He Turned the Chariot Wheels Against Egypt

"And He turned aside the wheels of their chariots" (Exodus 14:25). Rabbi Yehudah says: from the heat of the fire above, the wheels below were burned, and the shafts and chariots ran on and rushed in against their will, for they were laden with silver and gold and precious stones and pearls, and so on. Rabbi Nehemiah says: from the sound of the thunder above, the axle-pins below were shaken loose, as it is said, "The voice of Your thunder" (Psalms 77:19), and the shafts ran on and rushed in against their will. In the ordinary way of the world, the chariots are drawn after the mules; now the chariots were dragging the mules. "And He drove them with difficulty" (Exodus 14:25). Rabbi Yehudah says: by the measure with which a person measures, it is measured back to him. They had said, "Let the labor be heavy" (Exodus 5:9), and with that same measure He measured out to them; therefore it is said, "And He drove them" and so on.