Divine Favor Lent Egypt's Wealth and Melted Its Idols

"And the LORD gave the people favor" and so forth, "and they lent them" (Exodus 12:36). According to its plain meaning: a man had no sooner said "Lend me" than the other brought it out and gave it to him; these are the words of Rabbi Ishmael. Rabbi Yose the Galilean says: they trusted them from the three days of darkness, for they would say, "If at the time when we were in darkness and they were in light, they were not suspected of theft, how much less now would they be suspected?" Rabbi Eliezer says: the Holy Spirit rested upon them, and an Israelite would say to an Egyptian, "Lend me your vessel that is laid up for you in such and such a place," and the other would bring it out and give it to him. And "favor" means nothing other than the Holy Spirit, as it is said (Zechariah 12:10), "And I will pour upon the house of David a spirit of favor and supplications." Rabbi Nathan says: there is no need to say "and they lent them," but rather what they did not even ask for, the Egyptians would lend them; and thus an Israelite would say, "Give me a certain object," and the Egyptian would say to him, "Take this for yourself, and another like it." "And they despoiled the Egyptians" (Exodus 12:36). This tells that their idolatry was melted down and annulled and reverted to its original raw state. And from where do we learn that the plunder at the Sea was greater than the plunder of Egypt? As it is said, "And you increased and grew great and came into excellent ornaments [adi adayim]" (Ezekiel 16:7). "Adi" is the plunder of Egypt, "adayim" is the plunder of the Sea. (Psalms 68:14) "The wings of a dove covered with silver," this is the plunder of Egypt; "and her feathers with yellow gold," this is the plunder of the Sea. (Song of Songs 1:11) "We will make you rows of gold," this is the plunder of the Sea; "with studs of silver," this is the plunder of Egypt.