Midrash su I Cronache 29:11

(Exod. 1:1:) NOW THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. This text is related (to Ps. 48:11 [10]): AS YOUR NAME, O GOD, SO DOES YOUR PRAISE < REACH > TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH <YOUR RIGHT HAND IS FULL OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. >¹Tanh., Exod. 1:2. When a king of flesh and blood enters a country, they praise²Gk.: kalos. him for being mighty while he is actually frail. They praise him for being merciful while he is actually cruel. They praise him for being handsome while he is actually ugly. They give him much praise for such things. With the Holy One, however, such is not the case. Rather, whenever anyone praises him, he exceeds the praise. How so? They praise him for being mighty; and he is mighty, as stated (in Deut. 10:17): THE GREAT, THE MIGHTY, AND THE AWESOME GOD. They praise him for being handsome; and he is handsome, as stated (in Cant. 5:10): MY BELOVED IS BRIGHT AND RUDDY. They praise him for being merciful; and he is merciful, as stated (in Deut. 4:31): FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS A MERCIFUL GOD …. Ergo (in Ps. 48:11 [10]): LIKE YOUR NAME, O GOD, SO DOES YOUR PRAISE < REACH > TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH. R. Judah b. R. Shallum the Levite said: See what is written (in Exod. 15:11): AWESOME IN PRAISES < AND > DOING WONDERS. Huna bar Abbin the Priest said: What is the meaning of AWESOME IN PRAISES? God is awesome over <and above > all your praises. Ergo (in Exod. 15:11): AWESOME IN PRAISES. R. Simon said: See what David said (in I Chron. 29:11) TO YOU, O LORD, BELONG THE GREATNESS, THE MIGHT…; YOUR NAME IS EXALTED AS HEAD OVER ALL.³The Masoretic Text here reads somewhat differently. <Here is> the greatness for which we praise you.

Befitting is (the ascription of) "greatness" to the Lord. And thus did David say (I Chronicles 29:11) "To you, O Lord, is [befitting the ascription of] greatness, might, splendor, triumph, and majesty." A king of flesh and blood enters a province, and all praise him as "strong" — when he is weak; as "rich" — when he is poor; as "wise" — when he is foolish; as "merciful" — when he is cruel; as "trusty" — when he is not. He is lacking in all of these (fine) attributes — All men are flattering him. But it is not so with Him who spoke and brought the world into being. He is more than He is praised for being. I shall sing to the Lord, who is might, as it is written — (Devarim 10:17) "the God who is great and mighty and awesome," (Psalms 24:8) "the Lord, mighty and strong, the Lord, strong in war," (Isaiah 42;13) "The Lord as a mighty one shall go forth. As a man of war, He will stir up wrath. He will shout; He will scream. He will overpower His foes," (Jeremiah 10:14) "There is none like You, O Lord. Great are You and great is Your name in strength." I shall sing to the Lord, who is rich, as it is written — (Devarim 10:19) "To the Lord your God belong the heavens, etc.", (Psalms 24:1) "To the Lord belongs the earth and its fullness, etc.", (Ibid. 95:5) "His is the sea and He has made it," (Chaggai 2:8) "Mine is the silver and Mine is the gold," (Ezekiel 18:4) "All of the souls are Mine. The soul of the father and the soul of the son alike are Mine." I shall sing to the Lord, who is wise, as it is written — (Mishlei 2:6) "For the Lord shall give wisdom. From His mouth are knowledge and understanding", (Daniel 2:21) "He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to the knowers of understanding". (Jeremiah 10:7) "Who will not fear You, King of the nations? For among all the sages of the nations and in all of their kingdoms, there is none like You." I shall sing to the Lord, for He is merciful, as it is written — (Exodus 34:6) "Hashem, Hashem, the G d who is merciful and gracious", (Devarim 4:31) "For a merciful G d is the L rd your G d", (Psalms 25:6) "Remember Your mercies, Hashem, etc.", (Ibid. 145:8) "Good is the Lord to all, and His mercies are on all his works", (Daniel 9:9) "To the Lord our God is mercy and forgiveness." I shall sing to the Lord, who is a Judge, as it is written — (Devarim 1:17) "… for the judgment is God's", (Psalms 82:1) "G d stands in the assembly of the almighty. In the midst of the judges shall He judge," (Devarim 32:4) "The Rock, perfect is His work, for all of His ways are just." I shall sing to the Lord, who is trusty, as it is written — (Ibid. 7:9) "the trusty G d, etc." (Ibid. 32:4) "… a G d of trust, without wrong, etc." I shall sing to the Lord, who is comely, who is glorious, who is exalted, whose like does not exist — (Psalms 89:7) "For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord, can be likened to the Lord among the sons of the mighty"? (Ibid. 8) "God greatly dreaded in the great council of the holy, held in awe by all around Him"

R. Chanan b. Raba said again, in the name of Rab: "The name of Abraham's mother was Amthalai bath Karnebo, and the name of Haman's mother was Amthalai bath Urb'tha, a sign may be applied [in order to remember it] the unclean for the unclean, and the clean for the clean. The name of the mother of David was Natzebeth bath Edal; the mother of Samson, Z'lalpunith, and his sisters, Nashick." For what purpose is this information? For an answer to the Epicurean. R. Chanan b. Raba said again in the name of Rab: "Abraham our father was imprisoned for ten years — three in this city of Cuthah and seven in Kadaruth." R. Dimi of Nahardea, however, taught the opposite (seven in Cuthah and three in Kadaruth). R. Chisda said: "The city Eibra-Zeira of Suthah is the city Ur Kasdim (mentioned in the Bible)." R. Chanan b. Raba, in the name of Rab, said further: "On the day when Abraham our father, departed from this world, all the great men of the nations stood up in a line and said: 'Woe to the world that has lost (Ib. b) its leader, and woe to the ship that has lost its pilot.'" (I Chron. 29, 11) And thou art exalted as the head above all. R. Chanan said in the name of Rab: "Even a superintendent of wells is appointed by Heaven; i.e., every earthly incident is decreed in Heaven."