10:9 A: As some of them tested (him).
Mishnah ʾAbot 5.4: Our ancestors tested God ten times in the
wilderness; as it says, “And they tested me ten times and did not listen to my
voice” (Num 14:22). ‖ A baraita in b. ʿArak. 15A: R. Judah (ca. 150) said, “Our
ancestors tested God (in the wilderness) with ten trials: two at the (Red) Sea,
two with water, two with manna, two with the quails, one with the calf, and one
in the wilderness of Paran. Two at the sea: once while going down and once
while coming up. While going down, as it is written, ‘Were there no graves in
Egypt (have you led us away to die in the wilderness)?’ (Exod 14:11). While
coming up, as in the view of Rab Huna († 297); for Rab Huna said, ‘The
Israelites of that time were among those of little faith קטני אמנה.’ This aligns with the opinion of Rabbah
bar Mari (ca. 320); for Rabbah bar Mari said, ‘What does “They were
recalcitrant at the sea, at the Sea of Reeds; yet he helped them for the sake
of his name” (Ps 106:7, 8) mean? This teaches that the Israelites were
recalcitrant in that hour and said, “As we come up from this side, the
Egyptians will come up from the other side!” Then God said to the archangel of
the sea, “Vomit up those ones (the Egyptians) onto dry land (so the Israelites
may see that they are dead)!” He said before him, “Lord of the world, is there
a servant who is given a gift by his master who then takes it away from him
again?” God answered him, “I will give you (as a replacement) one and a half
times as much as they number” (cf. Exod 14:7: 600 with Judg 4:3: 900). He said
before him, “Lord of the world, is there a servant who demands something from
his master (if he, e.g., forgets a promise)?” He answered him, “Let the stream
of Kishon be surety (cf. Judg 4:7ff.; 5:21)!” Immediately he vomited them up
onto dry land, as it is written, “And Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the
shore of the sea” (Exod 14:30).’ Two with water, in Marah and in Rephidim. In
Marah, as it is written, ‘And they came to Marah but could not drink the water
of Marah’ (Exod 15:23). (After this,) it is written, ‘There the people grumbled
against Moses’ (Exod 15:24). In Rephidim, as it is written, ‘They camped in
Rephidim, and there was no water to drink’ (Exod 17:1). (After this,) it is
written, ‘There the people quarreled with Moses’ (Exod 17:2). Two with manna,
as it is written, ‘You shall not go out on the seventh day’ (so the midr. cites
Exod 16:29), and they (nevertheless) went out (see Exod 16:27). Furthermore,
‘Do not let anything remain’ (so Exod 16:19 is cited), and they (nevertheless)
let some remain (see Exod 16:20). Two with the first quails and with the second
quails. With the first quails: ‘When we sat by the fleshpot’ (Exod 16:3); with
the second quails, ‘And the rabble that was among them developed a craving’ (Num
11:4). With the calf, as it is (in the narrative of Scripture). In the
wilderness of Paran (with the scouts), as it is.” (Hermann L. Strack and Paul Billerbeck, A
Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Midrash, ed. Jacob N.
Cerone, 4 vols. [trans. Andrew Bowden and Joseph Longarino; Bellingham, Wash.:
Lexham Press, 2021], 3:476)
