that Israel had done to the Amorites, and Moab was terrified because there were so many people. Indeed, Moab was filled with dread(E) because of the Israelites.

The Moabites(F) said to the elders of Midian,(G) “This horde is going to lick up everything(H) around us, as an ox licks up the grass of the field.(I)

So Balak son of Zippor, who was king of Moab at that time, sent messengers to summon Balaam son of Beor,(J) who was at Pethor, near the Euphrates River,(K) in his native land. Balak said:

“A people has come out of Egypt;(L) they cover the face of the land and have settled next to me. Now come and put a curse(M) on these people, because they are too powerful for me. Perhaps then I will be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land.(N) For I know that whoever you bless is blessed, and whoever you curse is cursed.”

The elders of Moab and Midian left, taking with them the fee for divination.(O) When they came to Balaam, they told him what Balak had said.

“Spend the night here,” Balaam said to them, “and I will report back to you with the answer the Lord gives me.(P)” So the Moabite officials stayed with him.

God came to Balaam(Q) and asked,(R) “Who are these men with you?”

10 Balaam said to God, “Balak son of Zippor, king of Moab, sent me this message: 11 ‘A people that has come out of Egypt covers the face of the land. Now come and put a curse on them for me. Perhaps then I will be able to fight them and drive them away.’”

12 But God said to Balaam, “Do not go with them. You must not put a curse on those people, because they are blessed.(S)

13 The next morning Balaam got up and said to Balak’s officials, “Go back to your own country, for the Lord has refused to let me go with you.”

14 So the Moabite officials returned to Balak and said, “Balaam refused to come with us.”

15 Then Balak sent other officials, more numerous and more distinguished than the first. 16 They came to Balaam and said:

“This is what Balak son of Zippor says: Do not let anything keep you from coming to me, 17 because I will reward you handsomely(T) and do whatever you say. Come and put a curse(U) on these people for me.”

18 But Balaam answered them, “Even if Balak gave me all the silver and gold in his palace, I could not do anything great or small to go beyond the command of the Lord my God.(V) 19 Now spend the night here so that I can find out what else the Lord will tell me.(W)

20 That night God came to Balaam(X) and said, “Since these men have come to summon you, go with them, but do only what I tell you.”(Y)

Balaam’s Donkey

21 Balaam got up in the morning, saddled his donkey and went with the Moabite officials. 22 But God was very angry(Z) when he went, and the angel of the Lord(AA) stood in the road to oppose him. Balaam was riding on his donkey, and his two servants were with him. 23 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with a drawn sword(AB) in his hand, it turned off the road into a field. Balaam beat it(AC) to get it back on the road.

24 Then the angel of the Lord stood in a narrow path through the vineyards, with walls on both sides. 25 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it pressed close to the wall, crushing Balaam’s foot against it. So he beat the donkey again.

26 Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left. 27 When the donkey saw the angel of the Lord, it lay down under Balaam, and he was angry(AD) and beat it with his staff. 28 Then the Lord opened the donkey’s mouth,(AE) and it said to Balaam, “What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?(AF)

29 Balaam answered the donkey, “You have made a fool of me! If only I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now.(AG)

30 The donkey said to Balaam, “Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?”

“No,” he said.

31 Then the Lord opened Balaam’s eyes,(AH) and he saw the angel of the Lord standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.

32 The angel of the Lord asked him, “Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.[a] 33 The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If it had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now,(AI) but I would have spared it.”

34 Balaam said to the angel of the Lord, “I have sinned.(AJ) I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back.”

35 The angel of the Lord said to Balaam, “Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you.” So Balaam went with Balak’s officials.

36 When Balak(AK) heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon(AL) border, at the edge of his territory. 37 Balak said to Balaam, “Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn’t you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?”

38 “Well, I have come to you now,” Balaam replied. “But I can’t say whatever I please. I must speak only what God puts in my mouth.”(AM)

39 Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth. 40 Balak sacrificed cattle and sheep,(AN) and gave some to Balaam and the officials who were with him. 41 The next morning Balak took Balaam up to Bamoth Baal,(AO) and from there he could see the outskirts of the Israelite camp.(AP)

Footnotes

  1. Numbers 22:32 The meaning of the Hebrew for this clause is uncertain.