Another interpretation: “…in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:1) – it is analogous to one who found a snake and smashed its head with a rock and cut off its tail; from now on, what good is it? So, the Egyptians arose and enslaved Israel, which is intolerable, and the same is true for Edom. What did the Holy One blessed be He do to Egypt? He exacted retribution against them, as it is stated: “He tossed Pharaoh and his army in the sea” (Psalms 136:15).
Regarding Edom it is written: “I have trodden a winepress alone” (Isaiah 63:3). The Divine Spirit said: “Egypt shall be desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness” (Joel 4:19). And the Holy One blessed be He is destined to redeem Israel from Edom. [Israel said to God:] ‘“Jerusalem and Your people have become a disgrace to all our surroundings” (Daniel 9:16), and You are not redeeming us?’
He said to them: ‘Yes’ [I will redeem you]. They said to Him: ‘Swear to us;’ He swore to them that just as He redeemed us from Egypt, so too, He will redeem us from Edom. Moreover, the great ones of the nations will see a lowly one of Israel and desire to bow before them due to the name that is inscribed on each and every one, as it is stated: “So said the Lord, Redeemer of Israel, its Holy One, to the despised person, to the abhorred by nations, to the slave of rulers: Kings will see and stand up, [and princes will prostrate themselves]” (Isaiah 49:7).
It is analogous to fine wood that was located in a bathhouse. A high official entered to bathe, he and all his servants, and they trampled the wood, and all the villagers, as well as everyone else, were eager to step on it. After several days, he [the emperor] sent a bust to that city, to [serve as a model to] make a statue of him, but they did not find any [suitable] wood other than what was in the bathhouse.
The craftsmen said to the governor: ‘If you wish to set up the statue, bring the wood that is in the bathhouse, as there is none better.’ They brought it and prepared it appropriately and gave it to the sculptor, and he sculpted the image onto it, and he placed it in the palace. The governor came and bowed before it, so did the duke, so did the prefect, so did the provost, so did the legionaries, so did the council, and so did everyone.
Those craftsmen said to them: ‘Yesterday, you were trampling this wood in the bathhouse, and now you are prostrating yourselves to it?’ They said to them: ‘We are not bowing to it for its own sake, but to the image of the king that is inscribed on it.’ So do Gog’s men say: Until now we have been doing to Israel what is intolerable, as it is stated: “To the despised person, to the abhorred by nations, [to the slave of rulers: Kings will see and stand up, and princes will prostrate themselves]” (Isaiah 49:7),46Israel is despised and abhorred. and now we are prostrating ourselves to Israel?
The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘Yes, it is due to My name that is inscribed on them, as it is stated: “Because of the Lord who is faithful” (Isaiah 49:7).’ So does Moses say: “All the peoples of the earth will see that the name of the Lord is called upon you…” (Deuteronomy 28:10). When the Holy One blessed be He took Israel out of Egypt, He would take the lamp and go before them, as it is stated: “And the Lord was going before them during the day” (Exodus 13:21).
So He is destined to do when He takes them out of Edom, and so Isaiah said: “For the Lord will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard” (Isaiah 52:12). And it is written: “Behold, the former things have come to pass [and I relate new ones. Before they sprout I will let you hear of them]” (Isaiah 42:9), to fulfill what is written: “Egypt shall be desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness” (Joel 4:19).