Pharaoh Harnesses His Own Chariot and the Four Who Saddled in Haste

"And he harnessed his chariot" (Exodus 14:6). He harnessed it with his own hand. It is the way of kings to stand while others prepare for them; but here he harnessed it with his own hand. When the great men of the kingdom saw that he had prepared his own, each one rose and prepared his own. Four harnessed in joy: Abraham, Joseph, Pharaoh, and Balaam. Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai says: let one saddling come and stand over another saddling. Let the saddling that Abraham saddled, to go and do the will of his Father in heaven, come and stand over the saddling that Balaam saddled, to go and curse Israel. Let one binding come and stand over another binding: let the binding with which Joseph harnessed to meet Israel his father come and stand over the binding with which Pharaoh harnessed to hasten and pursue after Israel. Let the sword of one hand come and stand over the sword of another hand: "And Abraham put forth his hand and took the knife to slaughter his son" (Genesis 22:10), let this come and stand over the sword of Pharaoh's hand, as it is said, "I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them" (Exodus 15:9). "And he took his people with him" (Exodus 14:6). He took them with words. He said to them: It is the way of kings to march at the rear while their armies go first; but I will go before you, first. It is the way of kings to plunder for themselves and take the first share; but I will share the spoil with you equally. And not only that, but I will open the storehouses for you and apportion to you silver and gold and all precious stones and pearls, as it is said, "I will divide the spoil" (Exodus 15:9). Therefore it is said, "And he took his people with him" with words.