Мидраш к Даниэль 3:25

And how many remained of them? Rab said: "Ten, as it is said (Ib. 10, 19) And the rest of the trees of his forest shall be few in number, so that a boy may write them down, i.e., what [letter] can a boy write, a yud whose numerical value is ten." And Samuel said: "Nine, as it is said (Ib. 17, 6) And there shall be left on it gleanings, two or three berries on the top of the uppermost bough, four to five on the outermost branches of a fruitful tree." R. Joshua b. Levi said: "Fourteen, as the just quoted verse reads two, three … four, five." R. Jochanan, however, said: "Only five, and they were Sennacherib, his two sons and Nebuchadnezzar and Nebusaradan; the latter is known by tradition; concerning Nebuchadnezzar, it is written (Dan. 3, 25) And the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods; if he would not have seen [an angel before] how would me know [to describe him so]?" And concerning Sennacherib and his two sons, as it is written (II Kin. 19, 37) And it came to pass, as he was prostrating himself in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer, his sons, smote him." R. Abahu said: "Were it not for the following verse, it would be impossible to believe, [that the Lord himself did it] for it is written (Is. 7, 20) On the same day, will the Lord shave with the razor that is hired, (namely) by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head and the hair of the feet, and also the beard shall it entirely remove." The Holy One, praised be He! appeared before Sennacherib as an old man, and questioned him: "When thou wilt return to the kings of the East and the West, what excuse canst thou give to them for their sons whom thou didst bring with thee and who were killed?" And he answered: "I myself am trembling about this. Canst thou advise me what to do?" And he rejonied: "Go (Fol. 96) and change thyself that thou mayest not be recognized." "How can I do it?" The old man said: "Bring me a pair of scissors and I will cut your hair off." "Where shall I procure the scissors?" The old man said: "Go into that house and you will get it." He went there, and found angels who had appeared before him as men, engaged in grinding the kernels of dates. And he asked them for the scissors. To which they answered, "Grind one kernel and thou wilst get it." He did so, whereupon they gave him the scissors. But when he returned, it grew dark, and the old man told him to bring a light. He went and brought a light; and while carrying the light, the wind blew and the fire caught his beard, and therefore he had to cut off both his hair and his beard. And this is what is meant by the passage (Ib.) And also the beard shall it entirely remove. R. Papa said: "This is what people say: 'When you cut the hair of an Aramaen, and he likes it, singe his beard, and you will have plenty of sport'." When he went away he found a board from the ark of Noah. And he exclaimed: "This is the great God, who saved Noah from the flood. I vow that if I will succeed in the future, I will sacrifice my two sons to him." This his sons heard, and therefore they killed him, and this is what is meant by the passage (Kin. 19, 37) And it came to pass, as he was prostrating himself in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adramelech and Sharezer, his sons, smote him.

...Another explanation. “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion… And many nations shall join the Lord…” (Zechariah 2:14-15) R’ Chanina bar Papa said: this verse is only speaking of that hour when the Holy One judges the nations of the world in the time to come. In that hour the Holy One will bring all of the converts who converted in this world and judge the nations before them. He will say to them: why did you abandon Me and worship idols that have no substance. They will say before Him: Master of the World! If we had come to Your door You would not have accepted us. He will reply to them” let the converts who converted from amongst you and testify upon you. Immediately the Holy One will bring all the converts and they will judge them, saying before them: why did you abandon Him and worship idols that have no substance? Wasn’t Yitro an idolatrous priest? Since he came to the door of the Holy One, He received him. And were we not idol worshippers? Since we came to the door of the Holy One, He received us. Immediately all of the wicked will be ashamed due to the repentance of the converts. Judgement will be passed and they will pass from the world, as it says “But with one thing they are brutish and foolish, the vanities for which they will be punished are but wood.” (Jeremiah 10:8) Therefore it says ‘Sing and rejoice.’