Midrash for Numbers 13:16

"And Yithro heard": Yithro had seven names: Yether, Yithro, Chovav, Reuel, Chever, Putiel, Keni. Yether — he added (yiter) a section in the Torah; Yithro — he was "abundant" (yiter) in good deeds. Chovav — he was beloved (chovev) by the L rd. Reuel — he was a "friend" (rea) to the L rd. Chever — he was a "companion" (chaver) to the L rd. Putiel — he "weaned himself" (niftar) from idolatry. Keni — he was zealous (kinei) for Heaven and he acquired (kanah) Torah. Variantly: "And Yithro heard": In the beginning, he was called "Yether," viz. (Exodus 4:18) "And Moses went and he returned to Yether, his father-in-law," and when he "added" good deeds (to himself), a letter (vav) was added to his name. And thus do you find with Avraham. In the beginning he was called "Avram," and when he "added" good deeds, a letter (heh) was added to his name and he was called "Avraham." And thus do you find with Sarah. In the beginning she was called "Sarai," and when she "added" good deeds, a "great" letter (heh) was added to her name and she was called "Sarah." And thus do you find with Yehoshua, viz. (Numbers 13:16) "And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun Yehoshua." And there are others whose name was diminished, e.g., Efron. In the beginning he was called "Efron," but when he took the money from Abraham, a letter was dropped from his name, viz. (Genesis 23:16) "and Abraham hearkened to Efron," "and Abraham gave the money to Efron." And thus do you find with Yonadav. In the beginning he was called "Yehonadav," but after "that deed" a letter was dropped from his name and he was called "Yonadav," as it is written (II Chronicles 20:37) "When you befriended Achazyahu, etc." — whence the sages ruled: Let one not befriend an evildoer, even to draw him close to Torah.

(Ib., ib. 22) And they ascended on the south side and he came unto Hebron. It should have been they came. Said Raba: "From this it may be inferred that Caleb separated himself from the plot of the spies and went, prostrated himself upon the graves of the Patriarchs, saying to them: 'Patriarchs of the world, pray mercy for my sake so that I should be saved from falling in with the plot of the spies.' As to Joshua, Moses had already offered a prayer, as it IS said (Ib., ib. 16) And Moses called Hoshea, the son of Nun, Joshua [Yehoshua] which means the Lord should help you from [falling in with] the plot of the spies, and this is meant by the passage (Ib. 14, 24) But my servant Caleb as a reward that he had another spirit with him, etc." (Ib. 13, 22) And there were Achiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the children of Annak; i.e., Achiman was the strongest of his brothers; Sheshai, who would make the earth full of holes by his walking, Thalmai, who made the earth like furrows. In another way this may be explained; Achiman, who built the town Annath; Sheshai, who built the town of Alush; Thalmai, who built the town of Tilbosh; the children of Annak, who would becloud the sun through their height.

What is meant by The kine took the straight way (vayisharnah)? It means that the kine opened their mouths and sang (vayashir). When the kine reached Beth-shemesh and the people saw the cart and heard the kine singing, they looked at the ark that was on the cart: They lifted up their eyes, and saw the ark, and rejoiced to see it (ibid., v. 13). Whereupon a strong wind arose and revealed what was in the ark, and seventy thousand of them perished, as it is said: And he smote the men of Beth-shemesh, because they had gazed upon the ark of the Lord, even He smote of the people seventy men, and fifty thousand men (ibid, v. 19). Observe, therefore, how many miracles were performed because of the ark. Why did they occur? Because the Shekhinah and the Torah were within it. Wherever the Torah is present the Shekhinah accompanies it, as it is said: They that feared the Lord spoke to one another; and the Lord harkened and heard (Num. 13:16). Therefore the ark was more beloved than any other vessel in the Sanctuary.