וַיֹּ֤אמֶר לָהּ֙ מַלְאַ֣ךְ יְהוָ֔ה הַרְבָּ֥ה אַרְבֶּ֖ה אֶת־זַרְעֵ֑ךְ וְלֹ֥א יִסָּפֵ֖ר מֵרֹֽב׃
L’envoyé du Seigneur ajouta: "Je rendrai ta race très nombreuse, tellement qu’elle ne pourra être comptée."
Shemot Rabbah
“The Lord said: I have seen My people’s affliction that is in Egypt, and I have heard their outcry because of their taskmasters, as I know their pain” (Exodus 3:7).
“The Lord said: I have seen My people’s affliction” – that is what is written: “For He knows vain men [metei shav]” (Job 11:11); The Holy One blessed be He knows the people who die [metim] to perform vanity. Alternatively, The Holy One blessed be He knows the people who are destined to perform vanity and be killed, as it is stated: “Your men [metayikh] will fall by the sword” (Isaiah 3:25).
In contrast, “He sees iniquity but does not consider it” (Job 11:11). How so? You find that at the moment that Hagar left Abraham’s house, she and her son, what is written? “The water in the skin finished…she went and sat down at a distance” (Genesis 21:15–16). Rabbi Berekhya said: She began reproaching Heaven; she said: ‘Master of the universe, yesterday You said to me: “I will multiply your descendants,” and today he is dying.’ Immediately, “the angel of God called to Hagar” (Genesis 21:17). Rabbi Simon said: The ministering angels sought to denounce him [Ishmael]. They said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, a person who is destined to cause your children to die of thirst,4The reference is unclear. Possibly it refers to the story in Lamentations Rabba 2:4 in which the Ishmaelites caused refugees from Nebuchadnezzar to die of thirst. are You bringing up a well for him? It is proper to bring it up for six hundred thousand who are destined to recite before You: “This is my God and I will glorify Him”’ (Exodus 15:2). He said to them: ‘Now, is he righteous or wicked’? They said before Him: ‘He is righteous.’ He said to them: ‘I only judge a person at his time.’5Although God perceives future sins, He judges only those actions already performed. Therefore it is written: “He sees iniquity but does not consider it.”
Likewise, when Israel was in Egypt, The Holy One blessed be He saw what they were destined to do; that is what is written: “The Lord said: I have seen [ra’o ra’iti].” It does not say ra’iti, but rather, ra’o ra’iti.6That is, the verb is doubled, combining the absolute infinitive ra’o with the first person past ra’iti, meaning ‘I have seen.’ This formulation is common in Biblical Hebrew and is often understood to indicate emphasis. Nevertheless, the midrash takes the opportunity to expound the double verb. The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘You see one sight but I see two sights. You see them arriving at Sinai and receiving My Torah, and I see them receiving My Torah, that is ra’o; [but I also see] ra’iti, that is the sight of the deed of the calf, as it is stated; “I have seen [ra’iti] this people” (Exodus 32:9). When I come to Sinai to give them the Torah, I descend in my tatramoli,7A quadriga, a chariot drawn by four animals abreast. The allusion is to the divine chariot depicted in Ezekiel 1. and they look at me and remove one of them8One of the creatures depicted in the divine chariot in Ezekiel is a bull. and anger me with it. Nevertheless, I am not judging them on the basis of the actions that they are destined to do but rather according to the situation now. For I have heard their cry, even though I know their pain that they are destined to cause.’ That is ra’o ra’iti.
What is: “As I know their pain?” I know how much they are destined to pain Me in the wilderness,9The midrash is interpreting makhovav, “its pain,” to refer to pain inflicted by Israel, rather than pain they experienced. as it is stated: “How often did they defy Him in the wilderness, and aggrieve Him in the wasteland” (Psalms 78:40). Nevertheless, I will not refrain from delivering them. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Otniel ben Kenaz argued this matter before the Holy One blessed be He. He said: ‘Master of the universe, this is what you promised to Moses, whether they do Your will or they do not do Your will, you deliver them, as it is stated: “The spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he judged Israel”’10This is a reference to Otniel ben Kenaz. (Judges 3:10). Therefore, it is written: “As I know their pain.” Nevertheless, I will deliver them.
“The Lord said: I have seen My people’s affliction” – that is what is written: “For He knows vain men [metei shav]” (Job 11:11); The Holy One blessed be He knows the people who die [metim] to perform vanity. Alternatively, The Holy One blessed be He knows the people who are destined to perform vanity and be killed, as it is stated: “Your men [metayikh] will fall by the sword” (Isaiah 3:25).
In contrast, “He sees iniquity but does not consider it” (Job 11:11). How so? You find that at the moment that Hagar left Abraham’s house, she and her son, what is written? “The water in the skin finished…she went and sat down at a distance” (Genesis 21:15–16). Rabbi Berekhya said: She began reproaching Heaven; she said: ‘Master of the universe, yesterday You said to me: “I will multiply your descendants,” and today he is dying.’ Immediately, “the angel of God called to Hagar” (Genesis 21:17). Rabbi Simon said: The ministering angels sought to denounce him [Ishmael]. They said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, a person who is destined to cause your children to die of thirst,4The reference is unclear. Possibly it refers to the story in Lamentations Rabba 2:4 in which the Ishmaelites caused refugees from Nebuchadnezzar to die of thirst. are You bringing up a well for him? It is proper to bring it up for six hundred thousand who are destined to recite before You: “This is my God and I will glorify Him”’ (Exodus 15:2). He said to them: ‘Now, is he righteous or wicked’? They said before Him: ‘He is righteous.’ He said to them: ‘I only judge a person at his time.’5Although God perceives future sins, He judges only those actions already performed. Therefore it is written: “He sees iniquity but does not consider it.”
Likewise, when Israel was in Egypt, The Holy One blessed be He saw what they were destined to do; that is what is written: “The Lord said: I have seen [ra’o ra’iti].” It does not say ra’iti, but rather, ra’o ra’iti.6That is, the verb is doubled, combining the absolute infinitive ra’o with the first person past ra’iti, meaning ‘I have seen.’ This formulation is common in Biblical Hebrew and is often understood to indicate emphasis. Nevertheless, the midrash takes the opportunity to expound the double verb. The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘You see one sight but I see two sights. You see them arriving at Sinai and receiving My Torah, and I see them receiving My Torah, that is ra’o; [but I also see] ra’iti, that is the sight of the deed of the calf, as it is stated; “I have seen [ra’iti] this people” (Exodus 32:9). When I come to Sinai to give them the Torah, I descend in my tatramoli,7A quadriga, a chariot drawn by four animals abreast. The allusion is to the divine chariot depicted in Ezekiel 1. and they look at me and remove one of them8One of the creatures depicted in the divine chariot in Ezekiel is a bull. and anger me with it. Nevertheless, I am not judging them on the basis of the actions that they are destined to do but rather according to the situation now. For I have heard their cry, even though I know their pain that they are destined to cause.’ That is ra’o ra’iti.
What is: “As I know their pain?” I know how much they are destined to pain Me in the wilderness,9The midrash is interpreting makhovav, “its pain,” to refer to pain inflicted by Israel, rather than pain they experienced. as it is stated: “How often did they defy Him in the wilderness, and aggrieve Him in the wasteland” (Psalms 78:40). Nevertheless, I will not refrain from delivering them. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Otniel ben Kenaz argued this matter before the Holy One blessed be He. He said: ‘Master of the universe, this is what you promised to Moses, whether they do Your will or they do not do Your will, you deliver them, as it is stated: “The spirit of the Lord was upon him, and he judged Israel”’10This is a reference to Otniel ben Kenaz. (Judges 3:10). Therefore, it is written: “As I know their pain.” Nevertheless, I will deliver them.
Bereshit Rabbah
“The angel of the Lord found her in the wilderness, at the spring of water on the road to Shur” (Genesis 16:7).
“The angel of the Lord found her…at the spring of water [on the road to Shur]…” – on the road to Ḥalutza.
“He said: Hagar, Sarai’s maidservant, from where did you come, and where are you going? She said: From my mistress Sarai I am fleeing” (Genesis 16:8).
“He said: Hagar, Sarai’s maidservant” – if one says to you: Your ears are like those of a donkey, pay him no mind; if two [people tell you this], make a bridle for yourself.32If one person points out a fault to you, pay him no heed. If two people tell you, realize that the critique is true. So, Abram said: “Behold, your maidservant is in your hand.” The angel said: “Hagar, Sarai’s maidservant.” So she said: “From my mistress Sarai I am fleeing.”33Both Abraham and the angel referred to her as a mere maidservant; as a result she regarded herself as a mere maidservant, by referring to Sarah as “my mistress.”
“The angel of the Lord said to her: Return to your mistress and suffer under her hands” (Genesis 16:9).
“The angel of the Lord said to her: I will multiply your descendants, and they shall not be counted due to their great number” (Genesis 16:10).
“The angel of the Lord said to her: Return to your mistress and suffer…The angel of the Lord said to her: I will multiply…” How many [different] angels encountered her? Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: Five – every time “saying” is stated, there was another angel.34The words: “The angel of the Lord found her” is also counted as a “saying.” The Rabbis say: Four – every time “angel” is stated [there was another angel].
Rabbi Ḥiyya said: Come and see how great the difference is between the earlier generations and the later generations. Manoaḥ said to his wife [upon seeing an angel]: “We will die because we have seen God” (Judges 13:22). But Hagar, Sarai’s maidservant, saw five angels one after the other and did not fear them. Rabbi Ḥiyya said: [Better] the fingernail of the forefathers and not the belly of the descendants.35The preceding generations are so much greater than their descendants that even the former’s fingernails are most substantial than the latter’s torso.
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “She supervises [tzofiya] the proceedings of her household” (Proverbs 31:27)36This verse is expounded as a reference to Abraham and Sarah in the Midrash of Proverbs. – the members of Abraham’s household were prophets [tzofim], so she was accustomed to seeing them [angels].
“The angel of the Lord found her…at the spring of water [on the road to Shur]…” – on the road to Ḥalutza.
“He said: Hagar, Sarai’s maidservant, from where did you come, and where are you going? She said: From my mistress Sarai I am fleeing” (Genesis 16:8).
“He said: Hagar, Sarai’s maidservant” – if one says to you: Your ears are like those of a donkey, pay him no mind; if two [people tell you this], make a bridle for yourself.32If one person points out a fault to you, pay him no heed. If two people tell you, realize that the critique is true. So, Abram said: “Behold, your maidservant is in your hand.” The angel said: “Hagar, Sarai’s maidservant.” So she said: “From my mistress Sarai I am fleeing.”33Both Abraham and the angel referred to her as a mere maidservant; as a result she regarded herself as a mere maidservant, by referring to Sarah as “my mistress.”
“The angel of the Lord said to her: Return to your mistress and suffer under her hands” (Genesis 16:9).
“The angel of the Lord said to her: I will multiply your descendants, and they shall not be counted due to their great number” (Genesis 16:10).
“The angel of the Lord said to her: Return to your mistress and suffer…The angel of the Lord said to her: I will multiply…” How many [different] angels encountered her? Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: Five – every time “saying” is stated, there was another angel.34The words: “The angel of the Lord found her” is also counted as a “saying.” The Rabbis say: Four – every time “angel” is stated [there was another angel].
Rabbi Ḥiyya said: Come and see how great the difference is between the earlier generations and the later generations. Manoaḥ said to his wife [upon seeing an angel]: “We will die because we have seen God” (Judges 13:22). But Hagar, Sarai’s maidservant, saw five angels one after the other and did not fear them. Rabbi Ḥiyya said: [Better] the fingernail of the forefathers and not the belly of the descendants.35The preceding generations are so much greater than their descendants that even the former’s fingernails are most substantial than the latter’s torso.
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “She supervises [tzofiya] the proceedings of her household” (Proverbs 31:27)36This verse is expounded as a reference to Abraham and Sarah in the Midrash of Proverbs. – the members of Abraham’s household were prophets [tzofim], so she was accustomed to seeing them [angels].
Bereshit Rabbah
“And regarding Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him. I will make him fruitful, and I will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation” (Genesis 17:20).
“And regarding Ishmael, I have heard you” – Rabbi Yoḥanan in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥanina: The son of the maidservant may be derived from the son of the mistress.16The translation follows the reading of Matnot Kehuna. “Behold, I have blessed him” – this refers to Isaac. “I will make him fruitful” – this refers to Isaac. “I will multiply him” – this refers to Isaac.17All the blessings of this verse were directed at Isaac, who was mentioned in the previous verse. “And regarding Ishmael” – I have already heard him [and blessed him] through an angel.18The angel who blessed Yishmael when speaking with Hagar (see Genesis 16:10). I have already blessed Yishmael with all these blessings that I now pronounce upon Isaac.
“But My covenant I will keep with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear you at this designated time next year” (Genesis 17:21).
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana in the name of Rabbi Beiri: Here, the son of the mistress may be derived from the son of the maidservant. “Behold, I have blessed him” – this refers to Ishmael. “I will make him fruitful” – this refers to Ishmael. “I will multiply him” – this refers to Ishmael, and all the more so: “But My covenant I will keep with Isaac.”19The blessings of this verse were directed at Yishmael, but it may be inferred that they are all the more so applicable to Isaac, the son of Hagar’s mistress.
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “All these are the tribes of Israel, twelve” (Genesis 49:28) – these are the descendants of the mistress, but Ishmael would produce only those twelve nesi’im,20As verse 20 states: “Twelve princes [nesi’im] shall he beget.” just as it says: “Clouds [nesi’im], wind, but no rain (Proverbs 25:14).21They are ephemeral and pass by like clouds. But these are tribes [matot], just as it says: “The oaths to the tribes [matot], an enduring word” (Habakkuk 3:9).
“But My covenant I will keep with Isaac, [whom Sarah shall bear you at this designated time [lamo’ed] next year]” – Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Idi – that year was a leap year.22The verse is expounded to mean that Sarah will bear Isaac at the next festival [mo’ed]. The longest interval between festivals is the six months between Sukkot and Passover, but that is not enough time for a pregnancy to come to term. The Midrash explains that that year was a leap year, so there was a seven-month interval between those holidays, long enough for a viable pregnancy.
“And regarding Ishmael, I have heard you” – Rabbi Yoḥanan in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥanina: The son of the maidservant may be derived from the son of the mistress.16The translation follows the reading of Matnot Kehuna. “Behold, I have blessed him” – this refers to Isaac. “I will make him fruitful” – this refers to Isaac. “I will multiply him” – this refers to Isaac.17All the blessings of this verse were directed at Isaac, who was mentioned in the previous verse. “And regarding Ishmael” – I have already heard him [and blessed him] through an angel.18The angel who blessed Yishmael when speaking with Hagar (see Genesis 16:10). I have already blessed Yishmael with all these blessings that I now pronounce upon Isaac.
“But My covenant I will keep with Isaac, whom Sarah shall bear you at this designated time next year” (Genesis 17:21).
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana in the name of Rabbi Beiri: Here, the son of the mistress may be derived from the son of the maidservant. “Behold, I have blessed him” – this refers to Ishmael. “I will make him fruitful” – this refers to Ishmael. “I will multiply him” – this refers to Ishmael, and all the more so: “But My covenant I will keep with Isaac.”19The blessings of this verse were directed at Yishmael, but it may be inferred that they are all the more so applicable to Isaac, the son of Hagar’s mistress.
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: “All these are the tribes of Israel, twelve” (Genesis 49:28) – these are the descendants of the mistress, but Ishmael would produce only those twelve nesi’im,20As verse 20 states: “Twelve princes [nesi’im] shall he beget.” just as it says: “Clouds [nesi’im], wind, but no rain (Proverbs 25:14).21They are ephemeral and pass by like clouds. But these are tribes [matot], just as it says: “The oaths to the tribes [matot], an enduring word” (Habakkuk 3:9).
“But My covenant I will keep with Isaac, [whom Sarah shall bear you at this designated time [lamo’ed] next year]” – Rabbi Huna in the name of Rabbi Idi – that year was a leap year.22The verse is expounded to mean that Sarah will bear Isaac at the next festival [mo’ed]. The longest interval between festivals is the six months between Sukkot and Passover, but that is not enough time for a pregnancy to come to term. The Midrash explains that that year was a leap year, so there was a seven-month interval between those holidays, long enough for a viable pregnancy.