Josué 15:47 Midrash: Shir HaShirim Rabbah & Shemot Rabbah

“Daughters of Jerusalem,” the Rabbis say: Do not read it as “daughters of [benot] Jerusalem, but rather, builders of [bonot] Jerusalem. This is the Great Sanhedrin of Israel, which convenes and instructs them with regard to every question and judgment.
Another matter, “daughters of [benot] Jerusalem,” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Jerusalem is destined to become a metropolis for all countries, and to draw [people] to it in streams, for its glory, as it is stated: “Ashdod, its towns, [benoteha] and its surrounding areas; Gaza, its towns, and its surrounding areas up to”¹⁹²The word Lasha does not appear in the verse and its inclusion in the text of the midrash appears to be an error (Etz Yosef). (Joshua 15:47). This is the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is written: “I will give them to you as daughters [levanot] and not due to your covenant” (Ezekiel 16:61). What is “levanot”? Towns. What is “not due to your covenant”? It is not due to your contract, but rather due to My contract.¹⁹³It is not because you have kept all of the responsibilities incumbent upon you due to our covenant; it is rather a gift from Me. Alternatively, the nations who will come to show honor to Jerusalem are not just the ten nations promised to Abraham in the Covenant of the Pieces, but rather are additional nations (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Beivai said in the name of Rabbi Reuven: “Sing, barren one, [who did not bear]” (Isaiah 54:1). What song is there for barrenness? Rather, “sing, barren one,” who did not bear children for Gehenna.
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: Israel was likened to a female, just as a female takes one-tenth of the property from her father and leaves, so, too, Israel inherited the land of the seven nations, which is one-tenth of the seventy nations. Because they inherited like a female, they sang songs in the feminine, as it is stated: “Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song [hashira hazot]¹⁹⁴These terms are in the feminine form. to the Lord” (Exodus 15:1). But, in the future, they are destined to inherit like a male, who inherits all his father’s property; that is what is written: “From the eastern side to the western side, Judah, one portion” (Ezekiel 48:7). “Dan one portion…Asher one portion” (Ezekiel 48:1–2), and all of them so, and they speak in the masculine, as it is stated: “Sing to the Lord a new song [shir ḥadash]” (Psalms 96:1); shira ḥadasha is not written, but rather shir ḥadash.
Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi [said]: Why was Israel likened to a female? Just as a female loads and unloads,¹⁹⁵This means that she becomes pregnant and gives birth. loads and unloads, and then unloads and does not load again, so, too, Israel is enslaved and redeemed, enslaved and redeemed, and is then redeemed and is never enslaved again. In this world, because their trouble is like the trouble of a female who gives birth,¹⁹⁶Their redemption is not permanent. they sing songs in the feminine; however, in the World to Come, where their trouble is not like the trouble of one who gives birth, they sing songs in the masculine. That is what is written: “On that day this song [hashir] will be sung” (Isaiah 26:1).

Another matter, “then Moses…sang” – that is what is written: “I am black but comely [daughters of Jerusalem–like the tents of Kedar, like the curtains of Solomon]” (Song of Songs 1:5). The congregation of Israel says: ‘I am black in my actions and comely in the actions of my ancestors.’ Our Rabbis said: Do not read “daughters of [benot] Jerusalem,” but rather, “builders of [bonot] Jerusalem,” – these are the Great Sanhedrins of Israel, who sit and fortify it. Alternatively, “daughters of [benot] Jerusalem” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Jerusalem is destined to become a metropolis of all the lands, as it is written: “Ashdod and its environs [benoteha]” (Joshua 15:47).
What is “like the tents of Kedar” (Song of Songs 1:5)? Just as the tents of the Ishmaelites are ugly on the outside and pleasant on the inside, so, too, Torah scholars, even though they appear ugly in this world, on the inside they are full of Bible, Mishna, Talmud, Halakhot, and Aggadot. If so, just as the Ishmaelite tents move from place to place, [could it be] that Israel would also be itinerant? The verse states: “Like the curtains of Solomon [shelomo]” (Song of Songs 1:5), – like the curtains of He who spoke and the world came into being,¹⁵The verse compares Israel to the “curtains of Solomon [shelomo].” The midrash interprets the word shelomo as a reference to God, as peace is His [shalom shelo] (Shir HaShirim Rabba 1:5). which, from the moment that He stretched them like a tent, they did not move from their place. If so, just as the tents of the Ishmaelites cannot be laundered, [could it be] that Israel is the same? The verse states: “Like the curtains of Solomon,” – just as a garment gets dirty and then becomes clean again, so, Israel, even though they sin, they repent before the Holy One blessed be He.
Another matter, “I am black but comely” – In the place where I have become black, I have become comely. They sinned at Ḥorev, as it is stated: “At Ḥorev you provoked the Lord” (Deuteronomy 9:8). And at Ḥorev they said: “Everything that the Lord said, we will do and we will obey” (Exodus 24:7). At the sea they were defiant, as it is stated: “They were defiant at the sea, the Red Sea” (Psalms 106:7). At the sea, they sang a song, as it is stated: “Then Moses and the children of Israel sang this song [to the Lord].”