Midras Mazmur 74:13: Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael, Midrash Tanchuma, Bamidbar Rabbah & Midrash Tehillim

"And you, raise your staff": Ten miracles were performed for Israel at the sea: The waters were split and became like a dome, viz. (Habakkuk 3:14) "You split (the sea) for his tribes; the summit of its scattering raged to scatter me"; the sea became dry land, viz. (Exodus 14:29) "and the children of Israel walked on the dry land"; it became like tar (where the Egyptians trod), viz. (Habakkuk, Ibid. 15) "You led your horses in the sea, in the mire of many waters"; it (the water) became like crumbs, viz. (Psalms 74:13) "You 'crumbed' the sea with Your might"; it became like rocks, viz. (Ibid.) "You broke the heads of serpents (the Egyptians) on the waters"; the sea split into sections, viz. (Ibid. 136:13) "You split the Red Sea into sections," viz. (Ibid. 15:8) "and with the breath of Your nostrils the waters piled up"; they became like a wall, viz. (Ibid.) "the waves stood up as a wall"; He extracted for them sweets from salts, viz. (Psalms 78:16) "and He brought forth streams from a rock and brought down waters as rivers"; He froze the sea for them and it became like vessels of glass, viz. (Exodus 15:8) "The depths froze in the midst of the sea."

And lift thou up thy rod (Exod. 14:16). Ten miracles were performed in their behalf at the sea. The sea was split asunder for them, and became a kind of vault, as it is said: Thou hast struck through with his own rods the heads, etc. (Hab. 3:14). It was divided into twelve paths, as it is said: And stretch out thy hand over the sea and divide it (Exod. 14:16). It was turned into dry land, as it is said: And the children of Israel walked upon dry land the midst of the sea (ibid., v. 29). It was converted into a kind of clay, as is said: Thou hast trodden the sea with thy horses, the mud of mighty waters (Hab. 3:15). The water was made into pieces, as it is said: Thou didst break the sea into pieces by Thy strength (Ps. 74:13). It was changed into rocks, as is said: Thou didst shatter the heads of the sea monsters in the waters (ibid.). It was torn asunder, as it is said: To him who divided the Red Sea asunder (ibid. 136:13). It was piled up into stacks, as it is said: And with the blast of Thy nostrils, the waters were piled up (Exod. 15:8). It was made into a heap, as is said: Stood upright like a heap (ibid.). Barrels of sweet water flowed out of the salt water for them, and the sea congealed and became like a glass vessel, as it is said: The deeps were congealed (ibid.).

Another matter: “Then Israel sang” (Numbers 21:17) – this is one of three matters⁸⁵The third matter relates to the vanquishing of Siḥon, which is first mentioned in Numbers 21:21–24. that Moses said before the Holy One blessed be He, and He said to him: You have taught Me. He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, from where do Israel know what they have done?⁸⁶Namely, from where could they have known that the golden calf was a sin. Did they not grow in Egypt, and all of Egypt are idolaters. When You gave the Torah, You did not give it to them, and they were not standing there, as it is stated: “The people stood at a distance” (Exodus 20:18), and You gave it only to me, as it is stated: “To Moses, He said: Ascend to the Lord” (Exodus 24:1). When You gave the commandments, You did not give them to them. You did not say: “I am the Lord your God [eloheikhem],”⁸⁷“Your” in the plural. but rather: “I am the Lord your God [elohekha]” (Exodus 20:2).⁸⁸“Your” in the singular. You said it to me. Did I, perhaps, sin?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘As you live, you have spoken well. You have taught Me. From now on I will speak with the expression: “I am the Lord your God [eloheikhem].”’
The second, when the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Reckoning the iniquity of the fathers upon children” (Exodus 34:7). Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, how many wicked men begot righteous men? Shall they be taking from the iniquities of their fathers? Teraḥ worshipped idols, and Abraham his son was righteous. Likewise, Hezekiah was righteous, and Aḥaz his father was wicked. Likewise, Yoshiya was righteous, and Amon his father was wicked. Is it appropriate for the righteous to be stricken for the iniquity of their fathers?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You have taught Me. As you live, I am voiding My words and fulfilling your words,’ as it is stated: “Fathers shall not be put to death for children, and children shall not be put to death for fathers” (Deuteronomy 24:16) – ‘and as you live, I will write them in your name,’ as it is stated: “As it is written in the book of the Torah of Moses that the Lord commanded, [saying: Fathers will not be put to death for children, and children will not be put to death for fathers]” (II Kings 14:6).
The third, when the Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Wage war with Siḥon even if he does not seek to wage with you; you provoke war with him,’ as it is stated: “Rise, and travel, and cross the Arnon ravine; [see, I have placed Siḥon king of Ḥeshbon, the Emorite, and his land in your hand; begin taking possession, and provoke war with him]” (Deuteronomy 2:24). But Moses did not do so; rather, what is written: “I sent messengers” (Deuteronomy 2:26). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: As you live, I am voiding My words and fulfilling your words, as it is stated: “When you approach a city to wage war against it, you shall call to it for peace” (Deuteronomy 20:10). When Siḥon did not accept, the Holy One blessed be He toppled him before them, as it is stated: “We smote him” (Deuteronomy 2:33).
Moreover, even those who concealed themselves in the caves to kill them, the Holy One blessed be He intimated to the mountain and it crushed them, as it is stated: “You broke the heads of crocodiles on the waters. [You] crushed the heads of leviathan” (Psalms 74:13–14). The folk proverb says: If you gave bread to a child, inform his mother. The Holy One blessed be He said: How will Israel know the good that I performed on their behalf? What did He do? He distanced the mountains from one another, and the streams in the ravines washed them out,⁸⁹The streams washed the remains out of the caves where they were located. as it is stated: “The outpouring of the ravines” (Numbers 21:15). Israel was passing and reciting song: “Then Israel sang” (Numbers 21:17). Israel said: ‘It is incumbent upon You to perform miracles on our behalf, and it is incumbent upon us to bless and laud Your name.’ “Salvation belongs to the Lord. Your blessing is upon Your people, Selah” (Psalms 3:9).
It was due to the water that the decree was issued against Moses, and he is not mentioned in the song. Moses said: Master of the universe, after all the miracles that You performed on their behalf, will I die at their hand? From the wilderness You gave them the Torah, as it is stated: “From the wilderness to Matana” (Numbers 21:18).⁹⁰Matana means gift, referring here to the Torah. And it became their heritage [naḥalu] under my guidance, as it is stated: “And from Matana to Naḥaliel” (Numbers 21:19) – God became their heritage [naḥalu El]. And once it became their heritage, You decreed death upon me,” as it is stated: “From Naḥaliel to Bamot” (Numbers 21:19) – from the ravine [naḥal] came [ba] death [mot]. “And from Bamot to the canyon that is in the field of Moav” (Numbers 21:20), as it is stated: “He buried him in the canyon in the land of Moav” (Deuteronomy 34:6). Job said: “Who does not show favor to princes and does not prefer the wealthy over the poor, as they are all His handiwork” (Job 34:19).