Midrash su Geremia 23:22

(Exodus 13:21) "And the L rd went before them by day": Can this be said? Is it not written (Jeremiah 23:22) "'Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?' says the L rd"? and (Isaiah 6:3) "One (seraph) called to the other 'Holy, Holy, Holy is the L rd of hosts — the earth is full of His glory'"? and (Ezekiel 43:2) "And, behold, the glory of the G d of Israel came from the east, His voice like the voice of many waters, the earth shining in His glory"? How, then, am I to understand "And the L rd went before them by day"? Rebbi said: An analogy: The emperor Antoninus was presiding at the dais when it got dark, his sons remaining there. After he was finished, he took the lantern and lit (the way) for his sons — whereupon the nobles close to him said: Let us take the lantern and light (the way) for your sons. At this, he said: It is not that I have no one to take the lantern and light (the way) for my sons; but I want to impress upon you my love for my sons, that you treat them honorably. And thus did the Holy One Blessed be He impress upon the nations of the world His love of Israel — He Himself walking before them, so that they (learn to) treat them honorably. And let alone that they do not do so, but they kill them with all kinds of sore, strange deaths, one unlike the other. Of this it is written (Joel 4:2) "And I will gather all the nations and I will bring them down to the valley of Yehoshafat, and I will contend with them there over My people and My inheritance, Israel, that they have scattered among the nations, and over My land that they have divided." I might think that He will contend with them) over (their being guilty of) idolatry, illicit relations, and the spilling of blood. It is, therefore, written "over My people and My inheritance, Israel." And (Ibid. 19) "Egypt shall be a wasteland, and Edom, a desolate desert because of the sons of Judah, in whose land they have spilled innocent blood." At that time (Ibid. 10) "Judah will endure forever, and Jerusalem, from generation to generation," and (Ibid. 21) "And absolve them of their blood, I will not absolve them." When? When the L rd dwells in Zion.