Arrows Scattered and Lightning Gathered to Rout the Foe

Yalkut Shimoni on Torah 232:3

Another interpretation of "He sent out His arrows and scattered them" (Psalms 18:15): His arrows would scatter the enemy, and His lightning bolts would herd them together. "And He discomfited them" (vayehummem) means He confounded them, He mixed them up; He took away their battle-standards so that they no longer knew what they were doing. Another interpretation of "And He discomfited them": the word hamamah signifies nothing other than plague, in the sense of what is said, "And He shall discomfit them with a great discomfiture" (Deuteronomy 7:23).

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