(ח) מָ֣ה אֶקֹּ֔ב לֹ֥א קַבֹּ֖ה אֵ֑ל וּמָ֣ה אֶזְעֹ֔ם לֹ֥א זָעַ֖ם יְהֹוָֽה׃ (ט) כִּֽי־מֵרֹ֤אשׁ צֻרִים֙ אֶרְאֶ֔נּוּ וּמִגְּבָע֖וֹת אֲשׁוּרֶ֑נּוּ הֶן־עָם֙ לְבָדָ֣ד יִשְׁכֹּ֔ן וּבַגּוֹיִ֖ם לֹ֥א יִתְחַשָּֽׁב׃ (י) מִ֤י מָנָה֙ עֲפַ֣ר יַעֲקֹ֔ב וּמִסְפָּ֖ר אֶת־רֹ֣בַע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל תָּמֹ֤ת נַפְשִׁי֙ מ֣וֹת יְשָׁרִ֔ים וּתְהִ֥י אַחֲרִיתִ֖י כָּמֹֽהוּ׃ (יא) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר בָּלָק֙ אֶל־בִּלְעָ֔ם מֶ֥ה עָשִׂ֖יתָ לִ֑י לָקֹ֤ב אֹיְבַי֙ לְקַחְתִּ֔יךָ וְהִנֵּ֖ה בֵּרַ֥כְתָּ בָרֵֽךְ׃
(8) How can I curse whom God has not cursed? How can I condemn those when YHWH has not doomed? (9) From the "heads" of the rocky peaks I see them; from the heights I view them. I see a people who live apart and do not consider themselves one of the nations. (10) Who can count the dust of Jacob, Or number even a fourth of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and may my final end be like theirs!(11) Then Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? Here I brought you to curse my enemies, and instead you have blessed them!”
- How can "looking from above" allow us to see those who we would judge unfavorably with a gentler eye?
- When we "curse" others, in our hearts, or with words, who is damaged?
- In what ways can we place ourselves in the "'heads' of the rocky peaks" in order to gain perspective?