Sędziów 3:13 Midrasz: Eikhah Rabbah & Bereshit Rabbah

“The adversary extended his hand over all her delights; for she saw the nations entering her Sanctuary, whom You had commanded that they should not enter Your assembly” (Lamentations 1:10).
“The adversary extended his hand.” You find that when the enemies entered the Temple, Amonites and Moavites entered with them. Everyone was running to plunder silver and gold, and the Amonites and Moavites were running to plunder the Torah, in order to remove “An Amonite and Moavite shall not enter the assembly of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 23:4). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi ben Perata: This is analogous to a conflagration that was ignited in a king’s palace. Everyone was running to plunder the silver and the gold while a slave ran to plunder his writ of servitude. So too, when the enemies entered the Temple, Amonites and Moavites entered with them. Everyone was running to plunder silver and gold, and the Amonites and Moavites were running to plunder the Torah, in order to remove “An Amonite and Moavite shall not enter the assembly of the Lord.”
Abraham bestowed four good things upon Lot. That is what is written: “Abram went, as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him” (Genesis 12:4). And it says: “Lot, too, who was going with Abram [had sheep, cattle and tents]” (Genesis 13:5). And it says: “He returned all the property, [and also his brother Lot and his property he returned]” (Genesis 14:16). And it says: “It was when God destroyed the cities of the plain [God remembered Abraham, and He sent Lot from the midst of the upheaval]” (Genesis 19:29). Correspondingly, they should have repaid them with goodness;¹⁴³Lot’s descendants, the nations of Amon and Moav, should have been kind to Abraham’s descendants. however, they performed acts of wickedness. That is what is written: “He sent messengers to Bilam…now, please go and curse for me…. The elders of Moav and the elders of Midian went…” (Numbers 22:5–7). “He gathered to him the children of Amon and Amalek, [and he went and smote Israel]” (Judges 3:13).¹⁴⁴The verse is stated regarding Eglon, king of Moav. “It was thereafter, the children of Moav, and the children of Amon, and with them some Amonites, came against Yehoshafat” (II Chronicles 20:1). And this: “The adversary extended his hand...”
Correspondingly, their sins are written in four places. “An Amonite and Moavite [shall not enter the assembly of the Lord]…because they did not greet you with bread and with water…” (Deuteronomy 23:4–5). “My people, remember now what Balak king of Moav devised…” (Micah 6:5). “Because they did not greet the children of Israel with bread and with water, and hired Bilam against them, to curse them” (Nehemiah 13:2). “He sent and summoned Bilam son of Beor to curse you” (Joshua 24:9).
Correspondingly, four prophets stood and sealed their sentence, and they were: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Zephaniah. Isaiah said: “A prophecy of Moav: For on the night that Ar of Moav is plundered, it is ruined; for on the night that Kir of Moav is plundered, it is ruined” (Isaiah 15:1). Jeremiah said: “Behold, days are coming, the utterance of the Lord, and I will sound to Raba of the children of Amon an alarm of war, and it will become a mound of desolation, and its environs will be burned in fire, and Israel will inherit its inheritors, said the Lord” (Jeremiah 49:2). Ezekiel said: “To the children of the east, against the children of Amon, and I will give it as a heritage, so that the children of Amon will not be remembered among the nations. I will administer punishments to Moav, and they will know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 25:10–11). Zephaniah said: “Therefore, as I live, the utterance of the Lord of hosts, God of Israel, Moav will be like Sodom and the children of Amon like Gomorrah, a rustling thornbush, a salt mine, a desolate wasteland forever. The remnant of My people will plunder them and the rest of My nation will inherit them” (Zephaniah 2:9).

“Abram was very wealthy in livestock, in silver, and in gold” (Genesis 13:2).
“Abram was very wealthy in livestock, in silver, and in gold.” That is what is written: “He took them out with silver and gold…” (Psalms 105:37).²²All the details of this incident with Abraham foreshadowed the events of the Exodus, as the Midrash explained earlier (40:6).
“He went on his journeys from the Negev to Beit El, to the place where his tent had been initially, between Beit El and Ai” (Genesis 13:3).
“He went on his journeys” – on the same journeys [routes] that he went [to Egypt], he returned. Rabbi Elazar ben Rabbi Menaḥem said: He went to pay his credit debts.²³He had been granted credit at various inns on the way to Egypt, and he now went to repay those debts.
“Lot, who went with Abram, also had flocks, cattle, and tents” (Genesis 13:5).
“Lot, who went with Abram, also…” – Lot derived four benefits due to Abram: “Abram went…and Lot went with him” (Genesis 12:4); “Lot, who went with Abram, also [had flocks, cattle…]”; “He returned all the possessions, and also his brother Lot” (Genesis 14:16); “It was when God destroyed…God remembered Abraham, and He sent out Lot from the midst [of the upheaval]…” (Genesis 19:29). Corresponding to them, his descendants²⁴The nations of Ammon and Moav (Genesis 19:37-38). should have repaid us with favors. But not only did they not repay us with favors, but [they paid us] with [four] troubles. That is what is written: “He²⁵Balak, king of Moav. sent messengers to Bilam son of Beor…now, please come curse this people for me” (Numbers 22:5–6); “He gathered to him the children of Ammon and Amalek, and he went and smote Israel, and they took possession of the city of the date palms” (Judges 3:13); “It was thereafter that the children of Moav, [the children of Ammon], and some Ammonites with them, came against Yehoshafat” (II Chronicles 20:1). Moreover, it is written: “The foe²⁶Referring to Ammon and Moav (Eikha Rabba 1:38). spread its hand over all its delights” (Lamentations 1:10). And their sin is recorded in four places: “An Ammonite or a Moavite shall not enter [into the congregation…] because they did not greet you with bread and with water…[and because they hired…Bilam…to curse you]” (Deuteronomy 23:4–5); and it is written: “My people, remember now what Balak king of Moav counseled, and what [Bilam son of Beor] answered him” (Micah 6:5); “Because they [Ammon and Moav] did not greet the children of Israel with bread and with water, and hired Bilam against them, to curse them” (Nehemiah 13:2); “Balak son of Tzipor, king of Moav…summoned Bilam son of Beor to curse you” (Joshua 24:9).
[Consequently,] four prophets arose and sealed their sentence. They are: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Zephaniah, and Ezekiel. Isaiah said: “A prophecy of Moav: For on the night that Ar of Moav was plundered, it was ruined; for on the night that Kir of Moav was plundered, it was ruined” (Isaiah 15:1). Jeremiah said: “Therefore, behold, days are coming, the utterance of the Lord, and I will sound to Raba of the Ammonites an alarm of war, and it will become a mound of desolation, and its environs will be burned in fire, and Israel will dispossess its dispossessors, said the Lord” (Jeremiah 49:2). Ezekiel said: “To the children of the east, against the children of Ammon, I will give it as a heritage, so that the children of Ammon will not be remembered among the nations. I will administer punishments to Moav, and they will know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 25:10–11). Zephaniah said: “Therefore, as I live – the utterance of the Lord of hosts, God of Israel – Moav will be like Sodom, and the children of Ammon like Gomorrah” (Zephaniah 2:9).

“Laban said to Jacob: Here is this pile and here is the monument that I have established between me and you” (Genesis 31:51).
“Laban said to Jacob […the monument that I have established [yariti]]” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Like one who throws a spear.³⁸Yariti can also mean to cast a stone in a threatening manner.
“This pile is witness, and the monument is witness, that I will not pass this pile toward you, and that you will not pass this pile and this monument toward me, for harm” (Genesis 31:52).
“This pile is witness…” – for harm, you will not pass, but you will pass for commerce. When David dispatched Yoav to Aram Naharayim and Aram Tzova, he encountered Edomites.³⁹The midrash is stating that despite the covenant between Jacob and Laban, David was justified in attacking the Arameans, who are descendants of Laban, because they violated the convenant first. It brings as an example the case of Edom and Moav. He sought to attack them.⁴⁰The way north went through their western border. They produced for him their epistle: “Enough for you circling this mountain…[You are entering the border of your brothers, the children of Esau…Do not provoke them]” (Deuteronomy 2:3–5). He encountered the Moavites, he sought to attack them. They produced for him their epistle: “The Lord said to me: Do not besiege Moav, and do not provoke war with them” (Deuteronomy 2:9). At that moment, Yoav sent to David, he said to him: ‘I encountered the Edomites. I sought to attack them, but they produced their epistle: “Enough for you.” I encountered the Moavites. I sought to attack them, but they produced their epistle: “Do not besiege Moav.”’ At that moment, David did not conduct himself with the requisite royal dignity. He removed his royal garment of purple wool and the crown from his head, wrapped himself in his cloak and went to the Sanhedrin. He said to them: ‘My masters: I came here only to teach. If you give me permission, I will teach. I sent Yoav to Aram Naharayim and to Aram Tzova. He encountered the Edomites, but they produced their epistle: “Enough for you.” But, did they not breach the fence first? “He⁴¹Eglon king of Moav. gathered to him the children of Amon [and Amalek]” (Judges 3:13).⁴²The Amalekites, like the Edomites, are descendants of Esau. He encountered the Moavites. He sought to attack them, but they produced their epistle: “Do not besiege Moav.” But, did they not breach the fence first? “He sent messengers to Bilam…now, please come curse this people for me”’ (Numbers 22:5–6). That is what is written: “A letter [for David to teach]” (Psalms 60:1). How many letters did he write? Rabbi Aivu said: He wrote two; one regarding the Edomites and one regarding the Moavites. Rabbi Ḥanina said: He wrote one letter. That is what is written: “Yoav returned [and smote twelve thousand Edomites]” (Psalms 60:2); he returned and learned regarding the Edomites, from the Moavites. That is what is written: “For the chief musician on shushan edut” (Psalms 60:1) – to the assembly [le’eda] that speaks in the language of God.⁴³This phrase refers to the Sanhedrin. The word shushan refers to the Sanhedrin. See Rashi on Psalms 60:1. “A letter [mikhtam] for David to teach” (Psalms 60:1) – poverty [makhut] and faultlessness [tamut];⁴⁴Miktam is an acronym for makhut and tamut, and it is interpreted as referring to David, who behaved with humility before the Sanhedrin. “when he contended with Aram Naharayim…and smote [twelve thousand] Edomites in the Salt Valley” (Psalms 60:2). One verse says: “Eighteen thousand” (I Chronicles 18:12), and one verse says: “Twelve thousand.” It is, rather, that there were two wars, one with twelve thousand and one with eighteen thousand.