Egyptians and Canaanites Cry Woe When Israel Goes Free

Another interpretation: Who cried "Woe"? The Egyptians cried "Woe." To what may this be compared? To a physician who lived in a city, and when a man was wounded he would heal him. When the physician left the city, the city's residents began to cry "Woe." So it was in Egypt: when a plague came upon Egypt, the people would come to Moses and beg of him, and he would pray and heal the plague. When Israel left Egypt, the Egyptians said, "Woe, that Pharaoh sent them away." Another interpretation: The Canaanites cried "Woe." To what may this be compared? To a king who had a young son and owned an estate, and he wished to set out for a country across the sea. He told a certain tenant-farmer to guard it and to eat of its produce until his son came of age. When the king's son grew up, he demanded the estate, and immediately the tenant-farmer began to cry "Woe." So it was: Israel were in Egypt, and the Canaanites were dwelling in and guarding the Land of Israel and eating of its fruits. Once they heard that Israel had left Egypt, they began to cry "Woe." "And it came to pass when Pharaoh let the people go" (Exodus 13:17).