Midrasch zu Divrej Hajamim I 15:78

(Exodus 15:1) "Az yashir Mosheh": Az ("then") sometimes signals the past and sometimes signals the future. The past: (Genesis 4:26) "Az men began", (Exodus 4:26) "Az she said", (Exodus 15:1) "Az Moses sang", (Numbers 21:17) "Az Israel sang", (Joshua 10:12) "Az Joshua spoke", (I Chronicles 15:2) "Az David said", (I Kings 8:12) "Az Solomon said." And sometimes "Az" signals the future, viz.: Isaiah 60:5) "Az you will see and flow", (Ibid. 58:8) "Az your light shall break forth as the morning", "Then there shall be opened", (Ibid. 35:6) "Az the lame man shall leap as a hart", (Ibid. 5) (Jeremiah 31:12) "Az the virgin will rejoice in the dance", (Psalms 126:2) "Az our mouth will be filled with laughter", (Ibid.) "Az they will say among the nations." Variantly: It is not written "Then Moses sang," but then Moses will sing" — whence we derive the resurrection from Scripture. (Exodus 15:1) "Moses and the children of Israel": Moses was equivalent to all of Israel, and all of Israel, to Moses, when they sang the song. Variantly: "Moses and the children of Israel": We are hereby apprised that Moses chanted the song opposite all of Israel (i.e., that his voice was over and against those of all of Israel.) "this song": There are ten "songs." The first, that sung in Egypt, viz. (Isaiah 30:29) "The song (of Sancherev's destruction [on Pesach night]) will be to you as that of the night on which you sanctified the festival (Pesach [in Egypt]), etc." The second, that of the sea — "Then Moses sang." The third, that of the well (Numbers 21:17) "Then Israel sang." The fourth, that of Moses, viz. (Devarim 31:22) "And Moses wrote this song (32:1-43). The fifth, that of Joshua, viz. (Joshua 10:12) "Then Joshua spoke to the L rd on the day the L rd delivered, etc." The sixth, that of Devorah and Barak, viz. (Judges 5:1) "And Devorah and Barak the son of Avinoam sang, etc." The seventh, that of David, viz. (II Samuel 22:1) "And David spoke to the L rd the words of this song, etc." The eighth, that of Solomon, viz. (Psalms 30:1) "A psalm, a song of the inauguration of the Temple of David." Now did David built it? Did not Solomon build it? viz. (I Kings 6:14) "And Solomon built the Temple." Why, then, is it written "A psalm, a song of the inauguration of the Temple of David? But because David devoted his life to building it, it was called by his name. Similarly, (Psalms 132:1-6) "Remember, O L rd, unto David, al of his tribulation (in seeking a place for Your sanctuary), which, (to find the place,) he swore to the L rd, vowed to the Strength of Jacob: Forefend that I came to the test of my habitation (my palace), that I go up on the bed spread out before me, that I give (superfluous) sleep to my eyes or slumber to my lids, before I find the (fore-ordained) place for (the Temple of) the L rd, the habitation of the Strength of Jacob. We had heard it (that place) to be in Efrat (the most select of places), and, lo, we have found it in the fields of the forest (in the boundary of Benjamin, who is likened to a beast of the forest" [viz. Genesis 49:27]). And what is written afterwards? (I Kings 12:16) "See your house, O David." Because David devoted his life to it, it was called by his name. And thus you find that whatever a man devotes his life to is called by his name. Moses devoted his life to three things, and they were (all) called by his name. He devoted his life to Torah and it was called by his name, viz. (Malachi 3:22) "Remember the Torah of Moses, My servant." Now is it not the Torah of G d? viz. (Psalms 19:8) "The Torah of the L rd is whole, restoring the soul." How, then, are we to understand "the Torah of Moses, My servant"? Because he devoted his life to it, it is called by his name. And whence do we find that he gave his life for Torah? In (Exodus 34:28) "And he was there with the L rd (to receive the Torah) … Bread he did not eat, etc." And it is written (Devarim 9:10) "And I stayed on the mountain forty days and forty nights, etc." — Because he devoted his life to Torah, it was called by his name. Because he devoted his life to Israel, they were called by his name, viz. (Exodus 32:7) "Go, descend, for your people have wrought corruptly." Now are they not the people of the L rd? viz. (Devarim 9:29) "For they are Your people and Your inheritance," and (Ezekiel 36:20) "… when it was said of them: These are the people of the L rd, and they came out of His land." How, then, are we to understand "Go, descend, for your people have wrought corruptly"? Because he devoted his life to them, they were called by his name. And whence do we find that he devoted his life to them? In (Exodus 2:11) "And it was in those days that Moses grew, and he went out to his brothers and he saw their toils," and (bid. 12) "And he turned here and there (… and he smote the Egyptian, etc.") Because he devoted his life to them, they were called by his name. He devoted his life to the judges, and they were called by his name, viz. (Devarim 16:18) "Judges and officers shall you appoint for yourself in all of your gates." Now is justice not the L rd's? How, then, are we to understand "shall you appoint for yourself"? Because he devoted his life to them, they were called by his name. And whence is it derived that he devoted his life to them? From (Exodus 2:13-17) "And he went out on the second day … and he said "Who made you an officer and a judge over us? … And Pharaoh heard … And the priest of Midian had seven daughters … And the shepherds came and drove them away. Because he devoted his life to them, they were called by his name. The ninth (song): (II Chronicles 20:21) "And he (Yehoshafat) took counsel with the people, and he set up singes to the L rd and lauders of (His) majestic holiness. When they went out before the vanguard (of the army) they said; 'Give thanks to the L rd, for His lovingkindness is forever!'" Why is this thanksgiving different from all the other sin the Torah, where it is written "Give thanks to the L rd for (the good, for His lovingkindness is forever"? __ It is to say, as it were, that there is no rejoicing before Him over the destruction of the wicked. If over that of the wicked there is no rejoicing, how much more so (is there grief) over that of the righteous, one of whom is over and against the entire world, viz. (Mishlei 10:25) "And the righteous one is the foundation of the world." The tenth (song) in time to come, viz. (Isaiah 42;10) "Sing to the L rd a new song, His praise from the end of the earth (Ibid. 48:42) "Say: The L rd has redeemed His servant Jacob. All of the (other) songs are denominated in the feminine ("zoth"). Just as a female bears (and then travails again), so, the past salivations were followed by subjugation. But the future (ultimate) redemption will not be followed by subjugation — wherefore it is denominated in the masculine ("zeh" [viz. Isaiah 26:1]). As it is written (Jeremiah 30:6) "Ask now and see if a male has ever given birth. Why, then, do I see that every man puts his hands upon his loins (as a woman giving birth?") For just as a male does not bear (and thus travail), so, the future redemption will not be followed by subjugation. As it is written (Isaiah 45:17) "Israel will be saved by the L rd, an eternal salvation. You will not be ashamed or abashed forever."

That is what is written: “Your sons will be in the stead of your fathers” (Psalms 45:17). You find a righteous person begetting a righteous person, a wicked person begetting a wicked person, a righteous person begetting a wicked person, and a wicked person begetting a righteous person. Each of them has [an allusion in] the Bible, has [an allusion in a popular] proverb, and has [an allusion in] common parlance. A righteous person begetting a righteous person has [an allusion in] the Bible and has [an allusion in] a proverb. The Bible, as it is written: “Your sons will be in the stead of your fathers.” It has a proverb: A scion¹¹The scion (a shoot or twig of a plant used to form a graft) of a fig tree. that established a fig tree. A wicked person begetting a wicked person has [an allusion in] the Bible, has [an allusion in] a proverb, and has [an allusion in] common parlance. The Bible, as it is written: “Behold, you have risen in the stead of your fathers, [a brood of sinful men]” (Numbers 32:14). A proverb, [as it is written]: “as the ancient proverb says: From the wicked, wickedness will emerge” (I Samuel 24:14). [In] common parlance, from where? What does the beetle bear? Ticks that are worse than it. A righteous person begetting a wicked person has [an allusion in] the Bible: “Thistles will emerge in the stead of wheat” (Job 31:40). A proverb, [as it is written]: They¹²Partridges. beget fledglings that are not like them; they raise those that are not similar to them. A wicked person begetting a righteous person has [an allusion in] the Bible: “In the stead of a brier, a cypress will rise” (Isaiah 55:13). [And] a proverb: From the thorn, a rose will emerge.
But Solomon was a king, son of a king; a wise man, son of a wise man; a righteous man, son of a righteous man; a nobleman, son of a nobleman. You find that everything that is written regarding this one is written regarding that one. David reigned forty years, and that one [Solomon] reigned forty years. David reigned over Israel and Judah, and his son reigned over Israel and Judah. His father [David] built the foundations [of the Temple] and he [Solomon] built the superstructure. His father reigned from one end of the earth to [the other] end, and that one reigned from one end of the earth to [the other] end. David wrote books and Solomon wrote books. David recited songs and Solomon recited songs. David said vanities and Solomon said vanities.¹³They instructed the people not to chase after temporal pleasures, which are mere vanities (Midrash HaMevoar). David said words and Solomon said words.¹⁴They spoke words of wisdom inspired by the Divine Spirit. David stated proverbs and Solomon stated proverbs. David lauded with “then” and Solomon lauded with “then.” David built an altar and Solomon built an altar. David sacrificed an offering and Solomon sacrificed an offering. David took up the Ark and Solomon took up the Ark.
David reigned forty years, as it is stated: “The days that David reigned over Israel were forty years” (I Kings 2:11). Solomon reigned forty years, as it is stated: “Solomon reigned in Jerusalem, over all Israel, for forty years” (II Chronicles 9:30). David reigned over Israel and Judah, as it is stated: “The Lord, God of Israel, chose me from all the house of my father [to be king over Israel forever, for He has chosen Judah]” (I Chronicles 28:4). Solomon reigned over Israel and Judah, as it is stated: “Judah and Israel were numerous...” (I Kings 4:20).¹⁵The passage is discussing the reign of Solomon, and begins: “Solomon was king over all Israel” (I Kings 4:1). Thus, the verse cited in the midrash specifically mentions Israel and Judah because he was king over both. David built the foundations [of the Temple], as it is stated: “King David rose on his feet [and said: …it was in my heart to build a resting place for the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and I prepared to build]” (I Chronicles 28:2). Solomon built the superstructure, as it is stated: “I have built an abode for You” (I Kings 8:13). David said words, as it is stated: “These are David’s last words” (II Samuel 23:1). Solomon said words, as it is stated: “The words of Kohelet ben David, king in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 1:1). David said vanities, as it is stated: “Indeed, everyone is vanity, every standing man, Selah” (Psalms 39:6). Solomon said vanities, as it is stated: “Vanity of vanities, said Kohelet; vanity of vanities, everything is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). David stated proverbs, as it is stated: “As the ancient proverb says: From the wicked, wickedness will emerge” (I Samuel 24:14). Solomon stated proverbs, as it is stated: “The proverbs of Solomon son of David” (Proverbs 1:1). David wrote books, as Psalms is attributed to him. Solomon wrote books: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs. David lauded with “then,” as it is stated: “Then our mouths will be filled with laughter, and our tongues with song. Then the nations will say…” (Psalms 126:2). Solomon lauded with “then,” as it is stated: “Then Solomon said: The Lord said…” (I Kings 8:12). David took up the Ark, as it is stated: “David, and the elders of Israel […were walking to take up the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord]” (I Chronicles 15:25). Solomon took up the Ark, as it is stated: “Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel… [to take up the Ark of the Covenant…]” (I Kings 8:1). David recited songs, as it is stated: “David spoke to the Lord the words of this song…” (II Samuel 22:1). Solomon recited songs, as it is stated: “The Song of Songs that is Solomon’s.”
Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan of Bet Guvrin in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: Since you equate them, equate them regarding all aspects. Just as his [Solomon’s] father was forgiven for all his iniquities, as it is stated: “The Lord has also put away your sin; you shall not die” (II Samuel 12:13), so, too, in his regard. Moreover, the Divine Presence rested upon him and he composed three books: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.

(II Sam. 6, 13) And it happened that, when the bearers of the ark of the Lord had progressed six paces, he sacrificed an ox and a failing, and again it is written concerning the same (I Chr. 15, 26) That they offered seven bullocks and seven rams. How are both passages to be reconciled? Saul R. Papa b. Samuel: "On each and every pace, they slaughtered an ox and a fatling and on every six paces they sacrificed seven oxen and seven fatlings." "Whereupon R. Chisda said to him: "According to this then the entire land of Israel must have been turned into a sacrificing altars?" R. Chisda therefore said: "This means that on every six rounds of six paces they sacrificed seven bullocks and seven rams." It is written (Ib. 13, 9) The threshing floor of Kidon, and again it is written concerning the same (II Sam. 6, 6) The threshing floor of Nachon. How are both of these names to be reconciled? Said R. Jochanan: "In the beginning it was called Kidom (a spear) and finally [after it had been kept in the house of Obod Edom], it was called Nachon [preparing place, for that place prepared the ark to be taken over into the tabernacle which David constructed for it].

(Numb. 27:5:) “Moses brought their cause [before the Lord].” Some say that [God] made this become too hard for Moses, as there are righteous people that become [overly] proud in matters of a commandment, and [so] the Holy One, blessed be He, weakens their ability. You find that David said (in Ps. 119:54), “Your statutes were songs for me,” [meaning] they are light and customary for me like songs. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “By your life, your end will be to err about something that [even] the schoolchildren know about.” At the time that he brought up the ark, he erred and put in on a cart, as stated (in II Sam. 6:3),” They loaded the ark of God onto a new cart.” [So God] suspended the ark in the air and the oxen became dislodged from under it. [Then] Uzzah approached to support it, but (according to II Sam. 6:7,) “God struck him down on the spot,” as an error in study is considered as wanton. Immediately (in II Sam. 6:8), “David was distressed because the Lord had inflicted a breach upon Uzzah.” [So] the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Did you not say, ‘Your statutes were songs for me?’ Did you not learn (in Numb. 7:9), ‘But to the Kohathites he did not give; since theirs was the service of the [most] sacred objects, their porterage was by shoulder?’” [So David] began to ponder and say (in I Chron. 15:13), “The Lord our God burst out against us, for we did not seek Him like the law.” And so too, [this happened] with Moses. Because he said (in Deut. 1:17), “But the case which is too hard for you, you shall bring unto me and I will hear it,” the Holy One, blessed be He, weakened his ability.¹⁷Numb. R. 21:12; above, Gen. 10:6; Sifre to Deut. 1:17 (17); Sanh. 8a. The matter is comparable to a moneychanger who said to his student, “If coins come to you to be exchanged, exchange them, but if pearls should come to you, bring them to me.” [When] a ring of baubles came to him, [the student] brought it to [this] teacher. [But] then the teacher went and showed it to another [money changer]. So too here. Moses said (in Deut. 1:17), “The case which is too hard for you, you shall bring unto me and I will hear it.” [But] when the daughters of Zelophehad came to him, [God] made it too hard for him. (Numb. 27:5-7) “Moses brought their cause before the Lord. [And the Lord said…,] ‘The daughters of Zelophehad speak correctly,’” such is the law. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Did you not say (ibid.), ‘The case which is too hard for you, you shall bring unto me?’ In the case of the judgment which you do not know, see [that even] the women know it.”

Then sang Moses. At times the word then refers to events that happened in the past, and at other times it refers to events that are to transpire in the future. The word then refers to past events in the following verses: Then began man to call upon the name of the Lord (Gen. 4:26), Then she said: “A bridegroom of blood” (Exod. 4:26), Then sang Israel this song (Num. 21:17), Then Solomon spoke (I Kings 18:12). All of these refer to past events. Instances in which the word then alludes to future events are: Then thou shalt see (Isa. 60:5), Then shall thy light break forth (ibid. 58:8), Then shall the lame man leap as a hart (ibid. 35:6), Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened (ibid., v. 5), Then shall the virgin rejoice (Jer. 31:13), Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing (Ps. 126:2), and Then said they among the nations (ibid.). All these allude to future events. From this we learn that the concept of the resurrection of the dead is derived from the Torah.

12 And it is written (in Numb. 27:5) “Moses brought their cause [before the Lord]”: Some say that [God] made this become too hard for Moses, as there are righteous people that become [overly] proud in matters of a commandment, and [so] the Holy One, blessed be He, weakens their ability. You find that David said (in Ps. 119:54), “Your statutes were songs for me,” [meaning] they are light and customary for me like songs. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “By your life, your end will be to err about something that [even] the schoolchildren know about.” At the time that he brought up the ark, he erred and put in on a cart, as stated (in II Sam. 6:3),” They loaded the ark of God onto a new cart.” [So God] suspended the ark in the air and the oxen became dislodged from under it. [Then] Uzzah approached to support it, but (according to II Sam. 6:7,) “God struck him down on the spot,” as an error in study is considered as wanton. Immediately (in II Sam. 6:8), “David was distressed because the Lord had inflicted a breach upon Uzzah.” [So] the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Did you not say, ‘Your statutes were songs for me?’ Did you not learn (in Numb. 7:9), ‘But to the Kohathites he did not give; since theirs was the service of the [most] sacred objects, their porterage was by shoulder?’” [So David] began to ponder and say (in I Chron. 15:13), “The Lord our God burst out against us, for we did not seek Him like the law.” And so too, [this happened] with Moses. Because he said (in Deut. 1:17), “But the case which is too hard for you, you shall bring unto me and I will hear it,” [the Holy One, blessed be He,] weakened his ability.¹³ Sifre to Deut. 1:17 (17); Sanh. 8a. The matter is comparable to a moneychanger who said to his student, “If coins come to you to be exchanged, exchange them, but if pearls should come to you, bring them to me.” [When] a ring of baubles came to him, [the student] brought it to [this] teacher. [But] then the teacher went and showed it to another [money changer]. So too here. Moses said (in Deut. 1:17), “The case which is too hard for you, [you shall bring unto me and I will hear it].” [But] when the daughters of Zelophehad came to him, [God] made it too hard for him. (Numb. 27:5-7) “And Moses brought their cause before the Lord. [And the Lord said…,] ‘The daughters of Zelophehad speak correctly,’” such is the law. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Did you not say (ibid.), ‘The case which is too hard for you, [you shall bring unto me]?’ In the case of the judgment which you do not know, [see that even] the women determine it.” 13 Another interpretation (of Numb. 27:5), “Moses brought their cause [before the Lord]”: R. Simeon ben Laqish said, “Our master Moses knew this judgment, but they first came before chiefs of tens. They said to them, ‘It is a judgment concerning inheritance, and this is not for us but for those greater than us.’ They came before the chiefs of fifties. [When] they saw that the chiefs of ten had shown them honor, the chiefs of fifty said, ‘[In our case] also there are those greater than us.’ So also [they came before] the chiefs of hundreds, the chiefs of thousands, and the princes. They all responded to them in a similar way, because they did not want to open their mouths before one who was greater than them. [So] they went in front of Elazar. He said to them, Behold there is Moses our teacher’ These and those came in front of Moses. Moses said, ‘If I tell them the decision, I shall be appropriating the greatness.’ He said to them, ‘In my case also there is One greater than I.’ Therefore (in Numb. 27:5), ‘Moses brought their cause [before the Lord].’” He answered him with (in vs. 7), “The daughters of Zelophehad speak correctly.” Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, acknowledged their utterance. (Numb. 27:7, cont.) “You shall indeed grant them [possession of an inheritance among the brothers of their father]”: Give them [also] chattel and their father's birthright in the assets of Hepher. They took three portions: The portion of their father, who was among those who had come out from Egypt; his portion with his brothers in the assets of Hepher; and since he was the first born, he took two portions. Another interpretation (of Numb. 27:7), “you shall indeed grant them [possession of an inheritance among the brothers of their father]”: After they [already] received [their share] on the other side of the Jordan, they came before Joshua and Elazar in the land of Canaan, as stated (in Josh. 17:4), “Now they (i.e., the daughters of Zelophehad) came before Elazar the priest, Joshua ben Nun, and the princes and said, ‘The Lord commanded Moses [to give us an inheritance along with our male kin’].” Moreover, our ancestor Jacob also knew that they were receiving [an inheritance] on this side [of the Jordan as well as on that side], since it is stated (in Gen. 49:22), “daughters¹⁴English versions generally read “boughs” or the like. step over a wall.” This [wall] is the Jordan, which became a wall [for Moses] so that he would not enter the land. Thus Jacob said to Joseph, “Your daughters shall receive a share on this [side of the Jordan] as well as on that [side].” (Numb. 27:7, cont.) “And you shall transfer to them the inheritance of their father”: With reference to inheritance of a son it is stated (in vs. 9), “and you shall give,” but with reference to a daughter, [it says (in vs. 8),] “and you shall transfer.”¹⁵The Hebrew is slightly different here from what is written in vs. 7. There the word you is singular while here the “you” is plural, as in vs. 8. Thus she may transfer an inheritance from tribe to tribe.¹⁶So BB 109b. (Numb. 27:11) “And it shall be a statutory judgment for the Children of Israel”: [The word judgment] teaches that inheritances [can only] be carried out through judges.

(Bamidbar 7:6) "And Moses took the wagons and the oxen and he gave them to the Levites": Moses took them and distributed them as he saw fit: Two wagons and four oxen he gave to the sons of Gershon, and four wagons and eight oxen he gave to the sons of Merari. And thus do we find with David, that he distributed the heads of the watches among the Cohanim, viz. (I Chronicles 24:4-6) "And there were more chiefs found of the sons of Elazar than of the sons of Ithamar, and thus were they divided. Among the sons of Elazar there were sixteen chiefs of the house of their fathers, and eight among the sons of Ithamar according to the house of their fathers. And they were divided by lot, these with the others … and Shemayah the son of Nathanel, of the Levites, recorded them before the king and the princes, and Tzaddok the Cohein and Achimelech the son of Avyathar, etc."

(Bamidbar 7:9) "And to the sons of Kehath he gave no (wagons)": R. Nathan says: This escaped David, that the Levites bore the ark in a wagon, as it is written (I Samuel 6:3) "And they placed the ark of G-d on a new wagon … (7) And the L-rd was wroth with Uzzah, and He smote him there for erring … (8) And David grieved over the L-rd's having made a breach in Uzzah." Achitofel said to David: Should you not have learned from Moses your master that the Levites bore the ark only on their shoulder, as it is written "And to the sons of Kehath he gave none for the burden of the holy things was theirs, (wherefore) they were to be borne upon the shoulder"? Therefore, David afterwards sent and had it borne on the shoulder, as it is written (I Chronicles 15:11-15) "And David called to Tzaddok and to Evyathar the Cohanim, and to the Levites: to Uriel, Assayah, and Yoel, Shemayah, Eliaz, and Aminadav. And he said to them: You are the heads of the fathers' (houses) of the Levites. Ready yourselves and your brothers, and you shall bring up the ark of the L-rd, the G-d of Israel. For in the beginning (when the ark was brought up from Kiryat Yearim), it was not you (who were the bearers, wherefore) the L-rd our G-d made a breach in us … And the Cohanim and the Levites readied themselves … And the sons of the Levites bore the ark of G-d as Moses had commanded by word of the L-rd, on their shoulders, with staves upon them." And where did he so command? "And to the sons of Kehath he gave none, etc." (Ibid. 24:19 ["These are their numbers (i.e., the numbers of their watches) for their service, to come to the house of the L-rd as ordained, by the hand of Aaron, their father, as the L-rd, the G-d of Israel, commanded him."]) They originated nothing, but (did) all from the mouth of Moses, and Moses from the mouth of the Omnipotent.