1
and opened a discourse on the verse: “O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted”, etc. (Mich. 6, 3). ‘God’, he said, ‘is merciful to his sons like a father to his son. A father beats his son and yet he does not leave his evil ways. He rebukes him, and still he does not listen to him. Says the father to himself: I will no longer treat my son as I have done hitherto. When I beat him, his head is hurt and his pain is my pain. When I rebuke him, his face becomes distorted. What, then, shall I do? I will go and plead with him, and speak gently to him so that he will not be vexed.
2
So God tries all ways with Israel. He begins to beat them, but they pay no attention; he rebukes them and they pay no attention. He then says: I see that my beating has hurt their head. Alas, because I also feel their pain, as it is written, “In all their trouble he had trouble” (Isa. 63, 9). If I rebuke them, their looks are distorted, as it is written, “Their visage is blacker than a coal, they are not known in the streets” (Lam. 4, 8). Now, therefore, I will plead with them gently, “My people, what have I done with thee and wherein have I wearied thee?” My son, my only one, beloved of my soul, see what I have done for thee. I have made thee ruler over all the inmates of my palace; I have made thee ruler over all the kings of the world; and if I have done aught different to thee, “testify against me.
3
My people, remember, I pray thee, what Balak king of Moab counselled”, etc.’1The last 35 lines of the Hebrew text are not found in our translation.