Why God Counts Israel Like Fine Wheat in His Granary

[Another interpretation (of Isaiah 43:4): "Because you are precious in My eyes, you are honored."] The Holy One said: You are precious in My eyes, for to all the nations I gave no numbering, but to you I gave a numbering. A parable: to a king of flesh and blood who had many granaries, and they were all filthy and full of tares, and he was not exacting about their count; but this granary has fine wheat, therefore I wish to be exacting in counting it — how many kors there are, how many sacks are in it, how many measures are in it. So too the King, the King of kings of kings, the Holy One; and this granary is Israel, as it is said (Isaiah 21:10): "My threshing, and the child of My threshing floor." And it says (Jeremiah 2:3): "Israel is holy to the Lord, the first of His harvest." The child of His house is Moses, as it is said (Numbers 12:7): "Not so My servant Moses; he is trusted in all My house." The Holy One said to him: The nations are likened to thorns, as it is said (Isaiah 33:12): "And the peoples shall be burnings of lime, thorns cut down." Therefore do not be exacting in their numbering; but Israel are righteous, as it is said (Isaiah 60:21): "And your people are all righteous." And it says (Song of Songs 4:7): "You are wholly beautiful, My beloved, and there is no blemish in you." Therefore be exacting in the numbering of Israel. Thus did Moses: he counted them — how many kors, as it is said (Numbers 1:2): "Take a census…"; how many sacks, as it is said (Numbers 2:4): "His host and those of them numbered"; how many measures, as it is said (Numbers 3:40): "Number every firstborn male."