“Messengers [malakhim]” – these were flesh and blood messengers. The Rabbis say: Actual angels. Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: Hagar was Sarah’s maidservant and five angels happened upon her,8See Genesis 16:7–12. this one who is the beloved of the household, all the more so. If several angels escorted Eliezer,9See Genesis 24:7 and Bereshit Rabba 59:10. who was a slave of the household, this one, who was the beloved of the household, all the more so.
Rabbi Yosei said: Joseph was the youngest of the tribes and three angels escorted him; that is what is written: “A man found him”10Since the “man” is unidentified and appears by chance, and also plays a crucial role in the story, the midrash understands that the mysterious man was, in fact, an angel. (Genesis 37:15), “the man asked him” (Genesis 37:15), “the man said to him” (Genesis 37:17); this one, who was the father of them all, all the more so.
“Before him” – before the one whose time to assume kingship was before his.11See Genesis 36:31. Rabbi Yehoshua said: He removed his royal purple garment and cast it before him. He said to him: ‘Two starlings cannot sleep on one board.’12Our kingdoms cannot overlap. “To Esau his brother” – although he is Esau, he is his brother.
“To the land of Se’ir, the field of Edom” – he is ruddy, his cooked food is red, his land is red, his mighty are red, his garment is red, and a red one will exact retribution from him in red garments. He is ruddy – “the first emerged ruddy” (Genesis 25:25); “his cooked food is red” – “feed me please from that red, red dish” (Genesis 25:30); “his land is red” – “to the land of Se’ir, the field of Edom”13Red, adom, is similar to Edom.
See Genesis 25:30.; “his mighty are red” – “mighty ones are colored scarlet…” (Nahum 2:4); and a red [adom] one will exact retribution from him – “my beloved is clear and ruddy [adom]” (Song of Songs 5:10); in red garments – “why is there red on your garments?” (Isaiah 63:2).