창세기 17:17 미드라쉬: Seder Olam Rabbah, Midrash Tehillim, Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer & Pesikta Rabbati

Our forefather Jacob was 63 when he was blessed. Ishmael died at that time as is written, "Esau saw that Isaac had blessed...Jacob listened to his father...Esau saw [the Canaanite women] were bad [in the eyes of Isaac]...Esau went to Ishmael..."(Genesis 28:9). There seems no need for the verse to state "sister of Nebaioth." What do we learn from the fact that it says "sister of Nebaioth"? We learn that Ishmael died and Nebaioth [Ishmael's firstborn therefore] married off his sister to Esau. Jacob our forefather hid [from Esau] 14 years in the land of Israel and served Eber. Eber died two years after Jacob went to Aram-Naharaim. [Jacob] left and went to Aram-Naharaim and he was found by the well when he was 77 years old and he was in Laban's house for 20 years: 7 before he married any matriarchs, 7 from when he married in the Matriarchs and 6 years after the 11 tribes and Dinah were born. It comes out that all the tribes were born in seven years besides Benjamin. Each and every one each 7 months. He left Aram-Naharaim and came to Succoth and stayed there 18 months as is written "And Jacob went to Succoth" (Genesis 33:17). He left Succoth and went to Bet El and made 6 new encampments close to the place.

Another thing is what the scripture says (Proverbs 12:1): "Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge." There are four who were punished. One was punished and kicked. This was Job, who was punished and kicked. Likewise, it says (Job 10:2): "Let me know why You contend with me. Is it right for You to oppress me?" I know that You have the power, and You do as You please. (Job 34:30) "That the godless man should not reign, that there be no one to ensnare the people." This was punished and kicked. The second was punished and played with. This was Abraham, as it says (Genesis 17:17) "Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed, and said in his heart, 'Shall a child be born to a man who is one hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?'" And why was Abraham similar to a king who swore to hit his son and said to him, "My son, I have sworn to hit you"? The son replied, "The power is in your hand." He hit him and thought that his son would say "Enough," but once he hit him, the father said, "Enough, I have hit him." Similarly, (Genesis 17:1) "When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, 'I am El Shaddai; walk before Me and be blameless.'" I have hit him enough. The third was punished and asked his beloved not to hit him. This was Hezekiah, as it says (Isaiah 38:2) "Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, and said..." Rabbi Nathan said: He was also punished and kicked, as it says (Isaiah 14:31) "Wail, O gate! Cry, O city! Melt away, O Philistia, all of you! For smoke comes out of the north, and there is no straggler in his ranks." This tells us that his blows were as severe as those of Job. In Job it is written (Job 19:20) "My bones cling to my skin and to my flesh, and I have escaped by the skin of my teeth." And in Hezekiah, it is written (Isaiah 38:13) "I composed my soul as a weaned child. Like a weaned child on its mother's lap, so is my soul within me." This tells us that even the skin of his teeth was taken away. The fourth said, "Why is the strap hanging? Direct me with it." This was David, as it says to David, "Judge me, O LORD." And likewise, Solomon says (Proverbs 12:1) "Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge." And David also says (Psalm 94:12) "Blessed is the man whom You discipline, O LORD."

Rabban Gamaliel, the son of Rabbi Jehudah the Prince, said: When our father Abraham was circumcised, on the third day he was very sore, in order to test him. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He pierced one hole in the midst of Gehinnom, and He made the day hot, like the day of the wicked. He went forth, and sat down at the entrance of the tent in the cool of the day, as it is said, "And he sat at the tent door (in the heat of the day)" (Gen. 18:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the ministering angels: Come ye, let us descend and visit the sick, for the virtue of visiting the sick is great before Me. The Holy One, blessed be He, and the angels descended to visit our father Abraham, as it is said, "And the Lord appeared unto him" (ibid.). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to the ministering angels: Come ye and see ye the power of circumcision. Before Abraham was circumcised he fell on his face (before Me), and afterwards I spake with him, as it is said, "And Abraham fell upon his face" (Gen. 17:17). Now that he is circumcised he sits and I stand. Whence do we know that the Holy One, blessed be He, was standing? Because it is said, "And he looked, and, lo, three men stood over against him" (Gen. 18:2).