Another matter, “God did not lead them [naḥam].” Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: This is analogous to a king’s son who was taken captive by barbarians who enslaved him harshly. Sometime later, the king went and rescued his son from them. The king said to his son: ‘My son, I am glad that I recued you from them, but I will not be mollified until I enslave them as they enslaved you.’
So too, when Israel was in Egypt [the Egyptians] enslaved them with mortar and bricks. The Holy One blessed be He revealed Himself to them and saved them. There was joy before Him because He rescued them, [but] He said: ‘I will not be mollified until I drag them into the sea,’ as it is stated: “He tossed Pharaoh and his army into the sea” (Psalms 136:15). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: This is analogous to a king who had twelve sons and ten estates.
The king said: ‘If I give them to my sons, I will cause a quarrel between them. Rather, I will wait until I acquire another two, and then I will distribute them between them.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘If I take them into the Land now, there will not be a portion for [each of] the twelve tribes. Rather, I will delay them in the wilderness until they conquer the east bank of the Jordan, and the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh will take it [as their portion], and then I will bring them into the Land.’ That is why it is stated: “God did not lead them.”