God Confirms the Word of His Servants the Prophets

[3] "He confirms the word of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers; who says of Jerusalem, 'It shall be inhabited,' and of the cities of Judah, 'They shall be rebuilt, and I will raise up its ruins'" (Isaiah 44:26). Rabbi Berekhiah in the name of Rabbi Levi: He who confirms the word of His servant and fulfills the counsel of His messengers, do we not know that He says of Jerusalem, "It shall be inhabited," and of the cities of Judah, "They shall be rebuilt"? Rather, one angel was revealed to our father Jacob and said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." And he said, "Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel" (Genesis 32:28, 29). The Holy One, blessed be He, was revealed to our father Jacob to confirm the decree of that angel, and God said to him, "Your name is Jacob," and so forth (there, 35:9, 10). Jerusalem, concerning which all the prophets prophesy that it will be rebuilt, all the more so. Another interpretation: "He confirms the word of His servant" (Isaiah, there), this is Moses, "Not so My servant Moses" (Numbers 12:7). "And fulfills the counsel of His messengers" (Isaiah, there), this is Moses, "And He sent a messenger and brought us out of Egypt" (Numbers 20:16). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Go, say to them, to Israel, "And I will pass through the land of Egypt on this night" (Exodus 12:12). Moses went and said to Israel, "Thus says the LORD: About midnight I will go out into the midst of Egypt" (there, 11:4). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: I have already assured Moses and said to him, "Not so My servant Moses; in all My house he is faithful" (Numbers 12:7); shall My servant Moses be as a liar? Rather, just as Moses said "about midnight," so too I will act about midnight. Therefore, "And it came to pass at midnight" (Exodus 12:29).