וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ לָמָ֗ה יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל הָ֥יְתָה זֹּ֖את בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל לְהִפָּקֵ֥ד הַיּ֛וֹם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵ֖ל שֵׁ֥בֶט אֶחָֽד׃
At sinabi nila: “O Walang-Hanggan, Diyos ng Israel, bakit nangyari ito sa Israel, na ngayon ay nababawasan ang Israel ng isang lipi?”
Kohelet Rabbah
“In addition, all his days, he eats in darkness, and has much anger, illness, and rage” (Ecclesiastes 5:16).
“In addition, all his days, he” walks “in darkness” – this refers to the generation of the Judges. “And has much anger” – they would anger the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “Illness and rage”: “illness” – this is suffering; “and rage” – that they enraged the Holy One blessed be He and said: “Why, Lord, God of Israel, has this been in Israel, to have one tribe lacking in Israel today?” (Judges 21:3).
Another matter: “In addition, all his days, he” walks “in darkness” – this refers to the generation of Samuel. “And has much anger” – they would anger the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “Illness and rage”: “illness” – this is suffering; “and rage” – that they enraged [God] and said: “Why did the Lord cause us to be smitten?” (I Samuel 4:3). The ten tribes were exiled, and none remained of them. Judah and Benjamin were exiled, and some remained.74Thus, the ten tribes are another example of a group that walked in darkness and angered God.
“In addition, all his days, he” walks “in darkness” – this refers to the generation of the Judges. “And has much anger” – they would anger the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “Illness and rage”: “illness” – this is suffering; “and rage” – that they enraged the Holy One blessed be He and said: “Why, Lord, God of Israel, has this been in Israel, to have one tribe lacking in Israel today?” (Judges 21:3).
Another matter: “In addition, all his days, he” walks “in darkness” – this refers to the generation of Samuel. “And has much anger” – they would anger the Holy One blessed be He with their wicked deeds. “Illness and rage”: “illness” – this is suffering; “and rage” – that they enraged [God] and said: “Why did the Lord cause us to be smitten?” (I Samuel 4:3). The ten tribes were exiled, and none remained of them. Judah and Benjamin were exiled, and some remained.74Thus, the ten tribes are another example of a group that walked in darkness and angered God.
Sifrei Devarim
(Devarim 20:3) "And he shall say to them "Hear, O Israel … against your foes": and not against your brothers: not Yehudah against Shimon and not Shimon against Yehudah, in which instance if you fell into their hands they would pity you, (viz. II Chronicles 28:8-15) — It is against your foes that you are going, who, if you fall into their hands, will not pity you!