Six Hundred Chosen Chariots and Whose Cattle Had Survived the Plagues

"And he took six hundred chosen chariots" (Exodus 14:7). Whose were they? If you say they were of the Egyptians, has it not already been said, "and all the cattle of Egypt died" (Exodus 9:6)? And if you say they were of Israel, has it not already been said, "our cattle also shall go with us" (Exodus 10:26)? Whose then were they? Behold it says, "He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and his cattle flee into the houses" (Exodus 9:20). These very ones became a stumbling block to Israel. From here Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai used to say: The fittest among the gentiles, kill; the best among serpents, crush its head; the worthiest among women is a mistress of sorcery. Happy is the one who does the will of the Omnipresent. "Six hundred chosen chariots and all the chariots of Egypt" (Exodus 14:7). Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: Come and see the wealth and greatness of this kingdom, for it has not a single idle team; rather they all run by day and by night. And so it says, "six hundred chosen chariots and all the chariots of Egypt": as many as the chariots of Egypt, all standing idle. "And captains [shalishim]" (Exodus 14:7). Shalishim means none other than mighty men, as it is said, "captains and called men, all of them riding horses" (Ezekiel 23:23). Another interpretation: "shalishim" means they were armed threefold. Another interpretation: "shalishim" — Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says, this is the third man of the chariot, for at first there were only two; Pharaoh came and added a third, to hasten and pursue after Israel. And some say Antoninus added it. Another interpretation: "shalishim" means three to each one; and some say thirty to each one; and some say three hundred to each one. Another interpretation: "and captains over all of it" — according to the chariots he sent out troops against them. Similarly Rabbi Jeremiah expounded: "And Zerah the Cushite came out against them with a host of a thousand thousand and three hundred chariots" (II Chronicles 14:8) — according to the chariots he sent out troops against them. "Over all of it" (Exodus 14:7). With intent to destroy [the whole nation]. In the past I said, "Every son that is born you shall cast into the river, and every daughter you shall keep alive" (Exodus 1:22); now "and captains over all of it" — with intent to destroy them utterly: "I will draw my sword, my hand shall destroy them" (Exodus 15:9).