God Shared Israel's Bondage in Egypt and Babylon

Another interpretation of "With me from Lebanon, O bride" (Song of Songs 4:8): Rabbi Levi said, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: I was with you during the enslavement of Egypt. Rabbi Berekhyah the Priest said: Rabbi Levi bar Susi expounded: "And they saw the God of Israel" (Exodus 24:10) — this was after they had been redeemed; "and under His feet was like the work of a sapphire brick" (ibid.) — this was before they had been redeemed: in the place where a brick is wont to be set, there it was set. Greater was the enslavement of Babylon than the enslavement of Egypt. Of Egypt it is written, "and under His feet was like the work of a sapphire brick"; but of Babylon it is written, "like the appearance of a sapphire stone" (Ezekiel 1:26). Of Egypt it is written, "and they made their lives bitter with hard labor" (Exodus 1:14); but of Babylon it is written, "And it shall come to pass on the day the LORD gives you rest... and from the hard labor" (Isaiah 14:3). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: In Babylon I was with you, and in Egypt I was with you. Thus, "With me from Lebanon, O bride."