מדרש אויף איוב 41:4

It is written (in Job 41:4 [12]): I WILL NOT KEEP SILENT ABOUT HIS BOASTINGS, HAUGHTY TALK, AND HIS FAIR ARRAY OF WORDS. The Holy One said: Lest the children of Adam say: We also speak with the Holy One just as Abraham spoke, and he is keeping silent for us, the Holy One said: No, I WILL NOT KEEP SILENT ABOUT HIS BOASTINGS. Only for Abraham alone do I keep silent. Why? Because he kept silent for me, I also keep silent for him. When did Abraham keep silent? When I said to him (in Gen. 21:12): FOR IN ISAAC SHALL YOUR SEED BE NAMED, and afterwards I said to him (in Gen. 22:2): PLEASE TAKE YOUR SON … < AND OFFER HIM THERE AS A BURNT OFFERING >. Then he kept silent for me, as stated (in Ps. 38:14 [13]): BUT I AM LIKE A DEAF PERSON, NOT HEARING, < LIKE A DUMB PERSON, NOT OPENING HIS MOUTH >.⁴³Throughout Gen. 21 & 22 Abraham never responds to God. I also will keep silent for him; and, even though he said harsh things, as stated (in Job 41:4 [12]): HAUGHTY TALK, HIS FAIR ARRAY OF WORDS was pleasing to me. And what is the meaning of HAUGHTY TALK? See what is written (in Gen. 18:23): THEN ABRAHAM DREW NEAR AND SAID: WILL YOU ALSO DESTROY < THE RIGHTEOUS WITH THE WICKED >? Abraham said to the Holy One (in Gen. 18:25): Sovereign of the World, FAR BE IT FROM YOU < TO DO SUCH A THING >, for will not those coming into the world say: This is his trade, that he destroy the generations by a rule of cruelty. He destroyed the generation of Enosh, the generation of the flood, and the generation of the dispersion < of humankind >. He did not abandon his trade. [Thus, Abraham said] (in Gen. 18:25): FAR BE IT FROM YOU!⁴⁴Cf. Gen. R. 49:9. The Holy One said to him: You have said this. Come and see, as I make all the generations that I have destroyed pass before you. Then I will show you that I did not collect their divine punishment from them < before it was finally sealed >.⁴⁵So Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34, ad loc. Now, if it should cross your mind that I did not act fairly, teach me; and I will act < accordingly >. Thus it is stated (in Job 34:32): WHAT I DO NOT SEE, YOU TEACH ME. IF I HAVE DONE WRONG, I WILL NOT CONTINUE. So I will continue no more. They said to him: Sovereign of the World, far be it from you to issue judgment over all creation. Thus it is stated (in Job 34:10): LISTEN TO ME, THEREFORE, O PEOPLE OF UNDERSTANDING; MAY WICKEDNESS BE FAR FROM GOD AND INJUSTICE, FROM THE ALMIGHTY. Rather (in vs. 11): FOR HE REPAYS A PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS ACTIONS…. Therefore, he says (in Gen. 18:25): FAR BE IT FROM YOU < TO DO SUCH A THING, TO PUT TO DEATH A RIGHTEOUS PERSON ALONG WITH A WICKED ONE SO THAT THE RIGHTEOUS ONE FARES LIKE THE WICKED! FAR BE IT FROM YOU >!

[2] Another interpretation: "Far be it, don't think that way." The Almighty does not keep silent about acts of heroism and grace (Job 41:4). The Holy One, blessed be He, said that people should not say, 'We too can speak with God just as Abraham did.' God said to Abraham (whose name was read as 'to him') 'I keep silent only for you, because you have kept silent for Me. And when did Abraham keep silent? It was when I told him, "Through Isaac shall your seed be called" (Genesis 21:12), and then I said to him, "Take him up as an offering" (Genesis 22:2), and he kept silent, as it is said, "But as for me, I am like the deaf, I do not hear" (Psalms 38:14). So I too keep silent for him, 'I keep silent only for you.' Even though he spoke harshly to Me and spoke of acts of heroism and grace, I still consider him pleasing. But what acts of heroism did he speak of? It was when he approached Me (Genesis 18:23-33). Rabbi Judah says, the term 'he approached' (vayigash) can only mean a warlike approach, as it is said, 'And Joab approached, and the people that were with him, for the battle' (2 Samuel 10:13). And Rabbi Nehemiah says, it can only mean a request, as it is said, 'Then Judah approached him' (Genesis 44:18). And the Sages say, it can only mean prayer, as it is said, 'And when the meal offering was presented, he approached and completed' (1 Chronicles 23:30). God said to him, 'No, no, may it never be that they should say, "This is God's way, to subject His creatures to cruelty." In the generation of the Flood, and in the generation of the Dispersion, I did not restrain My wrath, but with you, may it never be.'" God said to him, "What do you decree? Come and I will show you all the generations that I have lost, and I will show you that I did not collect from them according to their sins, but rather less than deserved. And if you think that I have acted unfairly, teach me and I will act fairly from now on, as it is said, 'Without you seeing me, I will see what I have done. If I have done wrong, I will no longer do so' (Job 34:32). Without you seeing me, I will see what I have done without you, and I will see," they said. "From now on, if I have done wrong, I will not do so anymore." Abraham said to him, "You do not pass judgment on a creature, as it is said, 'Therefore, you men of understanding, hear me: Far be it from God to do wickedness, and from the Almighty to do wrong. For according to the work of a man he will repay him' (Job 34:10-11). Therefore, God forbid."

“The Lord said to Abram, after Lot parted from him: Raise now your eyes, and look from the place where you are, northward, and southward, and eastward, and westward” (Genesis 13:14).
“The Lord said to Abram…” – Rabbi Yuda says: There was anger towards our forefather Abraham when he distanced his nephew Lot from him. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘He attaches himself to everyone else,⁴¹Abraham always sought to bring people closer to God. but to his own kinsman, Lot, he does not attach himself?’ Rabbi Neḥemya said: [On the contrary,] The Holy One blessed be He was angry while Lot was traveling with Abraham our forefather. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I said to him: “To your descendants I have given this land” (Genesis 15:18), and he attaches Lot to him, so that he should inherit [from] him? If so, let him go and find two foundlings in the street and bequeath to them what is his, as he wishes for his nephew.’ That is what is written: “Banish the scoffer, and strife will depart” (Proverbs 22:10). “Banish the scoffer” – this refers to Lot; “and strife will depart” – “there was a quarrel between the herdsmen of Abram’s [livestock and the herdsmen of Lot’s livestock]….” “And contention and disgrace will cease” (Proverbs 22:10) – “Please, let there not be a quarrel [between me and you]….” “One who loves purity of heart, he who has grace on his lips, his friend is a king” (Proverbs 22:11) – the Holy One blessed be He loves whoever is pure of heart. “He who has grace on his lips, the king is his friend” – this refers to Abraham, who was faultless and pure of heart and became one who loved the Omnipresent, as it is stated: “Descendants of Abraham who loved Me” (Isaiah 41:8). Because he had “grace on his lips,” as it is stated: “Speaking of his feats, and the grace of his speech” (Job 41:4), the Holy One blessed be He became like a friend to him, saying to him: “To your descendants I have given this land” (Genesis 15:18).