Abraham's Dust Turns to Swords and His Strides Span Miles

Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Nehemiah differed. One of them said: Abraham would cast dust upon them and it became swords, straw and it became arrows. His colleague said to him: it is not written here "he gives dust," but "as dust" (Isaiah 41:2) [meaning] they were casting swords at Abraham and they turned to dust, arrows and they turned to straw. This is what is written, "He pursues them and passes on safely" (Isaiah 41:3). The strides of Abraham our father were miles long. Rabbi Yehudah bar Rabbi Simon said: a mile, as it is said, "a path his feet had never trodden" (Isaiah 41:3). Rabbi Nehemiah in the name of Rabbi Abbahu said: their feet were not even covered with dust, but it was like one going from his house to the synagogue. "And he brought back all the goods, and also Lot his kinsman and his goods he brought back" (Genesis 14:16). Rabbi Yudan said: the men and the women he returned, but the children he did not return; they arose and converted. This is what is written, "And I will bring back the wicked of the nations" [reading the verse as the men of Sodom]. "And the men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked" (Genesis 13:13). "And the king of Sodom went out to meet him" (Genesis 14:17). He began to wag his tail at him, saying, "Just as you went down into the fiery furnace and were delivered, I too went down into the bitumen and was delivered." "To the Valley of Shaveh [the Level Valley]": there all the nations were leveled in agreement and cut down cedars and set him [Abraham] upon them and exalted him (as above, reference 72).