The LORD Gave Israel Favor and the Spoil of the Sea Outshone Egypt

"And the LORD gave the people favor in the eyes of the Egyptians" (Exodus 12:36). What is this favor? "And the LORD gave the people favor" — teaching that for three days the Egyptians were in darkness while Israel went searching in their houses, and not one of them was suspected even of [taking] a spool of thread. The Egyptians reasoned a fortiori within themselves, saying: When are these people worthy to receive [our goods] — when we dwell in light or when we dwell in darkness? When they took for themselves, or when we give to them? Another interpretation: "favor of this people" — teaching that a holy spirit rested upon them; and so it says, "And I will pour upon the house of David and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of favor and supplication" (Zechariah 12:10). It is not the same when one says, "Lend me a fish," and the other says, "I have none," "Lend me a measure," and he says, "I have none," as when one says, "Lend me the fish that is in such-and-such a place, lend me the measure that is in such-and-such a place." "And they let them have what they asked" (Exodus 12:36). Rabbi says: When Israel was in Egypt, what is said of them? "Each woman shall ask of her neighbor" (Exodus 3:22) — teaching that they were dwelling alongside them. When they ceased from the bondage, what is said of them? "They shall ask, every man of his fellow" (Exodus 11:2) — teaching that they were friends to them. When they were redeemed from the bondage, what is said? "And they let them have" — what they lent them did not return to them, and they were lending to them against their will, teaching that they feared them as people fear their masters. And because they said: Tomorrow the nations of the world will see them in the wilderness and say, "See how rich are the slaves of the Egyptians." From where do you say that there was no single one of Israel who could not set up the Tent of Meeting and all its vessels, its clasps, its boards, its bars, its pillars, and its sockets? Therefore it says, "from every man whose heart prompts him" (Exodus 25:2) — there is no single one of Israel who could not make all that I have told you. I might think there was one among them who took nothing; therefore it says, "And He brought them out with silver and gold, and there was none that stumbled among His tribes" (Psalms 105:37). And who is one that stumbles? Like David, as it is said, "And he that stumbles among them in that day shall be like David" (Zechariah 12:8). I might think Moses and Aaron, who were occupied with the commandments, took nothing from the spoil of Egypt; therefore it says, "And it shall come to pass, when you go, you shall not go empty" (Exodus 3:21). Is it possible that Moses and Aaron transgressed a positive commandment and a negative commandment? Therefore it says, "Moreover the man Moses was very great" (Exodus 11:3) — teaching that people deposited their valuables with him. Why does Scripture praise the spoil of the sea more than the spoil of Egypt? Rather, what was in the houses they took in Egypt, and what was in the treasuries they took at the sea; for such is the way of kings: when they go out to war, they bring all their silver and gold with them, so as not to incite others to rebel against them. And so it says, "The wings of a dove covered with silver, and her pinions with yellow gold" (Psalms 68:14) — "the wings of a dove covered with silver," this is the spoil of Egypt; "and her pinions with yellow gold," this is the spoil of the sea. "We will make you rows of gold" (Song of Songs 1:11), this is the spoil of Egypt; "with studs of silver," this is the spoil of the sea. "And you grew and increased" (Ezekiel 16:7), this is the spoil of Egypt; "and you came to excellent ornaments," this is the spoil of the sea, doubled and redoubled by what they plundered at the sea.