Midrash sa Exodo 7:4: Bamidbar Rabbah, Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Midrash Tanchuma & Shemot Rabbah

Another matter, “each at his banner,” that is what is written: “He would find him in a land of wilderness…” (Deuteronomy 32:10); the Holy One blessed be He found a great finding in Israel, as it is stated: “Like grapes in the wilderness I found Israel” (Hosea 9:10); “He would find him in a land of wilderness,” the world was a wilderness until Israel departed from Egypt. “And in an empty, howling wasteland” (Deuteronomy 32:10); the world was emptiness and wailing. Until Israel departed from Egypt, and until they received the Torah, He did not do so.⁶Did not redeem the world, which was a wilderness. But when they departed from Egypt and received the Torah, what does [the verse] say? “He would encircle him, He would grant him understanding, [He would preserve them like the pupil of His eye]” (Deuteronomy 32:10). “He would encircle him,” that he surrounded them with clouds of glory. “He would grant him understanding,” that He caused them to understand the Torah. “He would preserve them,” happy are the ears that heard. To what extent did He love them, protect them, and preserve them? It was, as it were, to the extent of the pupil of his eye. See how He loved them, how He protected them, and how He preserved them, as God said to Moses: ‘Moses, say to them that they should craft a Tabernacle in their midst. As it were, I am leaving the supernal and descending and resting in their midst.’ Moreover, He arranged them according to banners in His name. The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Arrange them according to banners in My name. Why? It is because they are My children, as it is stated: “You are children to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 14:1). And they are My hosts, and likewise it says: “I will take out My hosts, My people the children of Israel, from the land of Egypt” (Exodus 7:4). And likewise it says: “The banner of the camp of Judah, according to their hosts” (Numbers 2:3). Because they are My hosts, I will arrange them according to banners in My name.’ That is what is written: “Each at his banner.”

What is written above (in Exod. 11:9) on the matter? NOW THE LORD HAD SAID UNTO MOSES: PHARAOH WILL NOT HEARKEN UNTO YOU…. R. Judah and R. Nehemiah disagree. R. Judah says: This parashah says at the beginning of the plagues (in Exod. 7:4): PHARAOH WILL NOT HEARKEN UNTO YOU. But R. Nehemiah says: <The warning> is stated in its <present> place (in Exod. 11:9, which continues): <IN ORDER THAT MY WONDERS MAY BE MULTIPLIED IN THE LAND OF EGYPT, > in the sea more than in Egypt. (Exod. 11:10) SO MOSES AND AARON PERFORMED ALL THESE WONDERS…. The Holy one wished to credit this parashah to Moses alone.³⁷See Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34, which gives the following marginal addition: R. Jacob said: A defense (Gk.: synegoria) was entered before the Holy One. It said to him: Sovereign of the Universe, (according to Exod. 11:10) MOSES AND AARON PERFORMED….; yet you wish to credit this parashah to Moses alone! The Holy One said to it: You have taught well. As you (Moses and Aaron) live, I am crediting it to both of you. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 12:1): THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES AND UNTO AARON …

(Numb. 2:2:) “Each with his standard.” This text is related (to Deut. 32:10), “He found him (i.e., Jacob) in a desert land.” [It was] a great find, [when] the Holy One, blessed be He, found Israel.⁶⁷Numb. R. 2:6. [He was] like a person who, when traveling in the desert, finds grapes there. So did the Holy One, blessed be He, find Israel, as stated (in Hos. 9:10), “I found Israel like grapes in the desert.” It is therefore stated (in Deut. 32:10), “He found him in a desert land.” The world was a desert, before Israel came forth from Egypt. (Ibid., cont.,) “And in the void was a wailing desolation.” The world was void and wailing, before Israel received the Torah. But when Israel came forth from Egypt and received the Torah, [the Holy One, blessed be He,] enlightened the world, as stated (in Prov. 6:23), “For the commandment is a lamp, and Torah is a light.” [(Deut. 32:10, cont.,) “He encircled him, He watched over him, and He protected him as the pupil of His eye.”] What is the meaning of “He encircled him?” That he encompassed them with clouds of glory. “He watched over (rt.: byn) him,” in that He taught (rt.: byn) them the words of Torah. “He protected him.” Blessed are the ears that have heard to what extent did He cherish them, to what extent did He keep them, to what extent did He protect them. As much, as it were, “as the pupil of His eye.” See how He cherished them, kept them, and protected them. It is as the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Tell them to make a tabernacle, and I will dwell among them. I am, as it were, leaving the heavenly beings and coming down to dwell among them. And not only that, but I will make them standards for My name. Why? Because they are My children, as stated (in Deut. 14:1), ‘You are children of the Lord your God.’ Also they are my hosts, as stated (in Exod. 7:4), ‘and I will bring forth my hosts, [my people the Children of Israel,] from the Land of Egypt.’” Therefore, he made those standards for My name, as stated (in Numb. 2:2), “each with his standard.”