"I will speak of the statutes; they are recounted in the law of the Torah, and in the laws of the prophets and the writings. In the law of the Torah (Exodus 4:22), 'Israel is My firstborn son,' in the laws of the prophets (Isaiah 52:13), 'Behold, My servant shall prosper, he shall be exalted and lifted up.' What is written afterwards (Isaiah 52:15), 'So shall he startle many nations, kings shall shut their mouths because of him, for that which had not been told them shall they see, and that which they had not heard shall they perceive.'

In the writings (Psalms 110:1), 'The Lord said to my lord, "Sit at My right hand." What is written afterwards? (Psalm 110:4), 'You are a priest forever, in the manner of Melchizedek.' Rabbi Yudan said: all these retributions were given in accordance with the laws of the King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He. Why is this so?

Because of his occupation with the Torah. 'You are My son' - from here we learn that he has a son. And when people say to him, 'You have a son,' he does not say, 'I have a son,' but rather, 'You are My son,' like a servant whom his master loves and says to him, 'I hold you dear as my own son.' Rabbi Huna said: the sufferings are divided into three parts: one part was taken by the patriarchs and all the generations; one part by the generation of the rebellion; and one part by the generation of the Messiah.

And when the time comes, the Holy One, blessed be He, says, 'It is upon me to create a new creation.' And thus it says, 'Today I have begotten you.' At that time, a new creation was created. And it says (2 Samuel 3:3), 'And his second, Chileab, of Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite; and the third, Absalom the son of Maacah the daughter of Talmai king of Geshur.'

But wasn't Absalom born to Adonijah's mother? Isn't this one the son of Maacah and that one the son of Haggith? But just as this one had chariots and horses, so did the other. And just as this one caused a dispute, so did the other. And just as this one had fifty runners before him, so did the other."