Six Who Were Named Before They Were Born

Six were called by their names before they were born, and these are they: Ishmael, Isaac, Moses, Solomon, Josiah, and the King Messiah. From where do we know Ishmael? As it is said, "Behold, you are with child and shall bear a son" and so forth (Genesis 16:11). And why was he called Ishmael ["God will hear"]? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, is destined to hear the groaning of the people because of what the children of Ishmael will do to them at the end of days. Isaac, as it is said, "But Sarah your wife" and so forth (Genesis 17:19). And why was he called Yitzchak? The yod [numerical value ten] is for the ten trials; the tzadi [ninety] is that Sarah was ninety years old when she gave birth; the chet [eight] is that he was circumcised at eight days; the kuf [one hundred] is that Abraham was a hundred years old when he became a father. Moses: "My spirit shall not abide in man forever, for that he also (be-shaggam) is flesh" (Genesis 6:3) — be-shaggam has, by gematria, the numerical value of Moshe. Solomon: "Behold, a son shall be born to you... Solomon shall be his name" (1 Chronicles 22:9), for the peace and quiet that was in his days. Josiah: "Behold, a son shall be born to the house of David, Josiah by name" (1 Kings 13:2), who was accepted like a lamb upon the altar. The King Messiah: "May his name endure forever; before the sun, may his name be continued (yinnon)" (Psalms 72:17), for he is destined to bring grace to the world.