Psalmów 111:6 Midrasz: Bereshit Rabbah, Midrash Tanchuma, Midrash Tanchuma Buber & Bamidbar Rabbah

Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin began in the name of Rabbi Levi: “The power of His deeds⁶The account of Creation. He told to His people, to give them the inheritance of nations” (Psalms 111:6). What is the reason that the Holy One blessed be He revealed what was created on the first day and what was created on the second day? It is due to the idolaters, so they could not rebuke Israel and say to them: ‘You are a nation of robbers.’⁷By your conquest of the land of Israel from its original inhabitants. Israel responds to them and says to them: ‘And you, is it [your own land] not in your hands by robbery? Is it not so that: “Kaftorim, who emerged from Kaftor, destroyed them [the Avites], and settled in their place”? (Deuteronomy 2:23). The world and all its contents belong to the Holy One blessed be He. When He wished He gave it to you, and when He wished He took it from you and gave it to us.’ That is what is written: “[The power of His deeds He told to His people,] to give them the inheritance of nations…” – He told them [the history of] all the generations.⁸So that they should see clearly that peoples have often conquered other peoples.

(Numb. 34:2), “This is the land that shall fall to you as an inheritance.” What is the meaning of “to you?” To you it is fitting.²⁹Numb. R. 23:11. [The matter] is comparable to a king who had male and female slaves and would have his male slaves marry female slaves from another estate and his female slaves [marry] male salves from a different estate.³⁰Gk.: ousia. Although this word commonly means “substance” or “essence,” it also came to mean “estate,” at least from Ptolemaic times. See James Hope Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament Illustrated from the Papyri and Other Non-Literary Sources (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1960) The king stopped and reflected. He said, “The male slaves are mine and the female slaves are mine. It would be better for me to marry my male slaves ('avadim) to my female slaves, my own to my own.” Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “The land is Mine, as stated (in Ps. 24:1), ‘The land is the Lord's and all that is in it.’ Moreover Israel is Mine, as stated (in Lev. 25:55), ‘For to Me the Children of Israel are servants ('avadim).’ [It is] better for Me to bequeath My land to my servants who belong to Me, My own to My own.” It is therefore stated (in Numb. 34:2), “this is the land that shall fall to you.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 34:2), “this is the land”: This text is related (to Ps. 111:6), “He revealed to His people His powerful works.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “I could have created a different desirable land for you. But in order to show you My strength, I am expelling your enemies in front of you and giving you their land, to fulfill that which is stated, ‘He revealed His powerful works....’”

R. Isaac said: It was only necessary to write the Torah from < the words > (in Exod. 12:2): THIS MONTH SHALL BE FOR YOU.²⁸I.e., from where the actual commandments begin. Cf. Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, which does in fact begin here. Why did he write from < the words > (in Gen. 1:1): IN THE BEGINNING? To make known his mighty power. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 111:6): HE HAS DECLARED TO HIS PEOPLE THE POWER OF HIS WORKS IN GIVING THEM THE HERITAGE OF THE GENTILES.