The Nations Froze Like Stone and Israel Was Acquired

"Terror and dread fall upon them" (Exodus 15:16): terror upon those who are near, and dread upon those who are far. And so it says, "When all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west heard...their hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in them because of the children of Israel" (Joshua 5:1). "By the greatness of Your arm they are still as a stone." Once Israel had crossed the sea, Amalek gathered against them all the kings of the nations of the world to come and wage war with them. At that hour Moses prayed, and they all fell silent as a stone, as it is said, "By the greatness of Your arm they are still as a stone." Another interpretation: once the spies entered the land, anyone who wished to say "These are the spies of Israel" became silent as a stone; therefore it is said, "By the greatness of Your arm they are still as a stone." "Until Your people pass over, O LORD; until the people pass over whom You have acquired." "Until they pass over": until they cross the Jordan, until they cross the wadis of Arnon. "This people": although the entire world is Yours, You have no people but these, as it is said, "This people I formed for Myself" (Isaiah 43:21). "You have acquired": the Torah is called an acquisition, as it is said, "The LORD acquired me at the beginning of His way" (Proverbs 8:22). Israel is called an acquisition, as it is said, "this people whom You have acquired." The Land of Israel is called an acquisition, as it is said, "Possessor [acquirer] of heaven and earth" (Genesis 14:19). The Temple is called an acquisition, as it is said, "And He brought them to His holy border, this mountain which His right hand acquired" (Psalms 78:54). Let Israel, who are called an acquisition, come to the Land of Israel, which is called an acquisition, and build the Temple, which is called an acquisition, by the merit of the Torah, which is called an acquisition; therefore it is said, "this people whom You have acquired."