The Chariots of Pharaoh and His Host

Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael Mekhilta Tractate Shirah 4:14 View source
Curated by Maggid·Edited by Arthur Sabintsev·

(Exodus 15:4) "the chariots of Pharaoh and his host": "As one measures, so is it meted out to him." They (the Egyptians [i.e., Pharaoh]) said (Ibid. 5:2) "Who is the L–rd that I should hearken to his voice?" And You meted it out to him accordingly, viz. "The chariots of Pharaoh, etc." One verse (here) states "yarah" (He cast into the sea"), and, another (Ibid. 1) "ramah" ("He lifted into the sea"). How are these two verses to be reconciled? "Yarah", they descended to the depths; "ramah", they rose to the heights.

Themes

MosesEgyptMerkavahExodusPassover

Biblical References

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Mekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelThese Are the Words of Rabbi Yehudah(Exodus 14:28) "And the waters returned and covered the chariot, etc.": even that of Pharaoh. These are the words of R. Yehudah, it being written (Ibid. 15:4) "Midrash TanchumaWhen You Go Out to War and You See Horse and Chariot, a People MoreWhen you go out to war and you see horse and chariot, a people more numerous than you (Deuteronomy 20:1): This is what is stated in the verse (Proverbs 21:31), Mekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelWhen God Told Moses in, See, I Have Made You an Overlord to PharaohWhen God told Moses in (Exodus 7:1), "See, I have made you an overlord to Pharaoh," a question immediately arose in the minds of the ancient rabbis. The verse sMekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelIn the Land of Egypt He Spoke to Them(Exodus 12:1) "in the land of Egypt":(He spoke to them) outside the city. But perhaps in the city itself? (This cannot be, for it is written (Exodus 9:29) "WhenMekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelPerhaps the Meaning Is Both for the PesachR. Yonathan says: sheep for the Pesach (Passover) and cattle for the chagigah. You say this, but perhaps (the meaning is) both for the Pesach? And how would I uMekhilta DeRabbi YishmaelDeuteronomy Commands, There Shall You Slaughter the Pesach Passover inThe Mekhilta uncovers a contradiction in the Torah's timeline that forces a radical rethinking of when the Passover sacrifice actually happened. Deuteronomy com