Midrasch zu Schemot 7:14

Another interpretation (of Exod. 7:1) SEE, I HAVE SET YOU AS A GOD TO PHARAOH. The Holy One said: Because he made himself into a god, they informed him that he was nothing in the world. See, I have made you a god over him.⁴⁹Tanh., Exod. 2:9. And where is it shown that Pharaoh made himself into a god? Where it is stated (of Pharaoh in Ezek. 29:3): {BECAUSE HE} [WHO] SAID {THE} [MY] NILE IS MY OWN, AND I MADE MYSELF.⁵⁰A more traditional rendering would be, AND I MADE IT FOR MYSELF. I am the one who created myself. Now this is one of four sons of Adam who made themselves into gods and had sexual relations like women.⁵¹See Enoch Zundel’s commentary, ‘Ets Yosef, on Tanh., Exod. 2:9, which explains that, because the four promoted themselves to divinity, they would have had to bestow largess like a god, who always bestows it to the world as the male bestows it in the female. He gives and she receives. Therefore, “they had sexual relations like women” to show that they were bestowed upon and did not do the bestowing. Three were from the nations of the world, and one was from Israel. They were the following: Hiram, Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, and Joash. Where is it shown of Hiram? Where it is stated (in Ezek. 28:2): SAY TO THE PRINCE OF TYRE: THUS SAYS THE LORD GOD: BECAUSE YOUR HEART IS PROUD, YOU HAVE SAID: I AM A GOD. Because he had made himself into a god, he had sexual relations like women, as stated (in vs. 17): YOU HAVE DEBASED YOUR WISDOM…; <I HAVE CAST YOU UPON THE GROUND; I HAVE GIVEN YOU OVER BEFORE KINGS > TO STARE AT YOU. What is the meaning of TO STARE (R'WH) AT YOU? <That> they would work their "friendship" (as if from R'WT) on you. Where is it shown of Nebuchadnezzar? Where it is stated <of the king of Babylon that he said> (in Is. 14:14): I WILL ASCEND UPON THE HEIGHTS OF A CLOUD; I WILL BECOME LIKE THE MOST HIGH. The Holy One said to him: By your life, (in vs. 15) YOU SHALL ALSO BE BROUGHT DOWN UNTO SHEOL, UNTO THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE PIT. What did the Holy one do? He banished him while he was in his kingship and had him eat grass like the cattle. It is so stated (in Dan. 4:22 [25]): AND THEY SHALL FEED YOU GRASS LIKE OXEN…. So, when the cattle and the wild beasts saw him in the likeness of a <female> animal, they had sexual relations with him, as stated (in Hab. 2:17): AND THE VIOLENCE OF THE BEASTS WILL TERRIFY THOSE FEMALES. What is the meaning of TERRIFY THOSE FEMALES (rt.: HTT+N)? <Its meaning > is like what is stated (in Deut. 7:3): YOU SHALL NOT INTERMARRY (rt.: HTN) WITH THEM. So he became a bridegroom (HTN) to all cattle and wild beasts. Where is it shown of Joash? Where it is stated (in II Chron. 24:17): NOW AFTER THE DEATH OF JEHOIADA, THE PRINCES OF JUDAH CAME AND BOWED LOW TO THE KING. What is the meaning of BOWED LOW TO THE KING? That they made him < their > god. Moreover, since he was in agreement, as stated (ibid., cont.): THEN THE KING HEARKENED TO THEM, he had sexual relations like a woman. Thus it is stated (vs. 24): <FOR THE ARMY OF ARAM CAME WITH A FEW MEN….> SO THEY INFLICTED JUDGMENTS ON JOASH. It is just as it says (in Lev. 20:13): IF A MAN LIES WITH A MALE AS ONE LIES WITH A WOMAN, BOTH OF THEM HAVE COMMITTED AN ABOMINATION.⁵²The midrash is arguing that the JUDGMENT inflicted on Joash is this ABOMINATION. Cf. Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, ‘Amaleq 1, which would revowel JUDGMENTS (shefatim) to read “sports” (shipputim). For a similar solution, see Exod. R. 8:2. Pharaoh also made himself into a god and had sexual relations like a woman. It is so stated (in Jer. 44:30): BEHOLD, I AM GIVING PHARAOH HOPHRA, KING OF EGYPT, <INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMIES>. What is the meaning of HOPHRA (rt.: PR')?⁵³Although the Masoretic Text spells HOPHRA with a gutturalized initial H (het), the midrash text spells the name with a simple H (he), which need not be part of the root. That they uncovered (PR') his posterior. He was a pharaoh who had been a male and became a female. Another interpretation of HOPHRA. <Its meaning is> like that used (in the context of Numb. 5:18): AND HE (the priest) SHALL UNCOVER (PR') THE WOMAN'S HEAD. And to which father's house did he belong? (Is. 19:16:) IN THAT DAY {THE LAND OF EGYPT SHALL BE A FESTIVAL….} [EGYPT SHALL BE LIKE WOMEN.] And what was the cause? <It was> because he made himself into a god. Thus it is stated (in Ezek. 29:3): {BECAUSE HE} [WHO] SAID {THE} [MY] NILE IS MY OWN, AND I MADE MYSELF. For that reason the Holy One said to Moses: Because he has made himself into a god, go and become a god over him. It is so stated (in Exod. 7:1): SEE, I HAVE SET YOU AS A GOD TO PHARAOH. Why? (Eccl. 5:7 [8]:) FOR ONE EXALTED PERSON WATCHES ANOTHER FROM ABOVE, AND THERE ARE MORE EXALTED ONES OVER THEM. Ergo, you are a god over him; so make him an arrogant abomination (ShHTs) in the world because he became exalted by himself. And this is what is written (in Job 41:26 [34]): HE BEHOLDS EVERYTHING EXALTED, {AND} HE IS KING OVER ALL THE CHILDREN OF ABOMINABLE ARROGANCE (ShHTs). Does the Holy One not see the lowly? It is also written (in Zech. 4:10): <THESE SEVEN ARE> THE EYES OF THE LORD. THEY ROAM AROUND ALL THE EARTH. And (in Job 41:26 [34]) what is the meaning of HE BEHOLDS EVERYTHING EXALTED? R. Berekhyah said: These are the proud, whose spirit becomes <too> haughty for them, so that they exalt themselves and make themselves into gods. What does the Holy One do to them? He exhibits them to mortals and makes them arrogant abominations (ShHTs) in the world, as stated (in Job 41:26 [34]): HE IS KING OVER ALL THE CHILDREN OF ABOMINABLE ARROGANCE (ShHTs). <There is> Nebuchadnezzar, for example, in that he made him an arrogant abomination (ShHTs), as stated (in Dan. 5:21): HE WAS DRIVEN AWAY FROM HUMANS…. So also was Sennacherib made an arrogant abomination (ShHTs), as stated (II Kings 19:35 = Is. 37:36 // II Chron. 32:21): SO IT CAME TO PASS IN THAT NIGHT THAT THE ANGEL OF THE LORD WENT OUT AND SMOTE <ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE THOUSAND > IN THE CAMP OF ASSYRIA…. Thus the Holy One shows the abominable arrogance (ShHTs) of the proud to every creature. The Holy One has said (in Jer. 23:24): IF SOMEONE HIDES IN SECRET PLACES, SHALL I NOT SEE (rt.: R'H) HIM? SAYS THE LORD. R. Benjamin bar Levi said: If someone goes to handle the Torah and sits by himself, I will exhibit (rt.: R'H) his deed in the world. And so, if someone conceals himself to commit a transgression, I will exhibit (rt.: R'H)his deed to the world. It is so stated (in Jer. 23:24): SHALL I NOT SEE (rt.: R'H) HIM? SAYS THE LORD. DO I NOT FILL THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH? SAYS THE LORD. What is the meaning of I FILL? R. Hama b. R. Hanina said: The Holy One said: From him (i.e., from his evil works) I will fill the upper and lower worlds. Then I will exhibit (rt.: R'H) him to humankind as an arrogant abomination (ShHTs). Why? Because they (sic) are proud and make themselves into gods. (Job 41:26 [34]:) HE BEHOLDS EVERYTHING EXALTED, {AND} HE IS KING OVER ALL THE CHILDREN OF ABOMINABLE ARROGANCE (ShHTs). Thus he reigns over all those who are proud and makes them arrogant abominations (ShHTs). For that reason, the Holy One said to Moses (in Exod. 7:1): SEE, I HAVE SET YOU AS A GOD TO PHARAOH. Go and exact punishment from him.⁵⁴Exod. R. 8:3. Go and bring the ten plagues (of Exod. 7:14–12:29) upon him. He said to him: How shall I bring the plagues upon him? The Holy One said to him (in Exod. 4:17): AND YOU SHALL TAKE IN YOUR HAND THIS ROD, < WITH WHICH YOU SHALL PERFORM THE SIGNS>. R. Judah bar Ammi said: The rod which he had weighed forty seahs⁵⁵I.e., weighed forty seahs of wheat. and was <made> of sapphire.⁵⁶Gk.: sappheirinon. Moreover ten plagues were inscribed upon it through an acronym,⁵⁷Gk.: notarikon. <i.e.,> DeTsaKh 'aDaSh Be'aHaBh.⁵⁸The acronym stands for the following: Dam (blood), Tsefarde‘im (frogs), Kinnam (gnats), ‘arov (flies), Dever (pestilence), Shehin (boils), Barad (hail), ‘arbeh (locusts), Hoshekh (darkness), and Bekhor (first-born). The Holy One said to him: this rod will bring the plagues upon him. (Exod. 7:1:) SEE, I HAVE SET YOU AS A GOD TO PHARAOH.

Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water (Exod. 7:14). Thus the Lord said: Through this (water) you shall cause him to know that I am the Lord. I will smite the water of the Nile with the staff that is in your hand, and it shall turn to blood. Why were the waters turned to blood first? Because Pharaoh and the Egyptians worshipped the Nile, and the Holy One, blessed be He, said: Smite his god first and then him, as in the popular aphorism, “Strike the gods and the priests will be frightened.” And the Lord said unto Moses: “Say unto Aaron: Stretch out thy hand, and smite” (Exod. 7:19). Smite the water of the Nile, the roots of the plants in the rivers, and indeed, every source of their water, even that which is in their ladles. And blood appeared in the wood and stone, and even the spittle of the Egyptians turned to blood.

(Exod. 7:14:) AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: PHARAOH'S HEART IS HARDENED. The Holy One said: By your life, through that word (HARDENED), because you have hardened (rt.: KBD) your heart, I will be honored (rt.: KBD).⁷⁶Tanh., Exod. 2:12; Exod. R. 9:8. It is so stated (in Exod. 14:18): WHEN I HAVE BEEN HONORED (rt.: KBD) THROUGH PHARAOH.

(Exod. 7:14, cont.:) HE REFUSES TO LET <THE PEOPLE> GO (shillah). The Holy One said: You are refusing to let them go. By your life, you yourself will take each and every one of them by the hand and send them away (shillah). The Holy One said to Moses: Go and bring the plague of blood upon them. Then you shall say unto them (in Exod. 7:17): BY THIS YOU SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD…. Why did he bring upon them the plague of blood first?⁷⁷Tanh., Exod. 2:13 Exod. R. 9:9. Because Pharaoh and the Egyptians were worshiping the Nile. The Holy One had said to Moses: Go and smite their gods in their presence. A common⁷⁸Gk. idotes. (Aramaic) proverb says: Blot out the god and the idol-priests are confounded {i.e., smite the idol and the idol-priests are confounded}. Ergo (in Exod. 7:17, cont.:) SEE, I AM SMITING < THE WATER WHICH IS IN THE NILE WITH THE ROD THAT IS IN MY HAND>…. See what is written (in vs. 19): <TAKE YOUR ROD AND STRETCH OUT YOUR HAND OVER THE WATERS OF EGYPT: > OVER ITS RIVERS, <OVER ITS CANALS, OVER ITS PONDS, AND OVER EVERY BODY OF ITS WATER SO THAT THEY BECOME BLOOD>.⁷⁹I.e., not simply OVER THE WATERS OF EGYPT. What is the meaning of OVER ITS RIVERS? In every place where they were, the water became blood. What is the meaning of OVER EVERY BODY OF ITS WATER? Even what was in the cup⁸⁰Gk.: kothon. became blood, and even what an Egyptian was spitting out of his mouth became blood.⁸¹Exod. R.9:10. Thus it is stated (in ibid., cont.): AND THERE SHALL BE BLOOD IN THE WHOLE LAND OF EGYPT. R. Abbin the Levite said: Israel became rich from the plague of blood.⁸²M. Ps. 78:10. How? When an Egyptian and an Israelite were in the same house, the tank was full of water; but when the Egyptian went to fill a cup from it, it became blood. So when the Israelite went and drank water from it, the Egyptian would say: Give me a little of the water in your hand; but when he gave it to him, it turned out to be blood in the Egyptian's hand. Then he would say to him: Come, you and I, and let us drink from the <same> bowl. But the Israelite was < still > drinking water; and the Egyptian, blood. When, however, an Egyptian took water from an Israelite for a price, he would drink water. For that reason Israel became rich from the plague of blood. And how long did the plague stay with them? R. Judah and R. Nehemiah differed.⁸³Exod. R. 9:12. The one said: <The Holy One> warned them for twenty-four days, while the < actual > plague functioned against them for seven days. But the other said: He warned them for seven days, while the < actual > plague functioned against them for twenty-four days.

And at the end of two years the Lord sent Moses once more unto Pharaoh, to bring forth the ‎children of Israel and to send them away from the land of Egypt; and Moses came to the ‎house of Pharaoh and he spoke unto him according to the words of the Lord, but Pharaoh ‎would not hearken unto the voice of Jehovah, and the Lord concluded to show his might in ‎Egypt, on Pharaoh and his servants. And God smote Pharaoh and his people with very terrible ‎plagues, and he turned by the hands of Aaron all the waters of Egypt into blood, and when an ‎Egyptian came to drink and drew water and he looked into his pitcher, behold it was turned ‎into blood, and also when a woman kneaded her bread or cooked her meals, all had the ‎appearance of blood. And the Lord sent again, and he caused all the waters to produce frogs, ‎so that the frogs came into the houses of the Egyptians, and when the Egyptians drank the ‎water, their stomachs were filled with frogs, and they leaped within them like in the river. And ‎all the water they used for cooking and drinking turned into frogs, and when they lay upon ‎their beds, they perspired frogs from their body. But for all that the anger of the Lord did not ‎turn from them, and his hand was still out stretched upon all Egypt, to smite them with all the ‎terrible plagues; and he sent and turned their dust into lice, so that the ground of Egypt was ‎covered with lice two cubits in height. And the lice were also upon the flesh of man and beast ‎among all the people of Egypt, and also upon the king and the queen, and Egypt was greatly ‎afflicted on account of the lice. But for all that the anger of the Lord did not turn, and his hand ‎was still outstretched over Egypt, and the Lord sent all the beasts of the field, and they came ‎and destroyed man and beast, and the trees, and all that was in Egypt. Then the Lord sent fiery ‎serpents, and scorpions, and mice, and rats, and weasels, and other vermin, that creepeth in ‎the dust, as also flies and fleas and all sorts of insects, and they came and tortured the ‎Egyptians, entering even their eyes and their ears. Then the hornets came over them also, and ‎they drove them to hide in their innermost chambers, and the Egyptians had to hide ‎themselves from the swarms of vermin and they locked the doors after them. But the Lord ‎commanded the Tulzoth, the great monster of the sea to come up and invade Egypt; and she ‎had very long arms, ten cubits in length according to the cubits of a man, and she went up and ‎unroofed their houses, and she put forth her arms into the houses and removed the bolts and ‎bars and opened the houses of the Egyptians, and the swarm of animals filled the houses of ‎the Egyptians, to torture them exceedingly.‎