Midrash su Ezechiele 28:7

"The foe said, etc.": How did Israel know what Pharaoh thought of them in Egypt? The Holy Spirit reposed upon them and they knew it. Pharaoh said: It really does not befit us to pursue Israel, but the silver and gold that they took warrants it. When some of the people saw that (only) a small part of their possessions had been taken, they said: What will we gain by pursuing them? When Pharaoh saw this, he said: We will all share equally in the spoils, viz. (Ibid.) "I shall divide the spoils." And, what is more, I shall open up the treasure stores — silver, gold, precious stones and jewels — and I will distribute them to you. "The foe (Pharaoh) said": And he did not know what he was saying, viz. (Mishlei 16:1) "To a man are the musings of his heart, but to the L rd is the meaning of the tongue." (He said:) "I shall pursue, I shall overtake, I shall divide," (but what he "meant" was) I shall be pursued by them, I shall be overtaken by them, my spoils and my wealth shall be divided by them. It is not written "My soul shall be filled with them," but "My soul shall fill them" — They shall fill themselves with it. It is not written "torishem" ("My hand shall inherit them"), but "torishemo" — I shall bequeath my wealth and glory to them. In the past, you (the Jews) would rob them (the Egyptians) and I would prosecute you by royal edict, but now, my hand will permit it. In the past, you would kill them and I would prosecute you by royal edict, but now, "I shall sheathe my sword." Others say: It is not written "I will draw my sword," but "I will empty my sword." He desired to cohabit with their males ("sword" here being a euphemism for the male organ,) as in (Ezekiel 28:7) "and they will draw their sword against the beauty of your wisdom," the idea being that they will empty their "sword." And because his heart swelled in pride, the Holy One Blessed be He demeaned him and all of the peoples degraded him. The Egyptians comprised three factions at the sea: One said: Let us take their money and not kill them; a second: Let us kill them and not take their money; the third: Let us kill them and take their money. Re those who said: Let us take their money and not kill them — "I shall divide spoil." Re those who said: Let us kill them and not take their money — "I shall fill my soul with them." Re those who said: Let us kill them and take their money — "My hand shall impoverish them." With five things (i.e., utterances) did Pharaoh stand and blaspheme in the midst of the land of Egypt, viz. "The foe (Pharaoh) said: I shall pursue (and) I shall overtake; I shall divide spoil; My soul shall be filled with them; I shall empty my sword; My hand shall impoverish them." And, corresponding to these, the Holy Spirit responded, viz.: "You blew with Your breath … they plummeted like lead in the mighty waters; Your right hand, O L rd breaks the foe; and in the greatness of Your grandeur, You destroy those who rise up against You; You send forth Your wrath — it consumes them as stubble; You inclined Your right hand — the earth swallowed them up." An analogy: A renegade stands and blasphemes behind the king's palace: If I find the king's son, I will seize him and slay him. I will impale him and kill him with a terrible death. Thus Pharaoh stood and blasphemed in the land of Egypt: I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide spoil. And the Holy Spirit mocks him and says: "You blew with your breath" — "the sea covered them"; "you inclined your right hand" — "the earth swallowed them." And thus is it written (Psalms 2:1) "Why do the nations rage … (4) The Dweller in the heavens shall laugh", (Ibid. 59:8) "They spout with their mouths … (9) You, O L rd, will laugh at them." And it is written (Ezekiel 38:18) "And it will be on this day, on the day that Gog comes against the land of Israel .. (20) the fishes of the sea will quake before Me." All of those thousands and ten thousands plummeted like lead. (Exodus 15:10) "in the mighty waters": Four are called "mighty": The Holy One Blessed be He — (Psalms 93:4) "Mighty on high is the L rd"; Israel — (Ibid. 16:3) "the mighty, the object of all My desire"; Egypt — (Ezekiel 32:18) "and the daughters of the mighty nations (Egypt)"; and the waters — "They plummeted like lead in the mighty waters."