מדרש אויף משלי 18:10

Another interpretation: “This month shall be for you” (Exodus 12:2) – that is what is written: “He sent Moses His servant, and Aaron whom He had chosen” (Psalms 105:26). When the Holy One blessed be He entered, as it were, He afflicted all their firstborn and their gods, as it is stated: “I afflicted Egypt” (Joshua 24:5), and likewise: “Upon their gods the Lord administered judgments” (Numbers 33:4). When He afflicted them with the plague of the firstborn, what did they do? They took their sons and concealed them in their temples of idol worship. Rabbi Berekhya said: The Egyptians were seeking and searching how to escape the plague but could not find [a way]. Why? It is as it is stated: “And the eyes of the wicked will fail, and escape is lost from them” (Job 11:20). “The wicked” – these are the Egyptians, as it is stated: “And I and my people are wicked” (Exodus 9:27). What caused them to be afflicted by each plague? It was because they put their trust in their false gods. What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He smote their gods with them. Those that were made of wood rotted; [those] of stone dissolved; [those] of silver and of gold, He melted them into what they were originally, as it is stated: “Upon their gods the Lord administered judgments” (Numbers 33:4).
All the idols in the world were eliminated except for their Baal Tzefon. Why? It was in order to mislead them; that is why it is written: “He exalts the nations and eliminates them” (Job 12:23). Likewise, Isaiah says: “Who makes a way in the sea.… Who takes out chariot and horse, army and a mighty force” (Isaiah 43:16–17). When Israel departed from Egypt, the Holy One blessed be He said: “That they should return and encamp before Pi Haḥirot” (Exodus 14:2). “Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel: They are confused in the land; [the wilderness has closed in [sagar] on them]” (Exodus 14:3). He called all his armies and said to them: ‘Do you not know that Baal Tzefon has gathered all the lions in the wilderness against Israel, similar to the matter that is stated: “He sent an angel and closed [usegar] the mouth of the lions”’ (Daniel 6:23). Immediately, the angel of Egypt came down to eliminate them [the Israelites], as it is stated: “Behold, Egypt was traveling after them” (Exodus 14:10). It is not stated: Pharaoh traveling after them, but rather, “Egypt” – that is their angel. Immediately, [the Israelites] “were very frightened” (Exodus 14:10). The Holy One blessed be He said to them: “Do not fear” (Exodus 14:13).
The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “Extend your hand over the sea” (Exodus 14:26). Immediately, “Moses extended his hand” (Exodus 14:27). “Egypt was fleeing toward it [the sea]” (Exodus 14:27) – it should have said: Egypt was fleeing from it. Is there a person who flees from an entity and flees toward it? Rather, the Holy One blessed be He misled them, and they could not find where to flee, and they were fleeing toward it until the depths were reestablished, as it is stated: “The Lord tossed Egypt in the midst of the sea” (Exodus 14:27), while the Divine Spirit was crying: “And the eyes of the wicked will fail and escape is lost from them” (Job 11:20). Regarding Baal Tzefon, upon which they relied, it is stated: “And their hope will turn into despair” (Job 11:20). So, in the future, when all the idolaters will enter [for judgment], bringing their false gods with them to rescue them, as it is stated: “For all the peoples will walk, each in the name of its god, but we will walk in the name of the Lord our God, for ever and ever” (Micah 4:5). When they come, what does the Holy One blessed be He do with them [the idols]? He melts them. And they see and are embarrassed, and they cast them away, and they go and conceal themselves in caves and among the boulders.
Likewise, Isaiah says: “For it is a day for the Lord of hosts against everyone proud and lofty” (Isaiah 2:12) – these are their priests. “The false gods shall utterly pass away” (Isaiah 2:18) – what will they [the priests of the false gods] do? They will go and conceal themselves, as it is stated: “They will come into caves of rocks, and into tunnels of dirt” (Isaiah 2:19). And it is written: On that day a person will cast away the idols of his silver and the idols of his gold” (Isaiah 2:20). The Holy One blessed be He will say to them: ‘Are you fleeing? Look what I have caused to be written: “Though they hide themselves on top of Carmel, I will search from there” (Amos 9:3). Ḥiel, who concealed himself for the Baal on Mount Carmel and [attempted] to ignite the wood, did not I smite him?⁴⁰According to a midrash, when Elijah challenged the priests of the Baal on Mount Carmel (I Kings, chap. 18), Ḥiel hid in order to kindle the Baal’s sacrifice surreptitiously and was bitten by a snake. See addendum to Devarim Rabba (Lieberman). “Though they hide from before My eyes…[from there I will command the serpent and it will bite them]” (Amos 9:3). And it says: “If they dig into the grave, [from there My hand will take them, and if they ascend heavenward, from there will I take them down]”’ (Amos 9:2). At that moment: “And the eyes of the wicked will fail” (Job 11:20). But regarding the righteous it says: “The name of the Lord is a tower of strength” (Proverbs 18:10).

"Deliver me from my disputes, so that I will not be judged by them. Ben Azzai said that David said, 'It is better for me to rule over the entire world than to rule over two rolls of bedding.' The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, 'David, My servant, I will make you a ruler over nations.' 'Deliver me from my enemies from Babylon, and from those who rise up against me from Media. Raise me from the gate of death, and rescue me from the hands of the violent.' Therefore, I will praise You among the nations, O Lord. He who magnifies the salvation of His king and does kindness to His anointed, to David. What is written after him? 'The heavens declare the glory of God.' And likewise, when the Holy One, blessed be He, prepares the throne of David, everyone rejoices, as it is said, 'I will establish your seed forever.' What is written after that? 'The heavens praise Your wonders, O Lord.' One verse says 'magnifies' and one verse says 'great'. Rabbi Yudan said that the redemption of this nation will not come all at once but little by little. And what is 'magnifies'? It is because it grows and goes before Israel. Because they are now burdened with great troubles, and if redemption were to come all at once, they could not bear a great salvation that comes from great troubles. Therefore, it comes little by little and grows and goes. And therefore, redemption is compared to dawn, as it is said, 'Then your light will break forth like the dawn.' And why is it compared to dawn? Because there is no greater darkness than the one before dawn. And if the wheel of the sun rises at that moment, all creatures are captured. But the dawn rises and illuminates the world first, and then the wheel of the sun rises and illuminates, and no creature is captured. As it is said, 'The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, shining brighter and brighter until midday.' And what is 'great', which is done for them when the Messiah comes, as a tower, as it is said, 'He is great in salvation, his king.' And it is written, 'A tower of strength is the name of the Lord, to which the righteous run and are elevated.'"

(Gen. 20:1:) THEN ABRAHAM JOURNEYED FROM THERE. This text is related (to Ps. 26:4f.): I HAVE NOT DWELT WITH FALSE PEOPLE… I HAVE HATED THE COMMUNITY OF EVILDOERS, < AND WILL NOT DWELL WITH THE WICKED >. I HAVE NOT DWELT WITH FALSE PEOPLE. These are the people of the Tower < of Babel >, who were < in fact > false people. They went and said to Abraham: Come and dwell with us, since you are a valiant man, for we see that the Holy One has made his dwelling above and left us below. The Holy Spirit, however, cries out (in Is. 57:20): BUT THE WICKED ARE LIKE THE TROUBLED SEA. You could not dwell in security even for one hour. (Ps. 82:5:) THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN, AND THEY WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; THEY WILL WALK ABOUT IN DARKNESS. THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN. This is the generation of Enosh⁹⁶See Gen. 4:26, which rabbinic texts interpret to mean that in the days of Enosh people began practicing idolatry. AND THEY WILL NOT UNDERSTAND. [This is] the generation of the flood. THEY WILL WALK ABOUT IN DARKNESS. This is the generation of the Tower < of Babel >. Abraham said to them: What are you seeking from the Holy One who dwells above? Has he perhaps said to you: Come, labor and provide⁹⁷Gk.: pronoos, i.e., “thinking beforehand.” for me? He creates, and he provides; he makes, and he sustains. What do you want from him? (Gen. 11:4:) {THEY SAID TO HIM} [THEN THEY SAID]: COME, LET US BUILD FOR OURSELVES A CITY AND A TOWER. Then let us place our idols above him and make war with him. It is so stated (ibid., cont.): AND LET US MAKE A NAME (i.e., a god) FOR OURSELVES.⁹⁸See M.Pss. 74:2. Thus it is < also > written (in Exod. 23:13): YOU SHALL NOT MENTION THE NAME OF OTHER GODS. Abraham said to them: What are all these for? They said to him: Lest he do to us something like what he did to earlier generations. He said to them: You have forsaken (what Prov. 18:10 calls) A TOWER OF STRENGTH, THE NAME OF THE LORD; yet you say: AND LET US MAKE A NAME (i.e., a god) FOR OURSELVES! What did the Holy One do? He dispersed them, as stated (in Gen. 11:8): SO THE LORD DISPERSED THEM. Now to what extent had they built and ascended the Tower? The Holy One was deriding them, as stated (in Ps. 2:4): THE ONE WHO DWELLS IN THE HEAVENS WILL LAUGH; < THE LORD WILL DERIDE THEM >. When they had gone up above on the Tower, < there follows > immediately (in vs. 5): THEN HE WILL SPEAK UNTO THEM IN HIS WRATH…. So it (the Tower) fell from on high, as stated (in Ps. 5:11 [10]): CONDEMN THEM, O GOD, LET THEM FALL BY THEIR OWN COUNSELS. Thus Abraham had no dealings with them. Then the Holy One looked down upon them and saw them, as stated (in Ps. 53: 3f. [2f.]): {THE LORD} [GOD] OF HEAVEN LOOKED DOWN UPON THE CHILDREN OF ADAM … ALL OF THEM ARE DROSS…. When they became dross, they made themselves deities. (Ibid., cont.:) THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, NOT EVEN ONE. From here you learn that Abraham was not one of them. The ONE mentioned here is none but Abraham, as stated (in Ezek. 33:24): ABRAHAM WAS ONE AND HE INHERITED THE LAND. Abraham began saying (in Ps. 26:4f.): I HAVE NOT DWELT WITH FALSE PEOPLE; I HAVE HATED THE COMMUNITY OF EVILDOERS. It is therefore stated (in Gen. 20:1): THEN ABRAHAM JOURNEYED FROM THERE.