What the verse said: “I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift…” (Ecclesiastes 9:11). What is “that the race is not to the swift”? Rabbi Tanḥuma said: This verse is speaking about Moses. How so?
Yesterday, he would ascend to the heavens like an eagle; now, he seeks to cross the Jordan, but is unable to do so, as it is stated: “As you will not cross this Jordan” (Deuteronomy 3:27). “And the war is not to the valiant” (Ecclesiastes 9:11) – yesterday the angels were trembling before him, but now he says: “For I was daunted due to the wrath and the fury” (Deuteronomy 9:19). “Also not to the wise is bread” (Ecclesiastes 9:11) – yesterday, “The wise man goes up against the city of the mighty and removes the strength of its stronghold” (Proverbs 21:22); from Heaven, but now, it was taken from him and given to Joshua son of Nun.
“And also not to the clever is wealth” (Ecclesiastes 9:11) – yesterday, he spoke like a wealthy man: “Relent from Your enflamed wrath” (Exodus 32:12), “please pardon the iniquity of this people” (Numbers 14:19). But now he is speaking like an indigent man: “I pleaded [vaetḥanan]” (Deuteronomy 3:23) – do it for me for nothing [ḥinam]. “And also not to the knowledgeable is favor” (Ecclesiastes 9:11) – yesterday, he knew how to appease his Creator: “Arise, Lord” (Numbers 10:35), “repose, Lord” (Numbers 10:36), but here, after he pleaded for all of seven days, ultimately the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Your days are approaching.”