“There was a small city, and few men in it, and a great king came against it and surrounded it, and built a great siege upon it” (Ecclesiastes 9:14). “There was a small city” – this is the world, “and few men in it” – this is the generation of Enosh and the generation of the Flood, “and a great king came against it and surrounded it” – this is the King of kings the Holy One blessed be He, “and built a great siege upon it” – with ambush and subterfuge.