וַיֹּאמְר֣וּ אֲלֵהֶ֔ם יֵ֧רֶא יְהוָ֛ה עֲלֵיכֶ֖ם וְיִשְׁפֹּ֑ט אֲשֶׁ֧ר הִבְאַשְׁתֶּ֣ם אֶת־רֵיחֵ֗נוּ בְּעֵינֵ֤י פַרְעֹה֙ וּבְעֵינֵ֣י עֲבָדָ֔יו לָֽתֶת־חֶ֥רֶב בְּיָדָ֖ם לְהָרְגֵֽנוּ׃
Mereka berkata kepada keduanya, “Kiranya Yang Mahakekal melihat perbuatan kalian dan menghakimi, sebab kalian telah membuat kami berbau busuk di mata Firaun dan di mata para pegawainya, sehingga kalian memberikan pedang ke tangan mereka untuk membunuh kami.”
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
(Exod. 5:20): NOW THEY MET MOSES AND AARON STANDING IN THEIR PATH. These < officers > were Dathan and Abiram, of whom it is written (in Numb. 16:27): <THEY> CAME OUT STANDING.32Exod. R. 5:20. (Exod. 5:21): AND THEY SAID UNTO THEM: MAY THE LORD LOOK UPON YOU AND JUDGE. R. Judah b. R. Shallum the Levite said: Israel said to him: To what were we comparable?33Exod. R. 5:21. To a certain lamb when the wolf came and took it from the flock. When the shepherd went after it, what did the wolf do? He sought to tear the lamb to pieces. Because of the shepherd (rt.: R'H) the lamb came into danger.34Cf. the parallel in Tanh., Exod. 2:6: “The wolf came to take it from the flock. The shepherd ran after it to rescue it from the wolf. Between the shepherd and the wolf the lamb was torn open.” Similarly Moses said to the Holy One: Between Pharaoh and you we are dying, as stated (in Exod. 5:21, cont.): BECAUSE YOU HAVE MADE OUR ODOR ABHORRENT <IN THE EYES OF PHARAOH >….
Shemot Rabbah
“They said to them: May the Lord look upon you, and judge; as you have made our scent abhorrent in the eyes of Pharaoh, and in the eyes of his servants, to place a sword in their hand to kill us” (Exodus 5:21).
“May the Lord look upon you, and judge” – if you have truly come in the name of the Holy One blessed be He, may He judge between us and Pharaoh. But if you came at your own initiative, may the Lord judge between us and you.
“As you have made our scent abhorrent” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From the beatings that they would beat them, their scent was abhorrent. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: Those whom they would place in the building would die, and their scent was abhorrent.37When the Israelites did not fill their quotas of bricks, the Egyptians would take Israelite children and insert them into the buildings instead of bricks (see Shemot Rabba 2:5). Rabbi Ḥiyya said: This is analogous to a carcass that was placed in a corner and was covered with dirt, and its scent was not sensed. When someone came and uncovered it, its scent was sensed. So, they said to Moses: ‘Moses, there was a sense [lit. scent] among the Egyptians that we are destined to be delivered, and you came and exacerbated it.’
“To place a sword in their hand to kill us” – Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi son of Rabbi Shalom said: They said to Moses: ‘To what are we comparable? To a lamb that a wolf came to take it; the shepherd ran after it to rescue it from the mouth of the wolf. Between the shepherd and the wolf, the lamb is torn to pieces.’ So said Israel: ‘Moses, between you and Pharaoh we will die.’
“May the Lord look upon you, and judge” – if you have truly come in the name of the Holy One blessed be He, may He judge between us and Pharaoh. But if you came at your own initiative, may the Lord judge between us and you.
“As you have made our scent abhorrent” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From the beatings that they would beat them, their scent was abhorrent. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: Those whom they would place in the building would die, and their scent was abhorrent.37When the Israelites did not fill their quotas of bricks, the Egyptians would take Israelite children and insert them into the buildings instead of bricks (see Shemot Rabba 2:5). Rabbi Ḥiyya said: This is analogous to a carcass that was placed in a corner and was covered with dirt, and its scent was not sensed. When someone came and uncovered it, its scent was sensed. So, they said to Moses: ‘Moses, there was a sense [lit. scent] among the Egyptians that we are destined to be delivered, and you came and exacerbated it.’
“To place a sword in their hand to kill us” – Rabbi Yehuda HaLevi son of Rabbi Shalom said: They said to Moses: ‘To what are we comparable? To a lamb that a wolf came to take it; the shepherd ran after it to rescue it from the mouth of the wolf. Between the shepherd and the wolf, the lamb is torn to pieces.’ So said Israel: ‘Moses, between you and Pharaoh we will die.’
Shemot Rabbah
Another explanation: “God spoke to Moses” – that is what is written: “For oppression will turn a wise man into a fool, and a gift destroys understanding” (Ecclesiastes 7:7). When a wise man engages in many matters, they confuse him, [hindering him] from wisdom, and “a gift destroys understanding” – from the Torah that was given as a gift in the heart of man. Alternatively, “for oppression will turn a wise man into a fool” – one who occupies himself with the needs of the community forgets his learning. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Rabbi Yehuda ben Pedaya taught me sixty halakhot about a plowed over grave and all of them have been forgotten by me because I occupied myself with the needs of the community.
Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: “For oppression will turn a wise man into a fool” – that is Moses. The oppression that Datan and Aviram oppressed him, “will turn a wise man into a fool,” confused him. “A gift [matana] destroys understanding” – can you entertain the thought that Moses would deliberately lose his wisdom? Rather, they provoked him and said to him: “May the Lord look upon you, and judge” (Exodus 5:21). He, too, became angry and said: “Since I came to Pharaoh [to speak in Your name, he has harmed this people, and You did not deliver Your people]” (Exodus 5:23).9Moses was impertinent to God due to the instigation of Datan and Aviram, who are here identified as the speakers in Exodus 5:21. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘I had it written about you that you are humble,10A reference to Numbers 12:3: “The man Moses was very humble, more that any person on the earth.” and you become angry and question My words; by your life, you should know, as it is stated: “The end of a matter is better than its beginning”11The verse concludes with praise of patience and the following verse counsels one to not be hasty in losing one’s temper. (Ecclesiastes 7:8). The ultimate fate of Israel is better that the beginning that I gave them in Egypt, as it is stated: “The Lord said to Moses: Now you will see”’ (Exodus 6:1). At that moment, the attribute of justice sought to harm him, as it is stated: “God [Elohim] spoke to Moses.” The Holy One blessed be He said to him: Am I flesh and blood in My attributes that I do not show mercy? That is what is written: I am the Lord [Y-H-V-H].”12See notes in the previous paragraph about the names of God representing the attributes of justice and mercy. Rabbi Yosei bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: “God [Elohim]” vis-à-vis the Egyptians, “the Lord [Y-H-V-H]” vis-à-vis Israel.
Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: “For oppression will turn a wise man into a fool” – that is Moses. The oppression that Datan and Aviram oppressed him, “will turn a wise man into a fool,” confused him. “A gift [matana] destroys understanding” – can you entertain the thought that Moses would deliberately lose his wisdom? Rather, they provoked him and said to him: “May the Lord look upon you, and judge” (Exodus 5:21). He, too, became angry and said: “Since I came to Pharaoh [to speak in Your name, he has harmed this people, and You did not deliver Your people]” (Exodus 5:23).9Moses was impertinent to God due to the instigation of Datan and Aviram, who are here identified as the speakers in Exodus 5:21. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘I had it written about you that you are humble,10A reference to Numbers 12:3: “The man Moses was very humble, more that any person on the earth.” and you become angry and question My words; by your life, you should know, as it is stated: “The end of a matter is better than its beginning”11The verse concludes with praise of patience and the following verse counsels one to not be hasty in losing one’s temper. (Ecclesiastes 7:8). The ultimate fate of Israel is better that the beginning that I gave them in Egypt, as it is stated: “The Lord said to Moses: Now you will see”’ (Exodus 6:1). At that moment, the attribute of justice sought to harm him, as it is stated: “God [Elohim] spoke to Moses.” The Holy One blessed be He said to him: Am I flesh and blood in My attributes that I do not show mercy? That is what is written: I am the Lord [Y-H-V-H].”12See notes in the previous paragraph about the names of God representing the attributes of justice and mercy. Rabbi Yosei bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: “God [Elohim]” vis-à-vis the Egyptians, “the Lord [Y-H-V-H]” vis-à-vis Israel.