מדרש אויף ישעיהו 41:3

And all who help Israel, help, as it were, the Holy One Blessed be He, viz. (Judges 5:23) "Curse Meroz, said the angel of the L–rd. Curse bitterly its dwellers. For they came not to the aid of the L–rd, to the aid of the L–rd among the warriors." He who rises up against Your children rises up against You. And who were they (who rose up against Him?) (Genesis 14:9) "Kedarlaomer and Tidal king of Goyim, etc." (Ibid. 15) "And he (Avram) deployed against them at night, he and his servants, and he smote them." And thus is it written (Isaiah 41:2-3) "Who roused (the exemplar of) righteousness, (i.e., Avram) from the east, summoned him to His service? … He pursues them. He passes on, unscathed." And thus is it written (Psalms 110:1-5) "This is the word of the L–rd to my master (David). Sit at My right hand until I make your foes your footstool. The sceptre of your strength will the L–rd send from Zion. Your people will offer themselves on the day of (the gathering of) your army. The L–rd has sworn and He will not retract … The L–rd is at your right hand, etc." You magnified Yourself greatly against Pharaoh and his army, viz. (Exodus 14:7) "And he (Pharaoh) took six hundred choice chariots, etc." — (Ibid. 15:4) "The chariots of Pharaoh and his host He cast into the sea."

[3] Alternative interpretation: "After these events, what is written above the matter? 'And Abraham heard that his brother was taken captive'." (Genesis 14:14). And although his brother was Lot, after all the strife that they had, as it says "And there was strife between the herdsmen of Abram's cattle and the herdsmen of Lot's cattle" (Genesis 13:7), Abram still referred to Lot as his brother, as it says "For we are brothers" (Genesis 13:8). "And he armed his trained servants" (Genesis 14:14). From here we learn that Abram took silver, gold, and jewelry and adorned them, and said to them, "We are going to war to save Lot. Do not focus on wealth. If you are going for the sake of silver and gold, there is plenty before you." As it says, "And he armed his trained servants." And "armed" can only mean adorned with silver and gold, as it says "Her wings are covered with silver, and her pinions with yellow gold" (Psalms 68:14). Alternatively, "armed" means empty-handed, as it is written in the Torah, "Who is the man that is fearful and soft-heated?" (Deuteronomy 20:8), Abraham acted similarly. He said to his troops, "You are going out to war, but anyone who has sins in his hand and is afraid of his deeds should not go out with us." When all those men heard this, anyone who knew in his heart that he had sinned did not go out with Abraham, and they all turned back except for Eliezer who was righteous. Then, God said to Abraham, "He will go with you, and I will give him the strength of 318 men, so it will be as if all of them went out with you." Similarly, Eliezer's strength was equivalent to 318 men. And Abraham pursued [the kings] as far as Dan (Genesis 14:14). Why did he pursue them all the way to Dan? Our sages said that there are two things that are punished, those who plant a tree in the Sabbatical year and those who sell the produce of the Sabbatical year. Similarly, Abraham punished them before and after the prohibition [against such actions] came into effect. And how did he do so before [the prohibition was enacted]? Until now, when Jeroboam, the son of Nebat, would establish an idol in Dan, as it is said, "And he put one in Beth-El and the other he placed in Dan" (1 Kings 12:29). Abraham had already arrived at that place and did not pursue them any further, as it is written, "And he pursued them as far as Dan, and he recovered all the goods" (Genesis 14:15).. What did he see in pursuing them to Dan? Our sages said two things strike those who are before and after, as in the case of the "sabbatical year" where one who plants before it and after it is liable. Similarly, Abraham pursued them before and after, but how did he pursue them until now when Jeroboam son of Nebat set up a sanctuary in Dan, as it says, "And he placed the one in Bethel [and the other he put in Dan]" (1 Kings 12:29)? Abraham had already reached that place and did not pursue them anymore, as it says, "And he pursued them to Dan and he divided himself against them by night" (Genesis 14:15). The Holy One, blessed be He, did this for Abraham, as it says, "And it came to pass that at midnight the Lord smote" (Exodus 12:29), "And he brought back all the goods" (Genesis 14:16), "Then the king of Sodom went out to meet him" (Genesis 14:17). When the king of Sodom saw Abraham coming to pursue him, he was playing with him, as it says, "All those who see me will mock me" (Psalms 22:8). This was the king who went out to pursue sixteen kings and their armies. When he returned safely, he said, "Let them pass in peace" (Isaiah 43:3). "Then the king of Sodom went out to meet him" (Genesis 14:17), and said to him, "Give me the persons" (Genesis 14:21). Abraham immediately swore to him, as it says, "I have lifted my hand" (Genesis 14:22), and lifting one's hand is an oath, as it says, "He raised his right hand and his left hand to heaven [and swore by the living God]" (Daniel 12:7). "If from a thread" (Genesis 14:23), why did the Holy One, blessed be He, promise to tithe me, as it says, "And I will bless those who bless you" (Genesis 12:3)? "And I will curse him who curses you" (Genesis 12:3). I am poorer than you. You should say, "I enriched you." "If from a thread" (Genesis 14:23). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "You said, 'If from a thread.' I will give your children a thread of righteousness that will encompass them, just as the sages have explained." "I give your children the commandment of tzitzit which is made of thread, as it says 'they shall make for themselves fringes' (Numbers 15:38). You said until shoelace, I give your children the commandment of shoe removal, as it says 'he shall remove his shoe' (Deuteronomy 25:9). Additionally, I give your children the merit of the Passover commandment, as it says 'you shall eat it with your loins girded, your sandals on your feet' (Exodus 12:11). If you said from thread, I praise your children with the thread, as it says 'your hair is like a flock of goats' (Song of Songs 4:2). Moreover, in the merit of this, I punish their enemies, as it says 'over Edom I cast my shoe' (Psalms 60:9). If you said until shoelace, I praise your children with their footwear, as it says 'how beautiful are your steps in sandals' (Song of Songs 7:1). You have rejected the reward of flesh and blood, see the reward that is prepared for you, as it says 'your reward is very great' (Genesis 15:1)."

He is fearful refers to Abraham, for he was told: Fear not. Whom did Abraham fear? He was afraid of Shem, the son of Noah, for he had slain the descendant of Elam, and Elam was one of Shem’s sons, as it is written: The sons of Shem: Elam, Asshur, etc. (Gen. 10:22). He was terrified because he had killed him. He said to himself: “I have slain the son of this righteous man, now he will curse me and I shall die.” The Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Fear not, for not only will he not curse you, but he will go forth to meet you bearing gifts and will bless you, as it is said: And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought forth bread and wine … and he blessed him, and said: “… blessed be God the Most High, who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand” (Gen. 14:18–20). What is the meaning of the word migen (“delivered”)? It indicates that the Holy One, blessed be He, performed a miraculous feat (manganah) when He delivered (migen) your enemies into your hand. Abraham grasped the dust and hurled it at his enemies, and the Holy One, blessed be He, converted the dust into arrows, bows, and spears, as it is said: His sword maketh them as the dust, His bow as the driven stubble. He pursueth them and passeth on safely (Isa. 41:2–3).