Midrash su Isaia 47:14

(Gen. 37:1-2:) NOW JACOB DWELT < IN THE LAND >…. THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF JACOB: JOSEPH. What is written on the matter above (in Gen. 36:15)? THESE ARE THE LORDS OF THE CHILDREN OF ESAU. When Jacob saw them, he became alarmed and said: Who can stand against these?⁸Gen. R. 84:5; Tanh., Gen. 9:1. To what is the matter comparable? To a goldsmith who would sit and ply his trade. His apprentice raised his eyes and saw a lot of camels who were loaded with straw. He began to say: Who can stand against these? His master said to him: If a spark went out of this furnace, it would burn all of them. So in the case of our father Jacob, when he saw all of Esau's lords, he began to be afraid and said: Who can stand against these? The Holy One said to him: Look at what is written below (in Gen. 37:2): THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF JACOB: JOSEPH. By your life, someone shall spring from Joseph, < a person > who shall burn all of them, as stated (in Obad. 18): THE HOUSE OF JACOB SHALL BE A FIRE, AND THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH A FLAME, AND THE HOUSE OF ESAU SHALL BE STRAW; < THEY SHALL BURN IT >…. R.Hanina said: It is written (in Is. 47:14): SEE, THEY HAVE BECOME LIKE STRAW; FIRE CONSUMES THEM. It is therefore written (in Gen. 37:2): THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF JACOB: JOSEPH.

R. Samuel bar Nahman said: There is a tradition < handed down > through the children of Esau that they will only fall at the hands of the children of Rachel.⁴⁷Gen. R. 73:7; 75:5; 99:2; PRK 3:13. Thus it is stated (in Jer. 49:20): SURELY [YOUNGEST OF] THE FLOCK SHALL DRAG THEM AWAY. Now, < what > if the < other > tribes go to court with Esau and say to him: Why did you persecute your brother? Then he says to them: [Why] did you persecute your brother Joseph? So they have no more advantage than he. But when he comes to Joseph, < Joseph > says to him: Why did you persecute your brother; and he is unable to give him an answer. And, if you should say that he did evil to you, < he can > also < say >: My brothers awarded me evil, while I awarded them good. Immediately he becomes silent, as stated (in Is. 47:14): SEE, THEY HAVE BECOME LIKE STRAW. This refers to Esau, of whom it is stated (in Obad. 18): AND THE HOUSE OF ESAU SHALL BE STRAW. (Is. 47:14, cont.:) FIRE CONSUMES THEM. This refers to Jacob [who is called fire], of whom it is stated (in Obad. 18): THE HOUSE OF JACOB SHALL BE FIRE {who is called fire}. {(Ibid., cont.:) AND THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH A FLAME…. Does this not refer to Joseph, of whom it is stated (ibid., cont.): AND THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH A FLAME?} [(Is. 47:14, cont.:) THEY SHALL NOT SAVE THEMSELVES FROM THE POWER OF THE FLAME. Thus it is stated (ibid., cont.): AND THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH A FLAME….]

..[With regard to] this did [Jeremiah] say to have it written, 'Surely the shepherd boys will drag away [the evil ones, Edom or Babylonia in defeat].' (Jeremiah 49:20, 50:45) Rabbi Samuel son of Nachmani said, 'We have a tradition in our hands that Esau [i.e., evildoers, identified with Esau, Edom, and Babylonia] will not fall except into the hands of [the tribal descendants of] Rachel's children [i.e., Joseph or Benjamin]. Why? Because if the [other] tribes were to bring suit against Esau, saying, 'Why did you pursue your brother [our ancestor Israel to harm him (see e.g., Genesis 27:41)]? [We, Israel, have a claim against you for this!]' Then he [Esau can] say to them, 'Why did you pursue your brother Joseph [to harm him]? You are no better than I!' But if Joseph should come to him and say, 'Why did you pursue your brother?', he [Esau] will have no answer. For if Esau were to say '[I pursued him] because he did me evil!' [Joseph could reply,] 'My brothers also requited me with evil, and I requited them with good!' Immediately he [Esau would have to] be silent. And about this is it written, 'See, they are become like straw, Fire consumes them; They cannot save themselves From the power of the flame . . .' (Isaiah 47:14). 'Behold, they are become like straw' -- this refers to Esau . . . [Translation incomplete]