Midrash sa 1 Cronica 29:18: Ruth Rabbah, Devarim Rabbah & Aggadat Bereshit

Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani interpreted the verses as referring to David: “The sons of Shela, son of Judah: Er, father of [avi] Lekha” (I Chronicles 4:21) – the President of the Court [Av Beit Din] of Lekha. “And Lada, father of [avi] Maresha” (I Chronicles 4:21) – the President of the Court [Av Beit Din] of Maresha. “And the families of the house of those who wrought fine linen,” – this is David, who was engaged [in preparing] the Tabernacle curtain.⁶⁴Which was woven from linen. David prepared various materials for the construction of the Temple. That is what is written: “Elḥanan [son of Yarei Oregim the Bethlehemite] slew [Goliath the Gitite]” (II Samuel 21:19) – this is David, to whom the Holy One blessed be He was gracious;⁶⁵Elḥanan may be interpreted as the two words El ḥanan, God was gracious. “son of Yarei” – a son who was growing up in the forest [ya’ar]; “Oregim,” as he was engaged [in preparing] the curtain.⁶⁶Oregim means weavers. Alternatively, “Oregim,” they would raise halakhot before him, and he would weave them.⁶⁷He would organize them coherently. Alternatively, these are the Sanhedrin, who would weave matters of Torah with him.
“To the house of Ashbea” (I Chronicles 4:21) – as the Holy One blessed be He took an oath [nishba] to him, as it is stated: “I took an oath to My chosen one” (Psalms 89:4). “And Yokim” (I Chronicles 4:22) – as He fulfilled [shekiyem] His oath to Him, as it is stated: “The Lord took an oath to David in truth, He will not renege on it” (Psalms 132:11). “And the people of Kozeva” (I Chronicles 4:22), Rabbi Azarya, Rabbi Yonatan, and Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Maryon, and some say, Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina: The greater part of the Sanhedrin⁶⁸The court that distinguishes between truth and lies [kazav]. was from the tribe of Judah. What is the reason? It is as it is stated: “His eyes will be red with wine, and his teeth white with milk” (Genesis 49:12).⁶⁹This verse was stated by Jacob in his blessing to Judah. They would arrange the halakha with their teeth until they would express it with the clarity of milk.⁷⁰They would constantly review their studies aloud until they understood them with absolute clarity. “Yoash” (I Chronicles 4:22) – as he despaired [nitya’ash] of life, “please let Your hand be against me” (I Chronicles 21:17). “And Saraf” (I Chronicles 4:22), as he mentioned the act of those who were burned [serufim], “Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers” (I Chronicles 29:18).⁷¹Abraham was thrown into a fiery furnace due to his belief in God and opposition to idolatry (Bereishit Rabba 38:13); Isaac allowed himself to be bound to the altar, assuming he would be slaughtered and burned; and, according to the Zohar, Jacob also was willing to die for the sake of God (Matnot Kehuna). “Who had dominion over Moav” (I Chronicles 4:22), as he emerged from Ruth the Moavite. “And Yashuvi Laḥem” (I Chronicles 4:22) – as he came from Bethlehem [Beit Leḥem] in Judah.
“And the matters are ancient” (I Chronicles 4:22) – Rabbi Aivu said: This is [a reference to] David and Solomon, who participated in the construction of the Temple before the Holy One blessed be He.⁷²God is also referred to as the Ancient One (Daniel 7:9). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: This is Benayahu ben Yehoyada, who exerted himself in participating with King Solomon in the construction of the Temple. Rabbi Yehuda said: This is Yehoyada the High Priest who, together with Yoash, tended to Temple upkeep. Rabbi Neḥemya says: This is Jeremiah and Ezekiel who prayed before the Holy One blessed be He not to destroy the Temple.
“They are the potters [yotzerim]” (I Chronicles 4:23) – these are Boaz and Ruth.⁷³The creators [yotzerim] of the royal house of David. “And the dwellers among the plants” (I Chronicles 4:23) – this is Solomon, who was [young] like a sapling when he reigned. “And a fence” (I Chronicles 4:23) – these are the Sanhedrin, who would build fences with him [Solomon] in matters of Torah. “They dwelt there with the king in his service” (I Chronicles 4:23) – from here they said: Ruth the Moavite died only after she saw her descendant Solomon judging the case of the prostitutes;⁷⁴I Kings 3:16–28. that is what is written: “He placed a throne for the king's mother” (I Kings 2:19) – this is Bathsheba; “and she sat on his right hand” (I Kings 2:19) – this is Ruth the Moavite.

“But the Lord has not given you a heart to know, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, until this day” (Deuteronomy 29:3).
What is, “but the Lord has not given you a heart to know”? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: When Israel stood at Mount Sinai and said: “Everything that the Lord has spoken we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7), the Holy One blessed be He said: “Would that this heart will be for them [to fear Me and to observe all My commandments forever, so that it will be good for them and for their children forever]” (Deuteronomy 5:26). Israel heard, and they were silent. Rabbi Yehuda ben Levi said: To what is the matter comparable? It is to a powerful snake charmer who saw a certain powerful serpent. He said: ‘Who is able to charm this one?’ They said to him: ‘Are you not the snake charmer? It is all from you.’ So, when the Holy One blessed be He said: “Would that this heart will be for them,” they should have said: Master of the universe, You make it so. That is why Moses said: “But the Lord has not given you a heart to know.”
Another matter: “Would that [this heart will be for them]” (Deuteronomy 5:26) – Rabbi Meir said: Who is greater, the thief or the one who was robbed?²⁶Meaning, did Israel, the thief, really mislead God when they proclaimed that they would be faithful to the covenant, or was God aware of their intent and nevertheless accepted their proclamation? (Etz Yosef). You must say: The one who was robbed is greater, as he knows that he was robbed, and he is silent. So it is written: “But they beguiled Him with their mouth and lied to Him with their tongue. Their heart was not steadfast toward Him, nor were they faithful to His covenant” (Psalms 78:36–37),²⁷All this despite the fact that they said: “We will perform and we will heed.” as it were, and He says: “Would that this heart will be for them.”
“I have led you forty years in the wilderness; your garments did not become worn out from upon you, and your shoe did not become worn out from upon your foot” (Deuteronomy 29:4).
Another matter: “But the Lord has not given you a heart to know” (Deuteronomy 29:3) – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: It was for his own sake²⁸So that he would be allowed to enter the Land of Israel. that Moses said this matter to them. How so? The Holy One blessed be He decreed two matters, one on Israel and one on Moses. One on Israel – when they performed that act.²⁹The sin of the Golden Calf. From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Let Me be and I will destroy them” (Deuteronomy 9:14). And one on Moses – when Moses sought to enter the Land of Israel, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “You will not cross this Jordan” (Deuteronomy 3:27). Moses requested from the Holy One blessed be He to void both of them. He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, “Please pardon the iniquity of this people in accordance with the greatness of Your kindness”’ (Numbers 14:19), and the Holy One blessed be He voided it [His decree to destroy them], but Moses’s [prayer to forgive them] was fulfilled. From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “I have pardoned in accordance with your word” (Numbers 14:20). When he came to enter the Land of Israel, he began saying: “Please let me cross, and I will see the good land” (Deuteronomy 3:25). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Moses, you already voided Mine and I fulfilled yours. I said: “I will destroy them” and you said: “Please pardon.” Now, I seek to fulfill Mine and to void yours.’³⁰Now, when you request to enter the Land of Israel, I seek to fulfill My decree to destroy them and void you request to forgive them, since you can't have it both ways (Maharzu). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: Moses, you do not know what to do; you wish to have it both ways.³¹Literally, “you wish to hold the rope by both ends.” He said to him: ‘If you seek to have “please let me cross” fulfilled, void “please pardon.” If you seek to have “please pardon” fulfilled, void “please let me cross.”’ Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: When Moses our master heard this, he said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, let Moses and one hundred like him die, and let not the fingernail of one of them be damaged.’ Rabbi Shmuel bar Yitzḥak said: When Moses was nearing death, and they did not ask for mercy on his behalf so he could enter the land, he assembled them and began rebuking them. He said to them: ‘One redeemed six hundred thousand with the calf; could six hundred thousand not have been able to redeem one person?’ That is, “but the Lord has not given you a heart to know.” He said to them: ‘Do you not remember everything that I did when I led you in the wilderness, as it is stated: “I have led you forty years in the wilderness…”’

[2] Another interpretation: "Like a thread of scarlet [are your lips]. This refers to the time when God said to the Israelites, "How long will you continue to celebrate Passover?" (I Kings 18:21). Your speech is also beautiful when God said, "The God who answers by fire is the true God" (1 Kings 18:24), and immediately all the people responded and said, "The matter is good" (1 Kings 18:24). Your speech is also beautiful when you declared to the Israelites, "The Lord is God, the Lord is God" (1 Kings 18:39), like the cluster of pomegranates. This refers to the generation that had little merit, yet they were beloved like the pomegranate, because of what they did when they gathered at Mount Carmel, as it is said, "And now, send and gather to me all of Israel at Mount Carmel" (1 Kings 18:19). Like the Tower of David is your neck. This refers to the altar that was built, as it is said, "And he repaired the altar of the Lord that had been torn down" (1 Kings 18:30), which was a source of healing for Israel. A thousand shields refer to the merit of the tribes, as it is said, "And Elijah took twelve stones, one for each tribe of the sons of Jacob" (1 Kings 18:31). All the rulers of the mighty refer to the merit of the patriarchs that was mentioned, and not because of Elijah himself. Rather, all the rulers of the mighty are dependent only on this Tower, and what is this Tower? It is Abraham, for all prayers are dependent on him. Moses said, "Remember Abraham" (Exodus 32:13), David said, "O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, our fathers, keep forever this attitude and thought in the hearts of Your people" (1 Chronicles 29:18), and Elijah also said, "And Elijah approached and said, 'O Lord, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel'" (1 Kings 18:36). Therefore, a thousand shields are dependent on him."