Mekhilta DeRabbi Shimon Ben Yochai Reader

"And it was told the king of Egypt" (Exodus 14:5). The children of Israel traveled from Rameses to Succoth, and from Succoth to Etham, and from Etham to Pi-hahiroth: the eve of Sabbath, the Sabbath, and the first day of the week, which are the fifteenth, the sixteenth, and the seventeenth. On the second day of the week, which was the fourth day of their journey, being the eighteenth, Israel were saddling their cattle and readying their gear to go out. The overseers said to them: The term of your leave [furlough] has arrived to return to Egypt, as it is said, "a journey of three days will we go into the wilderness" (Exodus 8:23). They said to them: Once we went out of Egypt, we went out from the authority of Pharaoh. They said to them: Whether you wish it or not, in the end you will return and fulfill the words of the kingdom. Israel rose against them and struck some of them and wounded some of them and killed some of them; and they went and told Pharaoh. Therefore it is said, "And it was told the king of Egypt." Who told him? The overseers who were with them. And some say he had scouts. And some say Amalek told him. "That the people had fled" (Exodus 14:5). But were they fleeing? Has it not already been said, "and the children of Israel went out with a high hand" (Exodus 14:8)? Rather, since they had killed the overseers, these went and said to Pharaoh: they have struck us and wounded us, and they have neither ruler nor officer, as it is said, "The locust has no king, yet they all go forth in ranks" (Proverbs 30:27). "And the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people" (Exodus 14:5). Yesterday: "And Pharaoh's servants said to him, How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go" (Exodus 10:7); and today: "And the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people." "And they said, What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go?" They said: had we let them go and not been smitten, it would have been enough; but we both let them go and were smitten. Had we been smitten and not let them go, it would have been enough; but we were smitten and let them go. Had we let them go and been smitten yet not had our money taken, it would have been enough; but we let them go, were smitten, and had our money taken. A parable. To what may this be compared? To a king of flesh and blood who said to his servant, Bring me a fish from the market. He went and brought him a spoiled fish. He said: The decree is, either you eat the fish, or you take a hundred lashes, or you pay a hundred maneh. He said: I will eat the fish. He had not finished it before his stomach turned against him. He said: I will take the hundred lashes. He was lashed sixty or seventy and could bear no more. He said: I will pay the hundred maneh. So it was done to the Egyptians: they were smitten, they let Israel go, and their money was taken. Therefore it is said, "What is this we have done, that we have let Israel go?" Another interpretation: "And they said, What is this we have done?" This teaches that once Israel went out of Egypt, the labor of Egypt ceased. "From serving us" (Exodus 14:5). Who will serve us now? Now all the nations of the world will clang against us like a bell and say: If these who were in their power they released and let go, how then can we send to Aram-naharaim and to Aram-zobah to bring us up tribute and to send us male and female slaves? This teaches that Pharaoh ruled from one end of the world to the other, and he had governors from one end of the world to the other, for the sake of the honor of Israel. Of him it is said, "He sent a king and released him, the ruler of peoples, and set him free" (Psalms 105:20). You have no nation or kingdom that subjugated Israel that did not rule from one end of the world to the other, for the sake of the honor of Israel. Of the king of Assyria it says, "And my hand found, like a nest, the wealth of the peoples; and as one gathers forsaken eggs, I gathered all the earth" (Isaiah 10:14). Of the kingdom of Babylon it says, "And the nation and the kingdom that will not serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and that will not put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, that nation will I punish with the sword and with famine and with pestilence, says the LORD, until I have consumed them by his hand" (Jeremiah 27:8). Of the kingdom of Media it says, "Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations, and tongues that dwell in all the earth: May your peace be great" (Daniel 6:26), and it says, "And king Ahasuerus laid a tribute upon the land and the isles of the sea" (Esther 10:1). Of the kingdom of Greece it says, "and the beast had four heads, and dominion was given to it" (Daniel 7:6). Of the fourth kingdom it says, "and it shall devour the whole earth and trample it down and crush it" (Daniel 7:23). Behold, you have no nation or kingdom that ruled over them that did not rule from one end of the world to the other, for the sake of the honor of Israel. Therefore it is said, "And they said, What is this we have done?" Another interpretation: "And they said, What is this we have done?" They said: was it not for their sake that good came upon us? Rabbi Yose used to make of it a parable. To what may this be compared? To one who had a field sown with a kor of grain and sold it for a trifle; the buyer went and opened in it springs and planted in it gardens and orchards, and the seller began to choke with regret. So the Egyptians: they sent them away and did not know what they were sending away. And so it says, "Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates with precious fruits, henna with spikenard" (Song of Songs 4:13). Rabbi Shimon used to make of it a parable. To what may this be compared? To one to whom a palace fell as an inheritance in a land across the sea, and he sold it for a trifle; the buyer went and found in it treasures of silver and gold and precious stones and pearls, and the seller began to choke with regret. So it was done to the Egyptians: they were smitten and they let them go and their money was taken. Therefore it is said, "And they said, What is this we have done?"

"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.

"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).

"And the LORD strengthened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued" (Exodus 14:8). For his heart was divided, whether to pursue or not to pursue. "And he pursued after the children of Israel." Scripture tells that had it been another nation, he would not have pursued after it. "And the children of Israel went out with a high hand." Scripture tells that when the Egyptians were pursuing after the children of Israel, they were reviling and reproaching and blaspheming, while Israel were glorifying and exalting and praising and acclaiming and lauding, and giving song, praise, greatness, glory, victory, and majesty to the One to whom the war belongs, as it is said, "the high praises of God are in their throat, and a two-edged sword in their hand" (Psalms 149:6); and it says, "Be exalted above the heavens, O God; let your glory be over all the earth" (Psalms 57:6); and it says, "O LORD, you are my God; I will exalt you, I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, counsels of old, faithfulness and truth" (Isaiah 25:1). Another interpretation: "with a high hand" — that his hand [the hand of the Most High] was high over the Egyptians.

"And the Egyptians pursued after them" (Exodus 14:9). Scripture tells that not one of them stumbled, lest they take it as an omen and turn back. And so we find that the gentiles practice divination, as it is said, "For these nations whom you are dispossessing listen to soothsayers and diviners" (Deuteronomy 18:14); and it says, "And the elders of Moab and the elders of Midian went with divinations in their hand" (Numbers 22:7). But here not one of them stumbled, lest they take it as an omen and turn back. "And they overtook them encamping by the sea, beside Pi-hahiroth, before Baal-zephon." When Pharaoh saw Baal-zephon, he rejoiced and said: Baal-zephon has agreed to my decree. I said to drown them in the water; Baal-zephon has agreed to my decree to drown them in the water. He began to slaughter and offer incense before his idol, as it is said, "before Baal-zephon, and Pharaoh drew near" [bringing offerings].

"And Pharaoh drew near" (Exodus 14:10). Another interpretation: he brought the punishment near to come upon himself. Another interpretation: "And Pharaoh drew near." What Israel covered in three days, the overseers covered in a day and a half; and what the overseers covered in a day and a half, Pharaoh covered in one day. Behold: the second day of the week, the third, and the fourth. At the end of the fourth day, which was the twentieth, Pharaoh brought near his gifts, and the cloud and the darkness were all the night of the twenty-first, which was the night of the fifth day and the seventh night of Passover, and in the morning watch the Egyptians were drowned, as it is said, "And it came to pass in the morning watch that the LORD looked forth upon the camp of the Egyptians" (Exodus 14:24). Another interpretation: "And Pharaoh drew near, and the children of Israel lifted up their eyes." Because they had struck the overseers, they knew that in the end they would pursue after them. "And behold, Egypt was journeying after them." It is not written here "were journeying" but "was journeying after them." Scripture tells that they became as troops upon troops as one man; and from them the kingdom learned to march as troops upon troops. "And the children of Israel cried out to the LORD." They seized the craft of their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Of Abraham it says, "with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east, and there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD" (Genesis 12:8). Of Isaac it says, "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field" (Genesis 24:63), and meditation means none other than prayer, as it is said, "may my meditation be sweet to him" (Psalms 104:34), and it says, "evening and morning and noon I will meditate" (Psalms 55:18), and it says, "a prayer of the afflicted when he is faint and pours out his meditation before the LORD" (Psalms 102:1). Of Jacob it says, "And he lighted upon the place" (Genesis 28:11), and lighting upon means none other than prayer, as it is said, "and you, do not pray for this people, nor lift up cry or prayer for them, nor entreat me" (Jeremiah 7:16); and it says, "Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel" (Isaiah 41:14) — as this worm strikes the cedars only with its mouth, so Israel have nothing but prayer; and it says, "which I took from the hand of the Amorite with my sword and with my bow" (Genesis 48:22). And did he take it with his sword and his bow? Has it not already been said, "for not in my bow do I trust, nor will my sword save me" (Psalms 44:7)? What then does "with my sword and with my bow" teach? This is prayer. And so it says, "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, and whose trust the LORD is" (Jeremiah 17:7) — this is prayer; and it says, "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his arm, and whose heart turns from the LORD" (Jeremiah 17:5) — this is [the abandonment of] prayer. Of Judah it is said, "Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah" (Deuteronomy 33:7). Of David it says, "You come to me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied" (I Samuel 17:45); and it says, "These trust in chariots and these in horses, but we will call upon the name of the LORD our God; they are bowed down and fallen, but we are risen and stand upright" (Psalms 20:8-9). Of Asa it says, "And Asa cried to the LORD his God and said: LORD, there is none beside you to help between the mighty and the powerless; help us, O LORD our God, for on you we rely, and in your name we have come against this multitude; O LORD, you are our God, let not man prevail against you" (II Chronicles 14:10). Of Moses it says, "And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom" (Numbers 20:14): he said to him, You take pride in what your father bequeathed you, "the voice is the voice of Jacob" (Genesis 27:22) — "and he heard our voice" (Numbers 20:16); and we take pride in what our father bequeathed us, "and the hands are the hands of Esau" and "by your sword you shall live" (Genesis 27:40); whence "And Edom said to him, You shall not pass through me, lest I come out against you with the sword" (Numbers 20:18). Here too you say, "And the children of Israel cried out to the LORD": they seized the craft of their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

"And they said to Moses, Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us to die in the wilderness?" (Exodus 14:11). [Like] our leaven in the dough [the lingering grievance], they went off to Moses. "Is this not the word that we spoke to you in Egypt?" What did they say to Moses in Egypt? Behold it says, "And they met Moses and Aaron standing to meet them" (Exodus 5:20). They said to him: We were already in anguish over our servitude in Egypt; our death in the wilderness is harder for us than our servitude in Egypt. We were already in anguish over the death of our brothers in the darkness [the plague of darkness, when many Israelites died]; our death in the wilderness is harder for us than the death of our brothers in the darkness. For our brothers were lamented and buried, but as for us, the carcass of us, your enemies, will be cast out to the heat by day and to the frost by night.

"And Moses said to the people, Fear not" (Exodus 14:13). To make known the wisdom of Moses, who stood and pacified all those thousands and all those myriads; and of him it is explained in the tradition, "Wisdom gives strength to the wise" (Ecclesiastes 7:19). "Stand firm and see." Standing, in every place, refers to none other than the Holy Spirit, as it is said, "Call Joshua, and present yourselves [stand] in the tent of meeting" (Deuteronomy 31:14); and it says, "And the LORD came and stood and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel" (I Samuel 3:10); and it says, "and bring them to the tent of meeting, that they may stand there with you" (Numbers 11:16); and it says, "and behold, the LORD stood above him" (Genesis 28:13); and it says, "I saw the LORD standing upon the altar" (Amos 9:1). To what were Israel like at that hour? To a dove that fled from a hawk and entered a cleft of the rock, and a serpent was coiled within it. To enter further she could not, because of the serpent; to go out she could not, because of the hawk. She kept crying and beating her wings, that the owner of the dovecote might hear and come. So when Israel saw the sea closing in and the enemy pursuing, they lifted their eyes in prayer; and of them it is explained in the tradition, "O my dove in the clefts of the rock, in the secret of the cliff, let me see your face, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet" — in prayer — "and your face is comely" (Song of Songs 2:14) — in good deeds. Another interpretation: "Stand firm and see the salvation of the LORD." They said to him: When? He said to them: Today. They said to him: We have no strength to endure. Moses prayed at that hour, and the Omnipresent showed them troops upon troops of ministering angels passing before them, as it is said, "And the servant of the man of God rose early to get up and go out, and behold, a host surrounded the city with horses and chariots. And his lad said to him, Alas, my master, how shall we do? And he said, Fear not, for those with us are more than those with them. And Elisha prayed and said, LORD, open his eyes that he may see; and the LORD opened the eyes of the lad, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha" (II Kings 6:15-17). So too Moses prayed, and the Omnipresent showed them troops upon troops of ministering angels passing before them. And so it says, "Out of the brightness before him his clouds passed" (Psalms 18:13) — his clouds, against their troops; "hail," against the stones of the catapult; "and coals of fire," against the firebombs; fire, against their naphtha. "The LORD thundered from heaven" — against the clashing of their shields; "and the Most High gave forth his voice" — against their war-cries; "and he sent out his arrows and scattered them" — against their arrows; "and lightnings in abundance, and confounded them" — against the flashing of their weapons. Another interpretation: "and he sent out his arrows and scattered them, and lightnings in abundance and confounded them" — for the arrows scattered them and the lightnings gathered them, and he confounded them, threw them into confusion, mixed them up; he took away the officers among them, and they did not know what they were doing. Another interpretation: confusion means none other than plague, as it is said, "and he shall confound them with a great confusion until they are destroyed" (Deuteronomy 7:23). "For as you have seen Egypt today, you shall not see them again forever" (Exodus 14:13). In three places the Holy One, blessed be He, warned Israel not to return to Egypt: here; and it says, "and the LORD said to you, You shall not return that way again" (Deuteronomy 17:16); and it says, "by the way of which I said to you, You shall not see it again" (Deuteronomy 28:68). In all three they returned, and in all three they came to ruin.

"The LORD will fight for you" (Exodus 14:14). Israel stood at the sea divided into four factions. One said, "Let us fall into the sea." One said, "Let us return to Egypt." One said, "Let us make war." And one said, "Let us cry out against them." To the one that said, "Let us fall into the sea," he said, "Stand firm and see the salvation of the LORD" (Exodus 14:13). To the one that said, "Let us return to Egypt," he said, "You will not see them again forever" (Exodus 14:13). To the one that said, "Let us make war," he said, "The LORD will fight for you." And to the one that said, "Let us cry out against them," he said, "And you shall be silent" (Exodus 14:14). Another interpretation: "The LORD will fight for you" not only at this hour, but forever the LORD will fight for you. Rabbi Meir says: "The LORD will fight for you, and you shall be silent" (Exodus 14:14). If, while you stand and keep silent, the Holy One, blessed be He, performs for you miracles and mighty deeds, how much more so when you offer before Him song and praise. Rabbi [Judah the Prince] says: "The LORD will fight for you, and you shall be silent." The Holy One performs for you miracles and mighty deeds, and you stand silent? They said to him, "What then are we to do?" He said to them, "You shall glorify and exalt, praise and laud and extol, and give song and praise, greatness and glory and triumph and majesty to Him to whom the war belongs." At that hour Israel opened their mouths and sang the song, "I will sing to the LORD, for He has triumphed gloriously" (Exodus 15:1).

"And the LORD said to Moses, Why do you cry out to Me?" (Exodus 14:15). Rabbi [Joshua] says: Israel has nothing to do but to journey on. Rabbi Eliezer says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "My children are in distress, the sea closing them in and the enemy pursuing, and you stand multiplying prayer before Me? Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they journey on." Rabbi Abtolos the Elder told a parable. To what is this like? To a king of flesh and blood who grew angry with his son, and a certain guardian was pleading before him. He said to him, "Do you plead before me for any reason but for the sake of my son? I am already reconciled to my son." So too, "Speak to the children of Israel, that they journey on." Rabbi [Judah the Prince] says: He said to him, "Last night they were saying, Was it for lack of graves in Egypt? (Exodus 14:11), and now you multiply prayer before Me? Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the children of Israel" -- He removed these matters from their hearts. Rabbi Meir says: He said to him, "If for a single man I made the sea into dry land, as it is written, And God said, Let the waters be gathered, and let the dry land appear (Genesis 1:9), shall I not do so for this holy congregation, of whom it is said, To the holy ones who are in the land (Psalms 16:3)?" Rabbi Ishmael says: He said to him, "By the merit of Jerusalem I split the sea for them, as it is said, Awake, awake, put on your strength, O Zion (Isaiah 52:1), and it says, Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD... Was it not You who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep, who made the depths of the sea a road for the redeemed to pass over? (Isaiah 51:9-10)." Rabbi Benaiah says: By the merit of what Abraham did before Me I split the sea for them. Of Abraham it says, And he split the wood for the burnt offering (Genesis 22:3); of the sea it says, And the waters were split (Exodus 14:21). Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: Isaac is already as if bound before Me upon the altar, and Abraham as if he stretched out his hand and took the knife; "And you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and split it" (Exodus 14:16). Rabbi Akiva says: By the merit of Jacob I split the sea for them, as it is said, And your seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and you shall break forth to the west (Genesis 28:14). Rabbi Eliezer ben Judah of Bartota says: By the merit of the tribes I split the sea for them, as it is said of Joseph, And he left his garment and fled outside (Genesis 39:12); and of the sea it says, The sea saw it and fled (Psalms 114:3). Shimon the Temanite says: By the merit of circumcision I split the sea for them, as it is said, If not for My covenant day and night (Jeremiah 33:25). Which covenant is observed by day and by night? You find none but circumcision. And it says, To Him who cut the Sea of Reeds into pieces [le-gezarim] (Psalms 136:13) -- do not read "into pieces" but "to those who cut" [a play marking circumcision]. Shemaiah says: Worthy is the faith with which Abraham believed in Me that I should split the sea for them, as it is said, And he believed in the LORD, and He counted it to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). Avtalion says: Worthy is the faith with which Israel believed in Me in Egypt that I should split the sea for them, as it is said, And the people believed (Exodus 4:31). Others say: Worthy is the faith with which Israel believed in Me in Egypt that I should split the sea for them, for they did not say to Moses, "To where are we going out, into this trackless wilderness that has nothing in it, with no provision in our hands for the way?" Thus says the LORD: I remember for you the devotion of your youth, your love as a bride, how you followed Me in the wilderness, in a land not sown (Jeremiah 2:2). What reward did they receive for this? "Israel is holy to the LORD, the first of His harvest" (Jeremiah 2:3). Rabbi Elazar of Modiin says: The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "Concerning My children do you command Me? Concerning My children and the work of My hands do I need a command? They are already prepared before Me from the six days of creation, as it is said, Thus says the LORD: If the heavens above can be measured... I also will reject all the seed of Israel (Jeremiah 31:36)." Rabbi Aha says: The Holy One said to Moses, "Were it not for your cry I would already have destroyed them from the world, as it is said, He said He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen one (Psalms 106:23)." Rabbi Shimon ben Judah of Kfar Akko says: Their cry already preceded your cry, as it is said, They were greatly afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the LORD (Exodus 14:10). Rabbi Nathan says in the name of Rabbi Yose: The Holy One said to Moses, "I have already written of you in the Torah, In all My house he is faithful (Numbers 12:7). You are in My charge and the sea is in My charge; I have already made you treasurer over it." [Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa says: The Holy One said, I have already written, A brother is born for adversity (Proverbs 17:17); I am a brother to Israel in the hour of their trouble, and there are no brothers but Israel, as it is said, For the sake of my brothers and companions (Psalms 122:8).]

"And you, lift up your staff" (Exodus 14:16). Ten miracles were performed for Israel at the sea. The sea was split, as it is said, And the waters were split (Exodus 14:21). It was made into a kind of vaulted dome, as it is said, You pierced with his own staff the head of his warriors (Habakkuk 3:14). It was made into separate pieces, as it is said, To Him who cut the Sea of Reeds into pieces (Psalms 136:13). It was made dry land, as it is said, And the children of Israel walked on dry land (Exodus 14:29). It was made like clay for the Egyptians, as it is said, You trod the sea with Your horses, the churning of mighty waters (Habakkuk 3:15). It was made like rocks, as it is said, You shattered the heads of the sea monsters upon the waters (Psalms 74:13). It was made into crumbs, as it is said, You broke the sea apart by Your strength (Psalms 74:13). It was made for them like a kind of glass globe, so that they could see one another, as it is said, A gathering of waters, thick clouds of the skies (2 Samuel 22:12). And there came forth for them a flow of sweet water from within the salt water, as it is said, The flowing waters stood up like a heap (Exodus 15:8); and those waters, once they had drawn enough from them, froze, as it is said, The deeps congealed in the heart of the sea (Exodus 15:8).

"And I, behold, I will harden the heart of Egypt" (Exodus 14:17) -- as in the matter stated above.

"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.

"And it came between the camp of Egypt and the camp of Israel" (Exodus 14:20) -- as in the matter that is said, And he stood between the dead and the living (Numbers 17:13). "And there was the cloud and the darkness." The cloud was for Israel and the darkness for the Egyptians. You find that whoever is set in darkness sees one who dwells in light. The Egyptians were set in darkness and saw Israel, who dwelt in light, eating and drinking and rejoicing. They would hurl at them arrows and ballista stones, but the angel and the cloud received them, as it is said, Fear not, Abram, I am a shield to you (Genesis 15:1). And it says, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge (2 Samuel 22:3). And it says, The word of God is refined; He is a shield to all who take refuge in Him (2 Samuel 22:31). "And the one did not come near the other all night." The Egyptian who was standing could not sit, the one sitting could not stand, the one laden could not unload, the one unladen could not load; and he groped in darkness, as it is said, And one shall feel the darkness (Exodus 10:21). Another interpretation: "And the one did not come near the other" -- the camp of Egypt did not come near into the camp of Israel, nor the camp of Israel into the camp of Egypt.

"And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the LORD drove back the sea" (Exodus 14:21). The sea began to stand against Moses. He told a parable. To what is this like? To a king of flesh and blood who had two gardens, one within the other. He sold the inner one but did not sell the outer one. The buyer came to enter, but the keeper would not let him. He spoke to him in the name of the king, and he did not accept it; he showed him his ring, and he did not accept it. The king himself came along. When the keeper saw the king, he began to flee. He said to him, "Every day I was speaking to you in the king's name and you would not accept it. Now why are you fleeing?" He said to him, "It is not before you that I flee, but before the king I flee." So too, when Moses came and stood at the sea, he said to it by the word of the LORD, "Make, I pray, a way that the redeemed may pass over." The sea answered Moses, "Son of Amram, was not the first man created only at the end of the six days of creation? And I was created before he was created. I am greater than you. I will not be split before you." Moses reported before the Holy One, blessed be He, "Thus and thus the sea said." The Holy One said, "Master of the world, the sea is unwilling to be split before me; rather, say You by Your word and let it split." The Holy One said to Moses, "If I say to the sea, Be split, it will never have healing forever and ever. Rather, say you, and it will be split, so that it may have healing through you. Behold, the strength of My power is with you." At once Moses came, with the divine Power going at his right, as it is said, Who led them by the right hand of Moses, His glorious arm... who split the waters before them to make for Himself an everlasting name (Isaiah 63:12). When the sea saw the Power standing at Moses' right, it said to the earth, "Make tunnels for me, that I may enter into your hollows, before the Master of all works, blessed be He." When the sea saw it was fleeing before Him, Moses said, "Every day I spoke to you in the holy Name and you would not accept it; I showed you the staff and you would not accept it. Now what ails you, O sea, that you flee?" The sea answered, "Son of Amram, son of Amram, do not credit yourself overmuch. It is not before you that I flee, but before the Master of all works, that His name be sanctified in His world, as it is said, Tremble, O earth, before the Lord, before the God of Jacob (Psalms 114:7)." "And the LORD drove back the sea by a strong east wind" -- the strongest of the winds is the east wind. And so it says, He removed it with His harsh wind in the day of the east wind (Isaiah 27:8). And it says, The east wind, the wind of the LORD, will come up from the wilderness (Hosea 13:15). And so the Holy One exacts punishment from the wicked only with the east wind, as it is said, With an east wind I will scatter them (Jeremiah 18:17). "And He made the sea dry land." He made it like dry land. "And the waters were split." All the waters in the world were divided. From where do you say that the waters in the well, in the ditch, in the cave, in the pitcher, in the house, in the cup, and in the flask were divided? Because it is not written here "And the sea was split," but "And the waters were split" -- all the waters in the world were divided. Rabbi Nathan says: From where that the upper and lower waters were divided? As it is said, The waters saw You and trembled (Psalms 77:17) -- these are the upper waters; the deeps also quaked -- these are the lower waters. And it says, The deep gave forth its voice, it lifted its hands on high (Habakkuk 3:10). And when the sea returned, all the waters in the world returned. "And the waters were split." The Holy One, blessed be He, first dried the water for them, but the mud He did not dry. Israel began to say, "Water He can dry, but mud He cannot dry?" The Holy One said to them, "I have tested you and you have not stood the test. By rights, just as the Egyptians perished in the sea, so you deserve to perish from the world. But what shall I do? Behold, I will act for the sake of My great name that is called upon you," as it is written, They rebelled at the sea, at the Sea of Reeds (Psalms 106:7). At once the Holy One dried the mud for them.

"And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea on dry land" (Exodus 14:22). Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Judah differ. Rabbi Meir says: When the tribes came and stood at the sea, this one said, "I will go down," and that one said, "I will go down." While they were contending with one another, the tribe of Benjamin sprang forward and fell into the waves of the sea, as it is said, There is Benjamin, the youngest, ruling them [rodem] (Psalms 68:28) -- do not read "ruling them" [rodem] but "went down to the sea" [rad yam]. The princes of Judah began to pelt them with stones, as it is said, The princes of Judah pelted them (Psalms 68:28). He told a parable. To what is this like? To a king of flesh and blood who had two sons, one older and one younger. He said to the older, "Will you wake me at the third hour?" and to the younger, "Will you wake me at sunrise?" The younger came and woke him at sunrise, and the older would not allow it. The one said, "He told me only the third hour"; the other said, "He told me only sunrise." While they contended, their father awoke and said, "Both of you intended only my honor; I too will not withhold your reward." What reward did the tribe of Benjamin receive? The Divine Presence rested in his portion, as it is said, And He dwells between his shoulders (Deuteronomy 33:12). What reward did the tribe of Judah receive? He took the kingship, as it is said, The princes of Judah pelted them -- and "pelting" means nothing but kingship, as it is said, Then Belshazzar commanded, and they clothed Daniel in purple (Daniel 5:29). "The princes of Zebulun, the princes of Naphtali" (Psalms 68:28). Scripture tells that just as miracles were done for Israel through the tribes of Judah and Benjamin at the sea, so miracles were done for Israel through the tribes of Zebulun and Naphtali in the days of Deborah and Barak, as it is said, She sent and called Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh-Naphtali... and take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun (Judges 4:6,10). And it says, Zebulun is a people that jeopardized its life to the death, and Naphtali, on the heights of the field (Judges 5:18). Rabbi Judah says: When the tribes came and stood at the sea, this one said, "I will go down," and that one said, "I will go down," as it is said, Ephraim surrounds Me with lies, and the house of Israel with deceit (Hosea 12:1). Nahshon son of Amminadab sprang forward and fell into the waves of the sea, as it is said, And Judah still rules with God (Hosea 12:1) -- do not read "rules with" [rad im] but "went down to the sea" [rad yam]. Of him it is expounded in the tradition, Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck; I have sunk in deep mire, and there is no foothold; let not the flood of water sweep over me (Psalms 69:2-3,16). At that hour the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "My beloved is sinking in the sea, and you stand multiplying prayer before Me? Why do you cry out to Me? Speak to the children of Israel, that they journey on. And you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and split it." What did the tribes say at the sea? "The sanctuary, O LORD, which Your hands established" (Exodus 15:17). At that hour the Holy One said, "He who sanctified My name at the sea, let him rule over Israel." And once Rabbi Tarfon and his disciples were sitting in the vineyard at Yavneh. Rabbi Tarfon said to the disciples, "One who drinks water for his thirst, what blessing does he say?" They said to him, "Let our teacher instruct us." He said to them, "Who creates many living beings and their needs." They said to him, "You have taught us, our teacher." He said to them, "Behold, it says, And they sat down to eat bread, and they lifted their eyes and saw, and behold, a caravan of Ishmaelites (Genesis 37:25)" -- to make known how far the merit of the righteous reaches, for had Joseph gone down to Egypt with Arabs, they would have killed him with their foul smell; but the Holy One arranged for him sacks full of spices, and the wind blowing through them, because of the foul smell of the Arabs. He said to them, "By what merit did Judah take the kingship? If because he said, She is more righteous than I (Genesis 38:26), is one confession enough to atone for one act? If because he said, What profit is it if we kill our brother? (Genesis 37:26), is one rescue enough to atone for the selling? If because he said, For your servant became surety for the lad (Genesis 44:32) -- but a surety must pay in every case." They said to him, "Let our teacher instruct us." He said to them, "When the tribes came and stood at the sea, this one said, I will go down, and that one said, I will go down -- Nahshon son of Amminadab sprang forward," and so on, as written above. "And the waters were a wall for them." He made them like a kind of wall. "On their right and on their left" -- on their right by the merit of the Torah they were destined to receive at the right, as it is said, At His right hand was a fiery law for them (Deuteronomy 33:2); and on their left, this is prayer.

"The Egyptians pursued, and there came after them all the horses and chariots of Pharaoh" (Exodus 14). This is what is said in the verse, "To a mare among Pharaoh's chariots I have likened you, my beloved" (Song of Songs 1:9). Rabbi Meir says: because wicked Pharaoh went out riding a female horse, therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself upon him on the throne of glory in the likeness of a female horse. And how do we know that wicked Pharaoh went out on a female horse? Rather, thus he said to his troops: which of all the beasts is swift, so that I may mount and ride upon it and pursue after Israel? His troops said to him: there is no beast swifter than that female horse of yours, which is all of many colors, the like of which never existed; therefore the male horses see her and run after her. He arose and rode upon her and went down into the sea, as it is said, "all the horses of Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen, into the midst of the sea" (Exodus 15). And just as wicked Pharaoh said to his troops, "which of all the beasts is swift," so did the King of the kings of kings, blessed be He, say to the ministering angels: which of all the creatures that serve before Me is swift? They said before Him: Master of the universe, all is Yours and all is the work of Your hands; it is revealed and known before You that among all the creatures none is swifter than the wind that goes out from beneath the throne of glory. Therefore He rode upon a cherub, as it is said, "He rode upon a cherub and flew; [He soared on the wings of the wind]" (Psalms 18:11).

"And it came to pass in the morning watch" (Exodus 14). The morning of Abraham had already preceded them, as it is said, "And Abraham rose early in the morning" (Genesis 22:3); the morning of Isaac, as it is said, "And the two of them went together" (Genesis 22:6); the morning of Jacob, as it is said, "And Jacob rose early in the morning" (Genesis 28:18); the morning of Moses, as it is said, "And Moses rose early in the morning" (Exodus 34:4); the morning of Joshua, as it is said, "And Joshua rose early in the morning" (Joshua 3:1); the morning of Samuel, as it is said, "And Samuel rose early in the morning" (1 Samuel 15:12); the morning of the prophets who are destined to arise over them, as it is said, "They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:23); the morning of the world to come, as it is said, "O LORD, in the morning You will hear my voice" (Psalms 5:4). And so you find that when the Holy One, blessed be He, exacts payment from the wicked, He exacts it from them only in the mornings, as it is said, "In the mornings I will destroy all the wicked of the land" (Psalms 101:8). "And the LORD looked out upon the camp of Egypt." Unlike the measure of flesh and blood is the measure of the Omnipresent. Flesh and blood, with the very thing it strikes, cannot heal; rather it strikes with a scalpel and heals with a bandage. But the Holy One, blessed be He, with the very thing He strikes, He heals. When the Holy One, blessed be He, blessed Israel, He blessed them only with looking out: "Look out from Your holy dwelling and bless Your people Israel" (Deuteronomy 26:15); and when He exacted payment from the wicked, He exacted it only with looking out, as it is said, "And the LORD looked out upon the camp of Egypt." "In the pillar of fire and cloud." The pillar of cloud would turn the sea to mud and the pillar of fire would make it boil like pitch, and the hooves of the horses would slip, the male above and the female below; and so it says, "Then the horses' hooves pounded from the galloping, the galloping of his mighty ones" (Judges 5:22). "And He threw the camp of Egypt into panic." He confounded them; He took away the officers among them and they did not know what they were doing. Another interpretation: "And He threw into panic"—panic means nothing other than plague, as it is said, "And He shall throw them into great panic" (Deuteronomy 7:23).

"He removed the wheels of his chariots" (Exodus 14). Rabbi Yehudah says: because of the fire from above, the wheels below were burned, and the chariot shafts kept running and entering against their will, for they were laden with silver and gold and precious stones and pearls, so that Israel might take the spoil. Rabbi Nehemiah says: because of the thunder from above, the channels below were torn loose, as it is said, "The voice of Your thunder was in the wheel; lightning lit up the world; [the earth quaked and shook]" (Psalms 77:19), and the chariot shafts kept running and entering against their will, laden with silver and gold and precious stones and pearls, so that Israel might take the spoil. "And He drove them heavily." By the measure they measured, He measured to them. They had said, "Let the labor be heavy" (Exodus 5:9); so You by that same measure measured to them, "And He drove them heavily." Formerly the mules drew the chariots; now the chariot drew the mules. "And He drove them heavily." Rabbi Yehudah son of Rabbi Shimon says: because the Egyptians all went out on horses, therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, set up for them horses of fire in the sea, and these would strike all the mules and turn them back toward the dry land, and the wheels would drive them back into the sea; therefore it says, "And He drove them heavily." Rabbi Meir says: when the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself upon the Egyptians at the sea, He came up against them with ninety thousand myriads of angels of destruction—among them angels of trembling, angels of quaking, angels of hail, angels of flame—and shuddering would seize whoever saw them. They said before Him: Master of the universe, leave it to us and we will carry out Your will against Egypt. He said to them: My mind is not eased until I Myself exact payment from the enemies of Israel; therefore it says, "And He drove them heavily." "And Egypt said, Let me flee from before Israel." The foolish among them said: from these wretched and downtrodden ones are we fleeing? The clever among them said: He who fought for them in Egypt will work miracles for them at all times. Rabbi Yose says: from where do you say that the blows they were struck at the sea were of the same kind as the blows in Egypt? As it is said, "For the LORD fights for them against Egypt"—of the same kind as the blows in Egypt. And it says, "These are the gods who struck Egypt with every blow in the wilderness" (1 Samuel 4:8). And not in Egypt alone, but against all who oppress them until the end of all generations; and so it says, "He drove His foes backward; He put them to everlasting disgrace" (Psalms 78:66). Thus not in Egypt alone but against all who oppress them until the end of all generations; therefore it says, "For the LORD fights for them against Egypt."

"And the LORD said to Moses, Stretch out your hand over the sea"—the sea does not stand against you. "And the waters returned upon Egypt, upon his chariots and upon his horsemen." He turned the wheel back upon them, that their malice should return upon them. In the very intent they devised it, I judge them: they planned to destroy My children by water, so I too will destroy them only by water. And so it says, "He dug a pit and hollowed it out, and he fell into the ditch he made" (Psalms 7:16); "Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone returns upon the one who rolls it" (Proverbs 26:27); "One who digs a pit will fall into it, and one who breaks through a wall, a snake will bite him; one who quarries stones will be hurt by them, and one who splits wood will be endangered by it" (Ecclesiastes 10:8–9). And it says, "His mischief returns upon his own head, and his violence comes down upon his own skull" (Psalms 7:17). So Solomon says, "From the fruit of a man's mouth he is filled with good, and the work of a man's hands returns to him" (Proverbs 12:14). So Isaiah says, "According to their deeds, accordingly will He repay: wrath to His foes, recompense to His enemies; to the coastlands He will render recompense" (Isaiah 59:18). So Jeremiah says, "Great in counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are open upon all the ways of the children of man, to give to each according to his ways and according to the fruit of his deeds" (Jeremiah 32:19). So Elihu says, "Far be it from God to do wickedness, and from the Almighty to do wrong" (Job 34:10). So Jethro says, "Now I know that the LORD is greater than all the gods, for in the very thing they schemed against them" (Exodus 18:11)—formerly I recognized Him, and now all the more—for in the very intent that Egypt devised to destroy Israel, by it the Omnipresent judged them, "for in the very thing they schemed against them." Always they have said: by the measure a person measures, it is measured to him.

"And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea"—the sea does not stand against Moses. "And the sea returned toward morning to its strength." "Its strength" (eitano) means nothing other than its might, as in the matter that is said, "Firm (eitan) is your dwelling, and set in the rock is your nest" (Numbers 24:21). Rabbi Natan says: "eitan" means nothing other than an expression of harshness, as it is said, "A harsh (eitan) nation it is, an ancient nation it is" (Jeremiah 5:15). Another interpretation: "to its strength." Rabbi Yonatan says: do not read it "to its strength" (le-eitano) but "to its condition" (li-tena'o)—a condition the Holy One, blessed be He, made with the sea, that it would be split for Israel; as it is written, "And the sea returned toward morning to its condition." "And Egypt was fleeing toward it." From where do you say that everywhere the Egyptian ran, the sea confronted him? The teaching says, "And Egypt was fleeing toward it." They told a parable: to what is the matter like? To a dove that fled from a hawk and entered the palace hall of a king. The king opened the eastern window, and it went out and flew away. The hawk came in after it. The king shut all those windows and began to shoot arrows at it. So too, once the last of Israel had come up from the sea, the Egyptians went down; the sea closed upon them from its four directions to destroy them, and the ministering angels hurled at them hailstones and stones of ice-rock, as in the matter that is said, "And I will enter into judgment with him, with pestilence and with blood, with torrential rain and hailstones" (Ezekiel 38:22). "And the LORD shook Egypt into the midst of the sea"—like a person who shakes a pot, so that the lower comes up to the top and the upper goes down to the bottom. Another interpretation: "And the LORD shook Egypt"—He gave them the strength of youth, so that they could endure much punishment. Another interpretation: "And He shook"—He handed them over to young angels, to cruel angels, so that they would tear out their souls, as in the matter that is said, "And a cruel messenger will be sent against him" (Proverbs 17:11), and it says, "Their soul dies in youth, and their life among the temple prostitutes" (Job 36:14).

"And the waters returned"—all the waters in the world returned. "And they covered the chariots and the horsemen, all the army of Pharaoh"—even Pharaoh, as it is said, "Pharaoh's chariots and his army He cast into the sea" (Exodus 15:4); these are the words of Rabbi Yehudah. Rabbi Nehemiah says: except for Pharaoh, as it is said, "But for this purpose I have raised you up" (Exodus 9:16). And there are those who say: in the end he came and was drowned, as it is said, "For the horse of Pharaoh came [into the sea]" (Exodus 15:19).

"And the children of Israel walked on dry land in the midst of the sea, and the waters were a wall (chomah) to them." It is written chemah (wrath). The ministering angels were astonished, saying: shall human beings who worshiped idols pass on dry land in the midst of the sea? Even the sea was filled with wrath against them and sought to destroy them; for above it says chomah (wall) and here it says chemah (wrath). What caused them to be saved? "On their right and on their left": on their right, by the merit of the Torah they were destined to receive with the right hand, as it is said, "From His right hand a fiery law for them" (Deuteronomy 33:2); and on their left, by the merit of prayer. Another interpretation: "And the waters were wrath to them." Rabbi Papyas expounded: "He is at one, and who can turn Him back?" (Job 23:13)—He alone judges all who come into the world, and there is no answering His word. Rabbi Akiva said to him: enough, Papyas! How then do you uphold "He is at one, and who can turn Him back"? It means that there is no answering the word of the One who spoke and the world came to be, for everything is in justice and everything is by His word. Rabbi Papyas expounded: "Behold, the man has become like one of Us" (Genesis 3:22)—like one of the ministering angels. Rabbi Akiva said to him: enough, Papyas! How do you uphold "Behold, the man has become like one"? It teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, set before him two ways, the way of life and the way of death, and he chose for himself the way of death. Rabbi Papyas expounded: "And they exchanged their glory for the image of an ox that eats grass" (Psalms 106:20)—I might hear an ox from above; the teaching says, "that eats grass." Rabbi Akiva said to him: enough, Papyas! how do you uphold "and they exchanged their glory"? I might hear it of an ox during the rest of the days of the year; the teaching says, "that eats grass"—you have nothing more disgraceful and abominable than an ox from the moment it eats grass. Rabbi Papyas expounded: "To a mare among Pharaoh's chariots" (Song of Songs 1:9)—Pharaoh rode upon a male horse; as it were, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself to him upon a male horse, as it is said, "He rode upon a cherub and flew" (Psalms 18:11); he turned and rode upon a female horse; as it were, the Holy One, blessed be He, mounted for him upon a female horse, as it is said, "to a mare among Pharaoh's chariots." Rabbi Akiva said to him: enough, Papyas! how do you uphold "to a mare" (le-susati)? It is written le-susati [which can be read sasti, "I rejoiced"]: just as I rejoiced over Egypt to destroy them, so I rejoiced over Israel to destroy them. What caused them to be saved? "On their right and on their left"—by the merit of the Torah they were destined to receive with the right hand, and by the merit of the tefillin which is on the left.

"And the LORD saved on that day Israel from the hand of Egypt"—like a bird that is placed in a person's hand, who, if he presses his hand upon it even a little, kills it; and so it says, "Our soul has escaped like a bird from the fowler's snare; the snare was broken and we escaped. Blessed is the LORD who did not give us as prey to their teeth" (Psalms 124:7). And some say: like a person who slips a calf out from the belly of a cow; and so it says, "And you the LORD took, and brought you out of the iron furnace, out of Egypt" (Deuteronomy 4:20). "And Israel saw Egypt." It is not written here "dead (plural) on the shore of the sea," but "dead (singular) on the shore of the sea"—dead and yet not dead. Similarly you say, "And it came to pass, as her soul was departing, for she died" (Genesis 35:18)—and was she dead? Rather, just as there she was dying and not dead, so here they were dying and not dead. Another interpretation: "And Israel saw Egypt dead" for four reasons: so that Israel would not say, just as we came up from this side, so they came up from another side; another: so that Egypt would not say, just as we perished in the water, so they perished in the water; another: because of the shafts and chariots laden with silver and gold and precious stones and pearls, so that they might take the spoil; another: so that Israel would set their eyes upon them and reprove them, and so it says, "I will reprove you and set it in order before your eyes" (Psalms 50:21). And it says, "My enemy will see, and shame will cover her, she who said to me, Where is the LORD your God? My eyes will look upon her; now she will be trodden down like the mire of the streets" (Micah 7:10). And concerning them it says, "And upon their high places You will make me stand" (Psalms 18:34)—these are the Egyptians, who were the high places of Israel; when the Holy One, blessed be He, drowned them in the sea, He hinted to the sea and it cast them onto the dry land, and Israel saw them cast dead on the dry land, as it is said, "And Israel saw Egypt dead on the shore of the sea." And each and every one would take his dog and lead it and set its foot upon the neck of an Egyptian, to fulfill what is said, "And you will tread upon their high places" (Deuteronomy 33:29). And Israel would say to his dog: eat from this hand that enslaved me, eat from these innards that rejoiced at my enslavement. And David explains it, "That your foot may be dipped in blood, the tongue of your dogs from the enemies" (Psalms 68:24). Therefore the assembly of Israel says, "And He makes me tread upon my high places; for the conductor, with my stringed instruments" (Habakkuk 3:19)—because You did for us all these miracles, that You saved me from the Egyptians and drowned them in the sea and cast them onto the dry land so that we might see how justice was done to them, therefore we gave You victory and sang before You a song: "Then Moses sang."

"And Israel saw the great hand" (Exodus 14:31) — grievous plagues and plagues different one from another, strange deaths and severe deaths differing one from another. Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: How do you know that the Egyptians were struck in Egypt with ten plagues, and at the Sea were struck with fifty plagues? Concerning Egypt it says, "And the magicians said to Pharaoh, This is the finger of God" (Exodus 8:15); and concerning the Sea it says, "And Israel saw the great hand." How many were struck by a finger? Ten. Say therefore: in Egypt they were struck with ten plagues, and at the Sea they were struck with fifty plagues. Rabbi Eliezer says: How do you know that every single plague the Omnipresent, blessed be He, brought upon the Egyptians consisted of four plagues? As it is said, "He sent against them His fierce anger" (Psalms 78:49) — "wrath" is one, "indignation" two, "trouble" three, "a discharge of evil messengers" four. Say therefore: in Egypt they were struck with forty plagues, and at the Sea two hundred. Rabbi Akiva says: How do you know that each plague consisted of five? "He sent against them His fierce anger" — that is one; "wrath" two, "indignation" three, "trouble" four, "a discharge of evil messengers" five. Say therefore: in Egypt fifty plagues, and at the Sea two hundred and fifty. "And the people feared the LORD" (Exodus 14:31) — formerly they did not fear the LORD; now they feared Him. "And they believed in the LORD and in Moses His servant." If they believed in Moses, how much more in the Omnipresent! Rather, this teaches you that whoever believes in the shepherd of Israel is as one who believes in Him who spoke and the world came to be. Similarly you say, "And the people spoke against God and against Moses" (Numbers 21:5) — if they spoke against God, how much more against Moses! Rather, this teaches that whoever speaks against the shepherd of Israel is as one who speaks against Him who spoke and the world came to be. Another interpretation: "And they believed in the LORD and in Moses His servant" — great is faith before Him who spoke and the world came to be, for as a reward for the faith with which Israel believed, the Holy Spirit rested upon them and they uttered the Song, as it is said, "And they believed in the LORD" — "Then sang Moses and the children of Israel." Rabbi Nehemiah says: How do you know that whoever performs one commandment in faith before Him who spoke and the world came to be is worthy that the Holy Spirit rest upon him? So we find with our ancestors: as a reward for their faith the Holy Spirit rested upon them and they sang. And so you find with Abraham, who inherited this world and the world to come only as a reward for faith, as it is said, "And he believed in the LORD, and He reckoned it to him as righteousness" (Genesis 15:6). And it says, "Open the gates, that the righteous nation that keeps faith may enter" (Isaiah 26:2) — through this gate the people of faith enter. And it says, "It is good to give thanks to the LORD... to declare Your steadfast love in the morning and Your faithfulness by night... for You have made me glad, O LORD, by Your work" (Psalms 92:2-5) — what caused us to rejoice with this joy? The faith we held in this world, which is wholly night. And so Jehoshaphat said, "Believe in the LORD your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper" (2 Chronicles 20:20). And so you find that the exiles will be gathered in only through faith, as it is said, "With me from Lebanon, my bride... look from the peak of Amana" (Song of Songs 4:8); and it says, "And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness" (Hosea 2:21); and it says, "The righteous shall live by his faith" (Habakkuk 2:4); and it says, "Are not Your eyes upon faithfulness?" (Jeremiah 5:3). Thus great is faith before Him who spoke and the world came to be, for as a reward for the faith Israel held, the Holy Spirit rested upon them and they uttered the Song, as it is said, "And they believed in the LORD and in Moses His servant. Then sang Moses and the children of Israel." And later it says, "Then they believed His words; they sang His praise" (Psalms 106:12).

"Then sang Moses and the children of Israel" (Exodus 15:1). There is a "then" for the past and a "then" for the future to come. For the past: "Then men began to call upon the name of the LORD" (Genesis 4:26); "Then she said, A bridegroom of blood, because of the circumcision" (Exodus 4:26); "Then Joshua built an altar" (Joshua 8:30); "Then David said" (1 Chronicles 15:2); "Then Solomon said" (1 Kings 8:12). For the future to come: "Then you shall see and be radiant" (Isaiah 60:5); "Then shall your light break forth like the dawn" (Isaiah 58:8); "Then shall the lame leap like a deer" (Isaiah 35:6); "Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened" (Isaiah 35:5); "Then shall the virgin rejoice" (Jeremiah 31:12); "Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with singing... then they said among the nations, The LORD has done great things for them" (Psalms 126:2-3). Rabbi says: It is not written here "Then Moses sang," but "Then Moses will sing" — from here we learn the resurrection of the dead from the Torah. Another interpretation: "Moses and the children of Israel" — Scripture tells that Moses was weighed against all Israel, and Israel against Moses, in the hour they sang the Song. Another interpretation: it teaches that Moses sang the Song facing all Israel. "This song." Is there only one song? Are there not ten songs? The first was uttered in Egypt: "You shall have a song as on the night when a feast is sanctified" (Isaiah 30:29). The second was said at the Sea: "This is my God, and I will glorify Him." The third at the well: "Then Israel sang this song: Spring up, O well, sing to it" (Numbers 21:17). The fourth, the Song of Haazinu: "And Moses spoke in the ears of all the assembly of Israel the words of this song" (Deuteronomy 31:30). The fifth, which Joshua said: "Then spoke Joshua to the LORD on the day the LORD gave the Amorite" (Joshua 10:12). The sixth, which Deborah and Barak said: "Then sang Deborah and Barak son of Abinoam" (Judges 5:1). The seventh, which David said: "And David spoke the words of this song" (2 Samuel 22:1). The eighth, which Solomon said: "A psalm; a song at the dedication of the House; of David" (Psalms 30:1). Now did David build it? Did not Solomon build it, as it is said, "And he built the House and finished it" (1 Kings 6:9)? Rather, because David gave his soul over to it, it was called by his name. And where did he give his soul over to it? As it is said, "Remember, O LORD, for David all his affliction, how he swore to the LORD and vowed to the Mighty One of Jacob" (Psalms 132:1) — every matter for which a person gives his soul is called by his name. Another interpretation: the song of Solomon, as it is written, "The Song of Songs, which is Solomon's" (Song of Songs 1:1). The ninth, which Jehoshaphat said: "And he took counsel with the people and appointed singers to the LORD, praising the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, saying, Give thanks to the LORD, for His steadfast love endures forever" (2 Chronicles 20:21). The tenth is for the future to come: "Sing to the LORD a new song, His praise from the end of the earth" (Isaiah 42:10), and it says, "Sing to the LORD a new song, His praise in the assembly of the faithful" (Psalms 149:1). All the deliverances that have passed were called by a feminine name, for just as a female gives birth, so the past deliverances have subjugation after them. But the deliverance that is to come is called by a masculine name, for just as the male does not give birth — as it is said, "Ask now, and see, can a male give birth?" (Jeremiah 30:6) — so the future deliverance has no subjugation after it, as it is said, "Israel is saved by the LORD with an everlasting salvation; you shall not be put to shame nor confounded forever and ever" (Isaiah 45:17). "To the LORD." To the LORD they uttered it, and not to flesh and blood — not in the manner of "And the women came out singing... and they answered, Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands" (1 Samuel 18:6-7); but here, "to the LORD," and not to flesh and blood. "And they spoke, saying." Rabbi Nehemiah says: the Holy Spirit rested upon Israel and they uttered the Song like people who recite the Shema. Eleazar ben Tadai says: Moses would open and say "I will sing to the LORD," and Israel would answer after him and complete with him, "horse and rider He has thrown into the sea"; Moses would open and say "The LORD is my strength and my song," and Israel would answer and complete, "This is my God, and I will glorify Him"; Moses would open, "The LORD is a man of war," and Israel would complete, "the LORD is His name." "I will sing to the LORD" — to the LORD belongs greatness, to the LORD belongs might, His are glory and victory and majesty, as the son of David says, "Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the might and the glory and the victory and the majesty" (1 Chronicles 29:11). They told a parable: to what may this be compared? To a king of flesh and blood who entered a province, and they praised him before he was — that he is mighty when he is only weak, wise when he is only a fool, rich when he is only poor, merciful when he is only cruel — flattering him though he has none of these traits. But sing to the LORD, for He truly is wise: "The LORD by wisdom founded the earth" (Proverbs 3:19); "With Him are wisdom and might, His are counsel and understanding" (Job 12:13). He is truly rich: "Behold, to the LORD your God belong the heavens... the earth and all that is in it" (Deuteronomy 10:14); "The silver is Mine and the gold is Mine, says the LORD of hosts" (Haggai 2:8). He is truly merciful: "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious" (Exodus 34:6). He is truly a judge: "For the LORD is a God of justice" (Isaiah 30:18). He is truly faithful: "the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love" (Deuteronomy 7:9); "a God of faithfulness and without iniquity" (Deuteronomy 32:4). Sing to the LORD, for He is exalted and majestic and praised, as it is said, "For who in the skies can be compared to the LORD?" (Psalms 89:7). "For He is highly exalted (ki gaoh gaah)." He exalted me and I exalted Him. He exalted me in Egypt — "Israel is My son, My firstborn" (Exodus 4:22) — and I too exalted Him and uttered a song before Him, "You shall have a song as on the night when a feast is sanctified." He exalted me at the Sea — "And the angel of God who went before the camp of Israel moved" (Exodus 14:19) — and I too exalted Him and sang before Him, "This is my God, and I will glorify Him." Another interpretation: "For He is highly exalted" — He is exalted and is destined to be exalted, as it is said, "For the LORD has a day against all that is proud and lofty" (Isaiah 2:12-17). Another interpretation: He is exalted above all the proud, for by the very thing in which the nations of the world exalt themselves before Him, He exacts punishment from them. So you find with the generation of the Flood, with the men of the Tower, with the men of Sodom; and so with Egypt, who exalted themselves saying, "Cast every newborn son into the river" (Exodus 1:22), and of whom it is said, "Pharaoh's chariots and his army He cast into the sea" (Exodus 15:4). So with Sisera, who mustered nine hundred chariots of iron (Judges 4:13), of whom it is said, "From heaven the stars fought, from their courses they fought against Sisera" (Judges 5:20). So with Sennacherib, who boasted, "By my many chariots... I dug and drank water" (2 Kings 19:23-24), of whom it is said, "The angel of the LORD went out and struck down in the camp of Assyria one hundred eighty-five thousand" (2 Kings 19:35) — these were his army commanders. So with Nebuchadnezzar, who said, "I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will set my throne" (Isaiah 14:13), of whom it is said, "You shall be brought down to Sheol, to the depths of the Pit" (Isaiah 14:15). So with the prince of Tyre, who said, "I am a god; I sit in the seat of gods" (Ezekiel 28:2), of whom it is said, "You shall die the death of the uncircumcised by the hand of strangers" (Ezekiel 28:10). Thus, by the very thing in which the nations exalt themselves before Him, He exacts punishment; therefore it is said, "For He is highly exalted." "Horse and rider." Was there only one horse and one rider? Has it not already been said, "He took six hundred chosen chariots" (Exodus 14:7)? Rather, this teaches that before the Omnipresent they were as but a single horse and rider. Similarly you say, "When you go out to war against your enemies and see horse and chariot" (Deuteronomy 20:1) — do the nations go out with one horse and one chariot? Rather, whenever Israel does the will of the Omnipresent, their enemies before them are as but a single horse and chariot. Another interpretation: "horse and rider" teaches that the horse was bound to the rider and the rider bound to the horse. "He cast (ramah) into the sea." One verse says "ramah" and another says "He hurled (yarah)" (Exodus 15:4); how are both upheld? "Ramah" — that they rose to the heights; "yarah" — that they descended to the depths, and they were not separated one from another. By the way of the world, if a person throws two vessels into the air, will not one part from its fellow? But here, ramah and yarah — they rose to the heights and descended to the depths and were not parted. Another interpretation: "He cast into the sea" — when Israel saw the guardian angel of Egypt fall, they began to render praise before Him; therefore it is said, "He cast into the sea." So you find that the Omnipresent does not exact punishment from the kingdoms until He first casts down their guardian angels, as it is said, "On that day the LORD will punish the host of heaven on high, and afterward the kings of the earth on the earth" (Isaiah 24:21). Another interpretation: "horse and rider He cast into the sea" — the Holy One, blessed be He, would bring the horse and its rider and set them in judgment. He says to the horse, Why did you run after My children? It answers, The Egyptian drove me against my will, as it is said, "And the Egyptians pursued them, all Pharaoh's horses" (Exodus 14:23). He says to the Egyptian, Why did you run after My children? And he answers, The horse drove me against my will, as it is said, "For Pharaoh's horse came" (Exodus 15:19). So the Holy One, blessed be He, would bring horse and rider and judge them as one. Antoninus asked Rabbi this: since a person dies and the body decays, does the Holy One, blessed be He, bring it to judgment? He answered: rather than asking me about an impure body, ask me about the soul, which is pure. They told a parable: to what may this be compared? To a king of flesh and blood who had an orchard with fine early figs, and he set two watchmen over it, one lame and one blind. The lame man said to the blind, I see fine figs. The blind said, Can I see? The lame said, Can I walk? What did they do? The lame mounted upon the blind, and they went and took the figs and sat back in their places. In time the king came and sat in judgment over them. He said, Where are the figs? The blind said, Can I see? The lame said, Can I walk? The king, being shrewd, set the lame upon the blind, and they walked. He said to them, Thus you did, and you ate the figs. So the Holy One, blessed be He, brings body and soul and sets them in judgment. He says to the body, Why did you sin before Me? It says, Master of the world, it is the soul that sinned; from the day it left me, I am cast before You like a stone. He says to the soul, Why did you sin before Me? It says, Master of the world, it is the body that sinned; from the day I left it, I am pure before You. So the Holy One, blessed be He, brings the soul and returns it into the body and judges them as one, as it is said, "He summons the heavens above, and the earth, to judge His people" (Psalms 50:4) — "the heavens above" to bring the soul, "and the earth" to bring the body, and afterward "to judge His people." Another interpretation: Isi ben Shammai says: "horse" is stated here without specification, and there it says, "On that day, says the LORD, I will strike every horse with panic and its rider with madness" (Zechariah 12:4). What is plain there — that the plague comes in five forms — applies also here.

"The LORD is my strength (ozi)." "Ozi" means nothing but my might, as it is said, "O LORD, my strength and my stronghold" (Jeremiah 16:19), and it says, "The LORD is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusted, and I was helped" (Psalms 28:7). Another interpretation: "ozi" means nothing but Torah, as it is said, "The LORD will give strength to His people" (Psalms 29:11), and it says, "the king's strength loves justice" (Psalms 99:4). Another interpretation: "ozi" means nothing but kingship, as it is said, "In Your strength the king rejoices" (Psalms 21:2), and it says, "The LORD is the strength of His people, a saving refuge for His anointed" (Psalms 28:8). Another interpretation: "ozi" — You are a helper and support to all who come into the world, and to me most of all. "And song (vezimrat Yah)." You are a song to all who come into the world, and to me most of all; for the nations of the world declare the exaltation and praise of Him who spoke and the world came to be, but mine is pleasant before Him, as it is said, "the sweet singer of Israel" (2 Samuel 23:1). He made me an object of praise, and I too made Him an object of praise. He made me an object of praise: "And the LORD has declared you (he'emirkha) this day" (Deuteronomy 26:17), and I too made Him an object of praise: "You have declared the LORD (he'emarta) this day" (Deuteronomy 26:18). Israel says, "Who is like You among the gods, O LORD?" (Exodus 15:11), and the Holy Spirit announces through them, "Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you?" (Deuteronomy 33:29). Israel says, "Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one" (Deuteronomy 6:4), and the Holy Spirit announces through them, "And who is like Your people Israel, a unique nation on the earth?" (1 Chronicles 17:21). Israel says, "As an apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the young men" (Song of Songs 2:3), and the Holy Spirit announces through them, "As a lily among thorns, so is my love among the daughters" (Song of Songs 2:2). Israel says, "This is my God, and I will glorify Him" (Exodus 15:2), and the Holy Spirit announces through them, "Israel, in whom I will be glorified" (Isaiah 49:3). "And He has become my salvation." You are salvation to all who come into the world, and to me most of all. Another interpretation: "He has become my salvation" — He was for me and He is for me: He was for me in the past and He is for me in the future to come, as it is said, "Israel is saved by the LORD with an everlasting salvation" (Isaiah 45:17). "This is my God, and I will glorify Him." Rabbi Eliezer says: How do we know that a handmaid saw at the Sea what Isaiah and Ezekiel did not see? As it is said, "And by the hand of the prophets I gave parables" (Hosea 12:11); and it says, "the heavens were opened, and I saw visions of God" (Ezekiel 1:1). They told a parable: to what may this be compared? To a king of flesh and blood who entered a province, with a ring of guards around him, armies before and behind, and warriors at his right and left, and all needed to ask which one he was, because he is flesh and blood like them. But when the Holy One, blessed be He, went up over the Sea, not one needed to ask; rather, all recognized Him, and all opened their mouths and said, "This is my God." "And I will glorify Him (ve'anvehu)." Rabbi Ishmael says: Is it possible for a person to adorn his Maker? Rather, one should make himself beautiful before Him through commandments: make a beautiful sukkah for Him, a beautiful lulav, beautiful tefillin, beautiful tzitzit. Abba Shaul says: Be like Him — just as He is gracious and merciful, so you be gracious and merciful. Rabbi Yose ben Dormaskit says: Make for Him the Temple, as it is said, "Behold Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; your eyes shall see Jerusalem, a quiet habitation" (Isaiah 33:20), and it says, "Holiness befits Your house" (Psalms 93:5). Another interpretation: "ve'anvehu" — Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: I will speak of the beauty and praise of Him who spoke and the world came to be. Rabbi Akiva says: I will declare the beauty and praise of Him who spoke and the world came to be before the nations of the world; for the nations ask Israel, "What is your beloved more than another beloved, O fairest among women?" (Song of Songs 5:9) — that you are slain and killed for Him, as it is said, "Therefore the maidens (alamot) love You" (Song of Songs 1:3): read not "alamot" but "unto death (al mavet) they love You"; and it says, "For Your sake we are killed all day long" (Psalms 44:23). They say, You are all comely, all mighty; come, mingle with us. And Israel answers them: Let us tell you a part of His praise — "My beloved is radiant and ruddy, distinguished among ten thousand" (Song of Songs 5:10). When the nations hear the praise of Him who spoke and the world came to be, they say to Israel, We will come with you, as it is said, "Where has your beloved gone, O fairest among women, that we may seek him with you?" (Song of Songs 6:1). And Israel answers them: You have no share in Him; rather, "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine" (Song of Songs 6:3). Another interpretation: "ve'anvehu" — the sages say: Let us accompany Him (nelaveh) until we come with Him to His Temple. They told a parable: to what may this be compared? To a king of flesh and blood whose son was away; they told him, Your son is in such-and-such a province, and he went out after him and stood by him. So Israel went down to Egypt and the Divine Presence was with them, as it is said, "I Myself will go down with you to Egypt" (Genesis 46:4). They went up and the Presence was with them, "and I will also surely bring you up." They went down to the Sea and the Presence was with them, "And the angel of God moved." They came to the wilderness and the Presence was with them, "and in the wilderness, where you saw how the LORD your God carried you" (Deuteronomy 1:31) — until they came with Him to His Temple, as it is said, "Scarcely had I passed them when I found him whom my soul loves; I held him and would not let him go until I had brought him to my mother's house" (Song of Songs 3:4) — this is the Tent of Meeting, the place from which Israel were charged with instruction. "The God of my father." With me He deals in the measure of mercy, and with my fathers He dealt in the measure of justice. "Eli (my God)" — "Eli" means nothing but the measure of mercy, as it is said, "Eli, Eli, why have You forsaken me?" (Psalms 22:2), and "O God (El), please heal her" (Numbers 12:13), and "The LORD is God (El), and He has given us light" (Psalms 118:24). Another interpretation: "the God of my father" — I am a beloved daughter of beloved ones, a queen daughter of kings, a pure daughter of pure ones, a holy daughter of holy ones. They told a parable: to what may this be compared? To a king of flesh and blood who married a wife; sometimes he is ashamed of her, sometimes of her family, sometimes of her relatives. But I am a beloved daughter of beloved ones, a queen daughter of kings, a pure daughter of pure ones, a holy daughter of holy ones. "And I will exalt Him (va'aromemenhu)." Rabbi Shimon ben Eleazar says: When Israel does the will of the Omnipresent, His name is magnified in the world, as it is said, "For we have heard how the LORD dried up the waters of the Sea of Reeds before you... and when we heard it our hearts melted... for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath" (Joshua 2:10-11). And when they do not do His will, what does it say? "And they came to the nations where they went, and they profaned My holy name, in that men said of them, These are the people of the LORD, yet they had to leave His land" (Ezekiel 36:20). Another interpretation: "the God of my father, and I will exalt Him" — not for the miracles He did with me alone do I render praise before Him, but for the miracles He did with my fathers and is destined to do with me; therefore it is said, "the God of my father, and I will exalt Him."

"The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is His name." This verse is rich in many places. It tells that He revealed Himself to them with every kind of weapon. He appeared to them as a horseman, as it is said, "He rode upon a cherub and flew" (Psalms 18:11). He appeared to them in coat of mail and helmet, as it is said, "He put on righteousness as a coat of mail, and a helmet of salvation on His head" (Isaiah 59:17). He appeared to them as a warrior girded with a sword, as it is said, "Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O mighty one" (Psalms 45:4). He appeared to them with a bow, as it is said, "You laid bare Your bow" (Habakkuk 3:9). He appeared with buckler and shield, as it is said, "Take hold of shield and buckler" (Psalms 35:2). He appeared to them with a spear, as it is said, "at the flash of Your glittering spear" (Habakkuk 3:11). I might think that He needs all these weapons; therefore Scripture says, "The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is His name" — with His name He makes war, and needs none of these. If so, why did Scripture need to specify all these verses? To say that if Israel should need any one of them, He performs it for them. Woe to the nations of the world for what their ears hear: that He who spoke and the world came to be is destined to make war upon them. Another interpretation: "The LORD is a man of war; the LORD is His name." Because, when the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed Himself at the Sea, He appeared to them as a young man waging war, as it is said, "The LORD is a man of war"; and He revealed Himself at Sinai as an elder wrapped in a cloak, as it is said, "I beheld until thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took His seat; His garment was white as snow, and the hair of His head like pure wool" (Daniel 7:9). One might think they are two powers; therefore Scripture says, "the LORD is His name." Another interpretation: "the LORD is a man of war; the LORD is His name" — He waged war in Egypt and He at the Sea, He at the Jordan and He at the streams of Arnon, He in this world and He in the world to come, He in the past and He in the future, as it is said, "See now that I, even I, am He" (Deuteronomy 32:39), and "I, the LORD, the first, and with the last, I am He" (Isaiah 41:4). Another interpretation: "the LORD is a man of war; the LORD is His name." A warrior may stand in battle with his strength upon him like a man of forty, but he is not like one of sixty or seventy, for as he ages his strength wanes. But He who spoke and the world came to be is not so: "the LORD is a man of war" who fought in Egypt, and "the LORD is His name" in the past and in the future alike, as it is said, "For I the LORD do not change" (Malachi 3:6). Another interpretation: a warrior may stand in battle, and once the arrow leaves his hand he cannot recall it; but He who spoke and the world came to be is not so. When Israel does not do the will of the Omnipresent, a decree goes forth from before Him, as it is said, "If I whet My flashing sword" (Deuteronomy 32:41); if they repent, He recalls it, as it is said, "and My hand takes hold of judgment." I might think He recalls it empty; therefore Scripture says, "I will return vengeance upon My foes" — I turn it back upon the nations of the world. Another interpretation: a warrior may stand, and when jealousy and fury clothe him, he does not distinguish even his father or brother or kin, but strikes and goes on in his rage. But He who spoke and the world came to be is not so: "the LORD is a man of war" who wages war, and even so, "the LORD is His name" — He is merciful to all His creatures, for what is His name? "The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness" (Exodus 34:6).

"Pharaoh's chariots and his army He cast into the sea." By the measure with which he measured, You measured back to him. He said, "Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice?" (Exodus 5:2); You too showed them Your fear and Your dread at the Sea — "Pharaoh's chariots and his army He cast into the sea." He said, "Cast every newborn son into the river" (Exodus 1:22); You too measured back to them in that same measure — "Pharaoh's chariots and his army He cast into the sea." He said, "and officers over all of them" (Exodus 14:6); You too measured back to them in that same measure — "and his chosen officers were sunk in the Sea of Reeds." Because it is said, "And they made their lives bitter with hard labor, in mortar and in bricks" (Exodus 1:14), You too hardened the water upon them like clay, and they sank into it; for "sinking" applies only to mire, as it is said, "And Jeremiah sank in the mire" (Jeremiah 38:6), and it says, "I have sunk in deep mire, and there is no foothold" (Psalms 69:3).

"The deeps covered them." Were there deeps there? Rather, it teaches that the lower deep rose and covered them and darkened the firmament over them and dimmed the luminaries over them. And so it says, "All the bright lights of heaven I will darken over you, and I will set darkness over your land, says the Lord GOD" (Ezekiel 32:8-9), and it says, "For the stars of heaven and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light... I will punish the world for its evil" (Isaiah 13:10-11), and it says, "At Tehaphnehes the day shall be dark when I break the yoke-bars of Egypt" (Ezekiel 30:18). Another interpretation: "the deeps covered them" — were there deeps there? Was it not a sandbank? Rather, it teaches that the lower and the upper deep rose and made war upon the Egyptians with every kind of calamity. Jonah went down to one deep, as it is said, "the deep surrounded me" (Jonah 2:6); but they went down to two deeps, as it is said, "the deeps covered them." "They went down into the depths." Were there depths there? Was it not a sandbank? Rather, it teaches that the Great Sea was broken open into it and made war upon them with every kind of calamity. Jonah went down to one depth, as it is said, "You cast me into the depth" (Jonah 2:4); but they went down to two depths, as it is said, "They went down into the depths." "Like a stone." This is the middling group among them. The fittest among them were tossed about like straw; the middling like a stone; the wicked sank like lead in the mighty waters. Another interpretation: "like a stone" — he said, "and look upon the birthstones" (Exodus 1:16); You too hardened the water upon them like stones, and they were struck upon the place of their own stones. Another interpretation: "like a stone" — because they hardened their hearts like stones. But You, in Your kindness and goodness and abundant mercy, and with Your right hand that is extended to all who come into the world, as it is said, "For Your right hand and Your arm and the light of Your face, because You favored them" (Psalms 44:4).

"Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power." You are comely and glorious in power, in that You granted respite to the generation of the Flood so that they might repent — and they did not — and You did not seal their doom until they had completed their wickedness. So too with the men of the Tower, and so with Sodom, and so with the Egyptians: ten plagues You brought upon them, and You did not seal their doom until they had completed their wickedness before You. "Your right hand, O LORD, shatters the enemy." Come and see: when Israel does the will of the Omnipresent, they turn the left hand into a right hand, as it is said, "Your right hand, O LORD, Your right hand, O LORD." And when they do not do His will, they turn the right hand into a left, as it is said, "He drew back His right hand from before the enemy" (Lamentations 2:3). When Israel does the will of the Omnipresent, there is no wrath before Him — "I have no wrath" (Isaiah 27:4); and when they do not do His will, He is filled with wrath against their foes, as it is said, "and the anger of the LORD will be kindled against you" (Deuteronomy 11:17). When Israel does the will of the Omnipresent, He fights for them — "The LORD will fight for you" (Exodus 14:14); and when they do not do His will, as it were, He fights against them, as it is said, "so He turned to become their enemy, and He Himself fought against them" (Isaiah 63:10). And not only that, but they turn the Merciful One into a cruel one, as it is said, "The LORD has become like an enemy" (Lamentations 2:5). When Israel does the will of the Omnipresent, there is no sleep before Him, as it is said, "Behold, He who keeps Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps" (Psalms 121:4); and when they do not do His will, as it were, there is sleep before Him, as it is said, "Then the LORD awoke as one from sleep" (Psalms 78:65), and it says, "and in their provocation My eye lodges" (Job 17:2) — as it were, as if there were sleep before Him while Israel is in distress and the nations of the world are at ease. "Shatters the enemy." This is Pharaoh, as it is said, "The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake" (Exodus 15:9). And some say it is Esau, as it is said, "Because the enemy said of you, Aha!" (Ezekiel 36:2). It is not written, "You shattered the enemy," but "You will shatter the enemy" — in the future to come; and so it says, "In wrath You will tread the earth, in anger You will trample the nations" (Habakkuk 3:12).

"In the greatness of Your majesty You overthrow Your adversaries." You greatly exalted Yourself against those who rose up against You. And who are they who rose against You? Those who rose against Your beloved ones. Amraphel and his companions rose against Abraham — what does it say? "And he divided himself against them by night" (Genesis 14:15). So too wicked Pharaoh, who rose against Your children and pursued them with six hundred chosen chariots — what does it say? "Pharaoh's chariots and his army He cast into the sea" (Exodus 15:4). And so with Sisera, and so with Sennacherib, and so with Nebuchadnezzar, and so with Hiram king of Tyre. It is not written, "You overthrew those who rose against You," but "You will overthrow those who rise against You" — in the future to come; and so it says, "Do not forget the clamor of Your foes, the uproar of those who rise against You, which goes up continually" (Psalms 74:23); "For behold, Your enemies shall perish" (Psalms 92:10); "For behold, those who are far from You shall perish; You put an end to all who are false to You" (Psalms 73:27). Another interpretation: it is not written, "You overthrew," but "You will overthrow those who rise against You"; and so it says, "O God, break the teeth in their mouths; tear out the fangs of the young lions, O LORD... because they do not regard the works of the LORD... He will tear them down and not build them up" (Psalms 58:7, Psalms 28:5). "You send out Your fury." It is not written, "You sent out Your fury," but "You will send out Your fury"; and so it says, "Pour out on them Your indignation, and let Your burning anger overtake them" (Psalms 69:25); "Pour out Your wrath on the nations that do not know You" (Psalms 79:6). "It consumes them like stubble." It is not written, "it consumed them like stubble," but "it will consume them like stubble"; and so it says, "The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau stubble; they shall burn them and consume them" (Obadiah 1:18), and it says, "On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a blazing pot among wood and like a flaming torch among sheaves, and they shall devour to the right and to the left all the surrounding peoples, while Jerusalem shall again dwell secure in her place" (Zechariah 12:6). "Like stubble." All other woods, when they burn, make no sound; but stubble, when it burns, its sound carries. So the Egyptians — their voice carried because of the calamities coming upon them. All other woods, when they burn, have substance; but stubble, when it burns, has no substance. So Egypt had no substance because of the calamities that came upon them, and so it says, "They lie down together, they cannot rise; they are extinguished, quenched like a wick" (Isaiah 43:17). Another interpretation: "like stubble" — the kingdom of Egypt was no greater than the others, but it seized kingship for a moment for the sake of Israel's honor. When He likens the kingdoms, He likens them to silver and gold, as it is written, "That image — its head was of fine gold, its breast and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron" (Daniel 2:32); but when He likens Egypt, He likens it to lead, as it is said, "they sank like lead in the mighty waters" (Exodus 15:10). When He likens the kingdoms, He likens them to beasts — "Four great beasts came up out of the sea" (Daniel 7:3); but when He likens Egypt, He likens it to foxes, as it is said, "Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vineyards" (Song of Songs 2:15). When He likens the kingdoms, He likens them to cedars — "Behold, Assyria was a cedar in Lebanon" (Ezekiel 31:3), and "the tree that you saw, which grew great and strong" (Daniel 4:17), and "I destroyed the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of cedars" (Amos 2:9); but when He likens Egypt, He likens it to stubble, as it is said, "it consumes them like stubble." Antoninus asked our holy Rabbi this: One who wishes to go down to Alexandria of Egypt — will some king arise and defeat him? He said to him: I do not know; in any case, it is written that Egypt is destined to raise up neither king nor ruler, as it is said, "It shall be the lowliest of kingdoms, and never again exalt itself above the nations; and I will make them so small that they will never again rule over the nations" (Ezekiel 29:15).

"And by the breath of Your nostrils the waters were heaped up" (Exodus 15:8). By the same measure with which they measured, You measured back to them. They said, "Come, let us deal craftily with him" (Exodus 1:10); You too placed craftiness in the waters, and "by the breath of Your nostrils the waters were heaped up." "The floods stood upright like a heap [ned]" (Exodus 15:8). Just as a wineskin [nod] is bound up and stands, so the Egyptians were bound up and made to stand, and they fainted from the smell of the waters, as it is said, "He makes the deep boil like a pot" (Job 41:23). But for Israel the sea was made into all kinds of spices, as it is said, "He makes the sea like a pot of ointment" (Job 41:23). Another interpretation: "They stood like a heap." Just as a wineskin is bound up and stands, so the soul of the Egyptians was bound up and standing, and they could neither take in nor let out breath; while Israel ate and drank and rejoiced, and there came forth for them the memory of sweet waters out of the salt waters, as it is said, "He brought streams out of the rock" (Psalms 78:16). "The deeps congealed in the heart of the sea" (Exodus 15:8). Where is the heart of a person set? Upon its two parts. So the sea congealed upon them from its two parts upward, in order to destroy them. "In the heart of the sea": the sea had no heart, yet a heart was given to it, as it is said, "the deeps congealed in the heart of the sea." The terebinth had no heart, yet a heart was given to it, as it is said, "in the heart [thickness] of the terebinth" (2 Samuel 18:14). The heavens had no heart, yet a heart was given to them, as it is said, "unto the heart of heaven" (Deuteronomy 4:11). Let the sea, which had no heart and to which a heart was given, come and exact punishment from the wicked who hardened their heart. Let the terebinth, which had no heart and to which a heart was given, come and exact punishment from the one [Absalom] who stole three hearts: the heart of his father, the heart of the court, and the heart of the men of Israel. Let the heavens, which had no heart and to which a heart was given, come and bring down [reward] upon Israel, who received the Torah that was given upon the heart, as it is said, "And these words which I command you this day shall be upon your heart" (Deuteronomy 6:6).

"The enemy said" (Exodus 15:9). This is actually the beginning of the passage, except that there is no earlier or later in the Torah [events are not always recorded in chronological order]. Similarly you find: "And it came to pass on the eighth day that Moses called" (Leviticus 9:1) is the beginning of that account, except that there is no earlier or later in the Torah. Similarly: "In the year that King Uzziah died" (Isaiah 6:1) is the beginning of that book, except that there is no earlier or later in the Torah. Similarly: "Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem" (Jeremiah 2:2) was the beginning of that book, except that there is no earlier or later. Similarly: "Son of man, stand upon your feet, and I will speak with you" (Ezekiel 2:1), and some say, "Son of man, put forth a riddle and speak a parable concerning the land of Israel" (Ezekiel 17:2) was the beginning of that book. Similarly: "Israel is an empty vine, he brings forth fruit for himself" (Hosea 10:1) was the beginning. Similarly: "I, Koheleth, was king over Israel in Jerusalem" (Ecclesiastes 1:12) was the beginning of that book, except that there is no earlier or later in the Torah. Another interpretation: "The enemy said." And from where did Israel know what Pharaoh was plotting against them back in Egypt? The Holy Spirit rested upon them, and they knew what Pharaoh was plotting. What did Pharaoh say to his armies? He said to them, "Even if you pursue Israel only for the silver and gold we lost from them, it is worth our while." When part of the people heard this they said, "Enough; let us not pursue Israel," until he said to them, "Behold, we are all equal in the spoil." Another interpretation: Pharaoh spoke and did not know what he was saying: "The preparations of the heart are man's, but the answer of the tongue is from the LORD" (Proverbs 16:1). He should have said, "We will pursue, we will overtake," but he did not say so; rather, "I will pursue, I will overtake" -- pursued and overtaken shall he be by them. He should have written, "I will divide their spoil," but it is not so written; rather, "I will divide spoil" -- the spoil shall be divided to them. It is not written, "my desire shall be filled with them," but "my desire shall be filled of them" -- they shall fill their desire from him. It is not written, "my hand shall dispossess them," but "my hand shall dispossess for them" -- I bequeath my wealth and honor to them. Another interpretation: Pharaoh said to them: "In the past you would plunder property, and I held you back because of royal custom; now, 'I will divide spoil.' In the past you would kill among them, and I held you back because of royal custom; now, 'my desire shall be filled.' In the past you sought to violate their sons and daughters, and I held you back because of royal custom; now, 'I will draw my sword, my hand shall dispossess.'" In three companies the Egyptians came upon Israel. One said, "Let us take their money but not kill them." One said, "Let us kill them but not take their money." One said, "Let us kill them and take their money." The one that said, "Let us take their money but not kill them" -- "I will divide spoil." The one that said, "Let us kill them but not take their money" -- "my desire shall be filled." The one that said, "Let us kill them and take their money" -- "I will draw my sword, my hand shall dispossess." Five things did the wicked Pharaoh stand and blaspheme in Egypt: "The enemy said, I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide spoil, my desire shall be filled, I will draw my sword, my hand shall dispossess." And against each of them the Holy Spirit mocked him.

"You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them" (Exodus 15:10). They told a parable: to what may this be likened? To a bandit Arab who stood behind the king's palace and said, "If I find the king's son, I will kill him, I will impale him, I will burn him, with cruel deaths I will put him to death." The king heard, and was filled with rage against him, and said to him, "Let it be paid back in your own mouth." So the wicked Pharaoh stood and blasphemed in Egypt: "I will pursue, I will overtake." And against him the Holy Spirit mocked: "You blew with Your wind, the sea covered them." And likewise you find for the time to come: "Why do the nations rage, and the peoples mutter in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against His anointed: Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us" (Psalms 2:1-3). "He that sits in the heavens shall laugh, the LORD shall mock them" (Psalms 2:4). And it says, "Behold, they belch out with their mouth, swords are in their lips, for who, say they, doth hear?" and adjacent to it, "But You, O LORD, shall laugh at them; You shall hold all the nations in derision" (Psalms 59:8-9). And so it says, "Sheba and Dedan and the merchants of Tarshish and all its young lions shall say to you, Have you come to take spoil? Have you assembled your company to take prey?" (Ezekiel 38:13), and adjacent to it, "It shall come to pass in that day when Gog shall come against the land of Israel, that My fury shall come up in My face... Surely in that day there shall be a great shaking in the land of Israel" (Ezekiel 38:18-19). "They sank like lead in the mighty waters" (Exodus 15:10). The Holy One, blessed be He, is called mighty: "The LORD on high is mighty" (Psalms 93:4). Israel are called mighty: "the mighty, in whom is all my delight" (Psalms 16:3). The Egyptians are called mighty: "they sank like lead in the mighty waters." The waters are called mighty: "than the noise of many waters, the mighty" (Psalms 93:4). Let the Holy One, blessed be He, who is called mighty, be revealed through Israel, who are called mighty, and exact punishment from the Egyptians, who are called mighty, in the waters, which are called mighty.

"Who is like You among the gods, O LORD?" (Exodus 15:11). When they saw that Pharaoh and his army perished in the sea, and the kingdom of Egypt was destroyed, and judgments were executed upon their idols, they all opened their mouths and acknowledged the Omnipresent and said, "Who is like You among the gods, O LORD?" And not Israel alone, but even the nations of the world, when they saw what befell Egypt and its idols, denied their idolatry and acknowledged the Omnipresent and said, "Who is like You among the gods, O LORD?" And so Rahab says, "For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you... and as soon as we heard it our hearts melted" (Joshua 2:10-11). And so you find for the time to come, that the nations of the world will yet deny their idolatry, as it is said, "In that day a man shall cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold which they made for him to worship, to the moles and to the bats, to go into the clefts of the rocks... for fear of the LORD and for the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake the earth" (Isaiah 2:20-21). What does it say [of the idols]? "And the idols shall utterly pass away" (Isaiah 2:18). Another interpretation: "Who is like You among the gods, O LORD?" Who is like You in the miracles and mighty deeds You did for us at the sea, as it says, "terrible things by the Red Sea" (Psalms 106:22)? Another interpretation: Who is like You, who sees the humiliation of His children and keeps silent, as it says, "I have long held My peace, I have been still, and refrained Myself; now will I cry like a travailing woman" (Isaiah 42:14)? Another interpretation: Who is like You among those who stand before You on high, as it says, "For who in the skies can be compared unto the LORD?" (Psalms 89:7)? Another interpretation: Who is like You among those who called themselves gods? Pharaoh called himself a god, as it says, "My river is my own, and I have made myself" (Ezekiel 29:3); what is written of him? "Behold, I am against you, and against your rivers." Sennacherib called himself a god, as it says, "Who are they among all the gods of the countries that have delivered their country out of my hand, that the LORD should deliver Jerusalem?" (2 Kings 18:35); what is written of him? "As he was worshipping in the house of Nisroch his god, Adrammelech and Sharezer his sons smote him with the sword" (2 Kings 19:37). So too Nebuchadnezzar, and so too Hiram king of Tyre. Another interpretation: "Who is like You among the gods" -- among those whom others call gods. What is their nature? "They have mouths but they speak not" (Psalms 115:5). But He who spoke and the world came into being is not so; rather, He spoke the Ten Commandments in a single utterance, as it says, "And God spoke all these words, saying" (Exodus 20:1), and it says, "Is not My word like fire? says the LORD" (Jeremiah 23:29). "Eyes they have but they see not" (Psalms 115:5); but He who spoke and the world came into being is not so, rather, "The eyes of the LORD that range to and fro through the whole earth" (Zechariah 4:10), and "In every place the eyes of the LORD keep watch upon the evil and the good" (Proverbs 15:3). "Ears they have but they hear not" (Psalms 115:6); but He is not so, rather, "O You that hear prayer, unto You shall all flesh come" (Psalms 65:3), and "You will direct their heart, You will incline Your ear" (Psalms 10:17). "Noses they have but they smell not" (Psalms 115:6); but He is not so, rather, "an offering made by fire, of a sweet savor unto the LORD" (Leviticus 1:13), and "the LORD smelled the sweet savor" (Genesis 8:21). "Hands they have but they handle not" (Psalms 115:7); but He is not so, rather, "My hand also has laid the foundation of the earth, and My right hand has spanned the heavens" (Isaiah 48:13), and "I, even My hands, have stretched out the heavens" (Isaiah 45:12). "Feet they have but they walk not" (Psalms 115:7); but He is not so, rather, "Then shall the LORD go forth and fight against those nations" (Zechariah 14:3), and "His feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives" (Zechariah 14:4). "Neither speak they through their throat" (Psalms 115:7); but He is not so, rather, "His mouth is most sweet, yea he is altogether lovely" (Song of Songs 5:16), and "a sound goes out of His mouth" (Job 37:2). "Who is like You, glorious in holiness" (Exodus 15:11). You are exalted and glorious in holiness, for the measure of the Omnipresent is not like the measure of flesh and blood. Flesh and blood cannot speak two things at once, but He who spoke and the world came into being spoke the Ten Commandments in a single utterance, as it says, "And God spoke all these words." Another interpretation: the measure of the Omnipresent is not like flesh and blood; flesh and blood cannot listen to two people at once, but all who come into the world stand and pray before Him and He hears their prayer as one, as it says, "O You that hear prayer." Another interpretation: a hired laborer works for a householder and the householder sows with him, plows with him, weeds with him, and pays him once; but He who spoke and the world came into being is not so; one who desired children, He gave them, as it says, "Lo, children are a heritage of the LORD" (Psalms 127:3); one who desired wisdom, He gave it, as it says, "For the LORD gives wisdom" (Proverbs 2:6); one who desired wealth, He gave it, as it says, "Both riches and honor come of You" (1 Chronicles 29:12). "Fearful in praises" (Exodus 15:11). The measure of the Omnipresent is not like flesh and blood. A mortal's awe is greater upon the distant than the near, but with Him the awe upon the near is greater than upon the distant, as it says, "and round about Him it stormeth mightily" (Psalms 50:3), and "A God dreaded in the great council of the holy ones, and feared by all them that are round about Him" (Psalms 89:8), and "Dominion and fear are with Him" (Job 25:2), and "I will be sanctified in them that come near Me" (Leviticus 10:3). "Doing wonders" (Exodus 15:11). The measure of the Omnipresent is not like flesh and blood. Flesh and blood builds the lower part first and then the upper, but He who spoke and the world came into being is not so; He built the upper first and then the lower, as it says, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1). Another interpretation: flesh and blood, when it roofs, roofs with wood and stones and earth, but He roofs only with water, as it says, "Who lays the beams of His chambers in the waters" (Psalms 104:3). Another interpretation: flesh and blood cannot form an image in water, but He forms an image in water, as it says, "And God said, Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures" (Genesis 1:20). Another interpretation: flesh and blood cannot form an image in darkness, but He forms an image in darkness, as it says, "when I was made in secret, wrought in the lowest parts of the earth" (Psalms 139:15). Another interpretation: flesh and blood, when it forms an image, begins from its head or its feet or from one of its limbs, but He forms it all as one, as it says, "for He is the former of all things" (Jeremiah 10:16), and "there is no rock like our God" (1 Samuel 2:2) -- there is no former like our God. Flesh and blood forms an image and must put dye among pigments, but the Holy One, blessed be He, formed the human from a single substance: the eyeball's pupil is black, surrounded by white, and the teeth white surrounded by red. Flesh and blood cannot form an image within an image, but the Holy One, blessed be He, formed the human within its mother's womb. Flesh and blood forms an image and it does not move from its place, but He formed the human and it walks from one end of the world to the other. Flesh and blood forms an image and it does not see or hear or speak, but He formed the human and it sees and hears and speaks. Flesh and blood forms an image and cannot make it a soul and innards, but the Holy One, blessed be He, formed the human and made for it a soul and innards; this is what David means when he says, "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name" (Psalms 103:1). Another interpretation: "doing wonders" -- it is not written "did a wonder" but "doing a wonder"; He did wonders with the fathers and will yet do wonders with the children, as it says, "As in the days of your coming out of the land of Egypt I will show him marvelous things" (Micah 7:15), and "I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works" (Psalms 139:14).

"You stretched out Your right hand, the earth swallowed them" (Exodus 15:12). Scripture tells that all souls are in the hand of Him who spoke and the world came into being, as it says, "In whose hand is the soul of every living thing" (Job 12:10). "The earth swallowed them." By what merit was burial granted to them? Because they said, "The LORD is righteous" (Exodus 9:27). The Omnipresent said to them: You justified the judgment upon yourselves; I will grant you burial -- "You stretched out Your right hand, the earth swallowed them." Another interpretation: "You stretched out Your right hand, the earth swallowed them." Because the sea was casting them onto the dry land and the dry land was casting them back into the sea. The sea said to the dry land, "Receive your hordes," and the dry land said to the sea, "Receive your hordes." The dry land said: If, at the time I received only the blood of Abel alone, it was said of me, "And now you are cursed from the ground" (Genesis 4:11), how now can I receive all this multitude? -- until the Holy One, blessed be He, swore to it that He would not hold it accountable in judgment, as it says, "You stretched out Your right hand [Your oath]." For "right hand" means nothing other than an oath, as it says, "The LORD has sworn by His right hand" (Isaiah 62:8). Another interpretation: "You stretched out Your right hand." Scripture tells that when the Omnipresent stretches out His hand, the wicked depart from the world, as it says, "And He will stretch out His hand against the north and destroy Assyria" (Zephaniah 2:13), and "I will stretch out My hand upon the Philistines and cut off the Cherethites and destroy the remnant of the sea coast" (Ezekiel 25:16), and "I will stretch out My hand upon Judah and upon all the inhabitants of Jerusalem" (Zephaniah 1:4). They told a parable: to what may this be likened? To eggs set in a person's hand; if he tilts his hand even a little, at once they fall and shatter. So too when the Omnipresent tilts His hand, "both he that helps shall stumble and he that is helped shall fall, and they all shall fail together" (Isaiah 31:3).

"You led in Your kindness" (Exodus 15:13). The kindness You did with us, though we had no deeds [to merit it], as it is said, "I will make mention of the kindnesses of the LORD" (Isaiah 63:7), and it says, "The earth is full of Your kindness, O LORD" (Psalms 119:64). "This people" -- even though the whole world is Yours, You have no people but Israel, as it is said, "This people I formed for Myself" (Isaiah 43:21). "You redeemed." "You guided them in Your strength" (Exodus 15:13) -- in Your might, as it is said, "The LORD is my strength and my shield" (Psalms 28:7). Another interpretation: by the merit of the Torah, as it is said, "The LORD will give strength unto His people" (Psalms 29:11). Another interpretation: by the merit of the kingdom of the house of David, as it is said, "O LORD, in Your strength the king rejoices" (Psalms 21:2). "To Your holy habitation" (Exodus 15:13). By the merit of the Temple that they were destined to build it is written "to Your holy habitation," and it is written, "and they have laid waste His habitation" (Psalms 79:7).

"The peoples heard, they trembled" (Exodus 15:14). When they heard that Pharaoh and his army perished in the sea, and the kingdom of Egypt was destroyed, and judgments were executed upon their idols, they began to tremble. Another interpretation: when they heard that the Holy One, blessed be He, was raising up the horn of Israel, they began to be angry. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: How many kings arose from you, and My children were not provoked -- "And these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before there reigned any king over the children of Israel" (Genesis 36:31)? How many chieftains arose from you, and My children were not angry -- "chief Lotan, chief Shobal, chief Zibeon, chief Anah" (Genesis 36:29)? Now you are angry? I will give you an anger in which there is no favor: "The LORD reigns, let the peoples tremble" (Psalms 99:1). "Trembling took hold of the inhabitants of Philistia" (Exodus 15:14). They said: Now they are coming to exact the testimony [reckoning] of Ephraim their father, as it is said, "The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle" (Psalms 78:9). Another interpretation: "trembling took hold of the inhabitants of Philistia" -- they said: They have no road except through us; now they are coming to plunder our property and lay waste our land.

"Then the chiefs of Edom were dismayed" (Exodus 15:15). If you should say that they were coming to inherit their land, it has already been said, "And command the people, saying, You are to pass through the border of your brethren the children of Esau... contend not with them" (Deuteronomy 2:4) -- rather, it was on account of provisions [tolls and supplies]. Another interpretation: they said, Now they are coming to exact the quarrel that was between our father and their father, as it is said, "And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing" (Genesis 27:41). "Trembling seizes the mighty of Moab" (Exodus 15:15). If you should say they were coming to lay waste their land or to inherit it, it has already been said, "Do not distress Moab" (Deuteronomy 2:9) -- rather, it was on account of provisions. Another interpretation: they said, Now they are coming to exact the quarrel that was between our father and their father, as it is said, "And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle" (Genesis 13:7). "All the inhabitants of Canaan melted away" (Exodus 15:15). When they heard that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, "But of the cities of these peoples... you shall save alive nothing that breathes" (Deuteronomy 20:16), they began to melt away. They said: These others [Edom and Moab] feared only for their money and their property; but these [Israel] are not coming against us except to destroy us -- how much more so! -- and they began to melt away. "Melting" means nothing other than dissolving, as it is said, "the earth is dissolved and all the inhabitants thereof" (Psalms 75:4), and it says, "that their heart may melt and their stumbling blocks be multiplied... all the inhabitants of Canaan melted away" (Ezekiel 21:20).