The Angel of God and the Father Who Carried His Child

"And the angel of God journeyed" (Exodus 14:19). Rabbi Judah says: This verse is rich in many places. He told a parable. To what is this like? To a man of flesh and blood who was walking on the road, his son with him, in the wilderness. Bandits came to seize the child from before him, so he took him and placed him behind. A wolf came to seize him from behind, so he took him and placed him in front. With bandits before him and a wolf behind him, he took the child and set him upon his shoulders, as it is said, And in the wilderness, where you have seen how the LORD your God carried you (Deuteronomy 1:31). The child began to suffer, so he took him upon his arms, as it is said, I taught Ephraim to walk, taking them upon his arms, but they did not know that I healed them (Hosea 11:3). The child began to suffer from the heat, so he spread his garment over him, as it is said, He spread a cloud for a covering (Psalms 105:39). The child was hungry, so he fed him bread, as it is said, Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you (Exodus 16:4). The child was thirsty, so he gave him water to drink, as it is said, He brought streams out of the rock (Psalms 78:16); and "streams" means nothing but living waters, as it is said, A fountain of gardens, a well of living waters, and flowing streams from Lebanon (Song of Songs 4:15). Rabbi Nathan asked Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai: Why is it that everywhere it is written "the angel of the LORD," but here it is written "the angel of God"? He said to him: "God" everywhere means nothing but [the attribute of] judgment, for Israel at that hour was placed under judgment -- whether to be saved or to be destroyed together with the Egyptians.