Midrash Tanchuma, Vaera 9:1

פַּרְעֹה הָיָה אֶחָד מֵאַרְבָּעָה בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁעָשׂוּ עַצְמָן אֱלֹהוֹת וְנִבְעֲלוּ כַּנָּשִׁים, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: חִירָם וּנְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר וְיוֹאָשׁ וּפַרְעֹה. חִירָם מִנַּיִן? דִּכְתִיב: בֶּן אָדָם אֱמֹר לִנְגִיד צֹר כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי אֱלֹקִים יַעַן גָּבַהּ לִבְּךָ וַתֹּאמֶר אֵל אָנִי (יחזקאל כח, ב). וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁנִּבְעַל כַּנָּשִׁים? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: גָּבַהּ לִבְּךָ בְּיָפְיֶךָ שִׁחַתָּ חָכְמָתְךָ עַל יִפְעָתֶךָ עַל אֶרֶץ הִשְׁלַכְתִּיךָ לִפְנֵי מְלָכִים נְתַתִּיךָ לְרַאֲוָה בָּךְ (יחזקאל כח, יז), לְרַעֲוָא בָּךְ, יַעַבְדוּן רְעוּתְהוֹן בָּךְ. Pharaoh was one of the four men who claimed to be divine and indulged in intercourse after the manner of women. They were Hiram, Nebuchadnezzar, Joash, and Pharaoh. We know about Hiram, for it is written: Son of a man, say to the prince of Tyre: “Thus saith the Lord God: Because thy heart is lifted up, and thou hast said: I am a God” (Ezek. 28:1). Whence do we know that he had intercourse like a woman? We know this from the verse: Thy heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness; I have cast thee to the ground, I have laid thee for kings that they gaze upon thee (ibid., v. 17) in order to satisfy their sexual desires through you.

נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר מִנַּיִן שֶׁעָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ? דִּכְתִיב: אֶעֱלֶה עַל בָּמֳתֵי עָב אֶדַּמֶּה לְעֶלְיוֹן (ישעיה יד, יד). אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: רָשָׁע, אַךְ אֶל שְׁאוֹל תּוּרָד אֶל יַרְכְּתֵי בוֹר (ישעיה יד, טו). מֶה עָשָׂה לוֹ? הִגְלָהוּ לַמִּדְבָּר עַד שֶׁהוּא בְּמַלְכוּתוֹ וְהֶאֱכִילוֹ עֵשֶׂב כַּבְּהֵמָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: עִשְׂבָּא כְתוֹרִין לָךְ יְטַעֲמוּן, וְשִׁבְעָה עִדָּנִין יַחְלְפוּן עֲלָךְ (דניאל ד, כב). וְהָיוּ בְּהֵמוֹת וְחַיּוֹת רוֹאִין אוֹתוֹ בִּדְמוּת בְּהֵמָה וְהוֹלְכִין וּבוֹעֲלִין אוֹתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְשֹׁד בְּהֵמוֹת יְחִיתַן (חבקוק ב, יד). יְחִיתַן, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: לֹא תִתְחַתֵּן בָּם. וְעַל כָּל זֹאת וּלְבַב אֱנִישׁ יְהִיב לֵהּ, שֶׁהָיָה יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהוּא מֶלֶךְ עַל כָּל הָעוֹלָם, וְהַיּוֹם נִבְעָל לַחַיּוֹת וְלַבְּהֵמוֹת. וּכְתִיב בֵּהּ: וְלִקְצַת יוֹמַיָּא אֲנָה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר עַיְנַי לִשְׁמַיָּא נִטְלֵת וּמַנְדְּעִי עֲלַי יְתוּב וּלְעִלָּאָה בָּרְכֵת וּלְחַי עָלְמָא שַׁבְּחֵת וְהַדְּרֵת דִּי שָׁלְטָנֵהּ שָׁלְטָן עָלַם וּמַלְכוּתֵהּ עִם דָּר וְדָר (דניאל ד, לא). We know that Nebuchadnezzar claimed divinity, because it is written: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High (Isa. 14:14). Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Wretch! Yet thou shalt be brought down to the netherworld, to the uttermost parts of the pit (ibid., v. 15). What did He do to him? He exiled him into the desert though he was a king, and compelled him to eat grass like a beast, as it is said: Thou shalt be made to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee (Dan. 4:29). To the beasts and the cattle he appeared like a female beast, and they had intercourse with him, as it is said: The destruction of the beast, which made them afraid (yehitan) (Hab. 2:17). This corresponds to what is stated in the verse Neither shalt thou make marriages (tithaten) with them (Deut. 7:3). Nevertheless, a human heart was given to him so that he might realize that he had once ruled the entire world, and now was having intercourse with beasts and animals. And it is written about him: And at the end of the days, I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up my eyes unto heaven, and my understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honored Him that liveth forever (Dan. 4:31).

יוֹאָשׁ מִנַּיִן שֶׁעָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ? דִּכְתִיב: וְאַחֲרֵי מוֹת יְהוֹיָדָע בָּאוּ שָׂרֵי יְהוּדָה וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲוּוּ לַמֶּלֶךְ, אָז שָׁמַע הַמֶּלֶךְ אֲלֵיהֶם (דה״‎ב כד, יז). מַהוּ וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לַמֶּלֶךְ? שֶׁעֲשָׂאוּהוּ אֱלוֹהַּ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אִלּוּלֵי שֶׁאַתָּה אֱלוֹהַּ, לֹא יָצָאתָ לְאַחַר שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים מִבֵּית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים. אָמַר לָהֶם: כָּךְ הוּא, וְקִבֵּל עַל עַצְמוֹ לֵעָשׂוֹת אֱלוֹהַּ. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁנִּבְעַל כַּנָּשִׁים? דִּכְתִיב: וַיְהִי לִתְקוּפַת הַשָּׁנָה עָלָה עָלָיו חֵיל אֲרָם וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלַיִם וְגוֹ' וְאֶת יוֹאָשׁ עָשׂוּ שְׁפָטִים (דה״‎ב כד, כג כד). אַל תְּהֵא קוֹרֵא שְׁפָטִים אֶלָּא שִׁפּוּטִים. וּכְתִיב: וּבְלֶכְתָּם מִמֶּנּוּ כִּי עָזְבוּ אֹתוֹ בְּמַחֲלֻיִים רַבִּים, הִתְקַשְּׁרוּ עָלָיו עֲבָדָיו בִּדְמֵי בְּנֵי יְהוֹיָדָע הַכֹּהֵן וַיַּהַרְגֻהוּ עַל מִטָּתוֹ וַיָּמֹת וַיִּקְבְּרֻהוּ בְּעִיר דָּוִיד וְלֹא קְבָרֻהוּ בְּקִבְרוֹת הַמְּלָכִים (דה״‎ב כד, כה). We know that Joash claimed divinity since it is written: Now after the death of Jehoiada came the princes of Judah and prostrated themselves before the king. Then the king harkened unto them (II Chron. 24:17). What is the meaning of prostrated themselves before the king? They treated him like a god. They said to him: “If you were not a god, you would not have departed from the Holy of Holies (unharmed) after seven years.” He replied: “So shall it be.” And he agreed to proclaim himself a god. But whence do we know that he engaged in intercourse like a woman? It is written: And it came to pass, when the year was come about, that the army of the Arameans came up against him; and they came to Judah and Jerusalem … so they executed judgment upon Joash (ibid., vv. 23–24). This should not be read as shefatim (“judgment”) but rather as shipputim (“lust”). It is also written: And when they departed from him—for they left him in great diseases—his own servants conspired against him for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest, and slew him on his bed, and he died; and they buried him in the city of David, but they buried him not in the sepulchers of the kings (ibid., v. 25).

פַּרְעֹה מִנַּיִן שֶׁנִּבְעַל כַּנָּשִׁים? שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כֹּה אָמַר ה' הִנְנִי נֹתֵן אֶת פַּרְעֹה חָפְרַע מֶלֶךְ מִצְרַיִם בְּיַד אֹיְבָיו (ירמיה מד, ל). מַהוּ חָפְרַע? שֶׁהָיָה זָכָר וּפָרַע עַצְמוֹ כַּנְּקֵבָה. חָפְרַע, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אֲמַר: וּפָרַע אֶת רֹאשׁ הָאִשָּׁה (במדבר ה, יח). וְכֵן הַנָּבִיא אוֹמֵר: בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יִהְיֶה מִצְרַיִם כַּנָּשִׁים (ישעיה יט, טז) וּמִי גָּרַם לוֹ? עַל שֶׁאָמַר לִי יְאֹרִי וַאֲנִי עֲשִׂיתִנִי. לְפִיכָךְ אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה, רְאֵה נְתַתִּיךָ אֱלֹהִים לְפַרְעֹה. לָמָּה, כִּי גָבֹהַּ מֵעַל גָּבֹהּ שֹׁמֵר וּגְבֹהִים עֲלֵיהֶם (קהלת ה, ז). אָמַר לוֹ: רְאֵה נְתַתִּיךָ אֱלֹהִים לְפַרְעֹה, לֵךְ וַעֲשֵׂה מִי שֶׁעָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ אֱלוֹהַּ שֶׁחָץ בָּעוֹלָם עַל שֶׁהִגְבִּיהַּ עַצְמוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֵת כָּל גָּבֹהַּ יִרְאֶה הוּא מֶלֶךְ עַל כָּל בְּנֵי שָׁחַץ (איוב מא, כו). Whence do we know that Pharaoh had intercourse like a woman? It is said: Thus said the Lord: “Behold, I will give Pharaoh Hophra, king of Egypt. into the hand of his enemies (Jer. 44:30). What is meant by Hophra? Though he was a male, he “disrobed himself like a female” (para), as in the verse: And he shall let the hair of the woman’s head go loose (ufara) (Num. 5:18). Similarly, the prophet said: In that day shall Egypt be like unto woman (Isa. 19:16). Why? Because he had said: My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself (Ezek. 29:3). Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: See, I have set thee in God’s stead before Pharaoh. Why did He do this? He did this, For one higher than the high watcheth, and there are higher than they (Eccles. 5:7). He said to him: See, I have set thee in God’s stead to Pharaoh. Go, make him, who proclaimed himself divine, an abomination in the world for exalting himself, as it is said: He looketh at all high things; he is king over all the sons of abomination (Job 41:26).

וְכִי גָּבוֹהַּ רוֹאֶה וְהַשָּׁפָל אֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה. וְהָא כְּתִיב: עֵינֵי ה' הֵמָּה מְשׁוֹטְטִים בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ (זכריה ד, י). אֶלָּא אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה: אֵלּוּ הַגַּאַוְתָנִין שֶׁעוֹשִׂין עַצְמָן אֱלוֹהוֹת, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה מֵהֶן שֶׁחָצִים בָּעוֹלָם, כְּגוֹן נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, וּמִן בְּנֵי אֲנָשָׁא טְרִיד וְלִבְבֵהּ עִם חֵיוְתָא שַׁוִּיוּ וְעִם עֲרָדַיָּא מְדוֹרֵהּ וְעִשְׂבָּא כְתוֹרִין יְטַעֲמוּנֵהּ וּמִטַּל שְׁמַיָּא גִּשְׁמֵהּ יִצְטַבַּע עַד דִּי יְדַע דִּי שַׁלִּיט עִלָּאָה בְּמַלְכוּת אֲנָשָׁא וּלְמַן דִּין יִצְבֵּא יִתְּנִנַּהּ. Does God observe only those who are high and not those that are humble? Indeed not! For it is written: They are the eyes of the Lord, that run to and fro through the whole earth (Zech. 4:10). Rather R. Berechiah declared: This verse refers to the arrogant people who call themselves divine. The Holy One, blessed be He, causes them to become an abomination throughout the world, as in the case of Nebuchadnezzar: And he was driven from the sons of men, and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses; he was fed with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; until he knew that God Most High ruleth in the kingdom of man, and that He setteth up over it whomsoever He will (Dan. 5:21).

וְכֵן סַנְחֵרִיב נִתְגָּאָה וְנַעֲשָׂה שֶׁחָץ בָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיְהִי בַּלַּיְלָה הַהוּא וַיֵּצֵא מַלְאָךְ ה' וַיַּךְ בְּמַחֲנֵה אַשּׁוּר מֵאָה שְׁמוֹנִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה אָלֶף וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ בַבֹּקֶר וְהִנֵּה כֻלָּם פְּגָרִים מֵתִים (מלכים ב יט, לה). לְכָךְ כְּתִיב: אֶת כָּל גָּבֹהַּ יִרְאֶה, שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַרְאֶה שַׁחַץ שֶׁל גַּאַוְתָנִים לְכָל הַבְּרִיּוֹת. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אִם יִסָּתֵר אִישׁ בַּמִּסְתָּרִים וַאֲנִי לֹא אֶרְאֶנּוּ נְאֻם ה' וְגוֹ' (ירמיה כג, כד). Similarly, Sennacherib exalted himself and became an abomination throughout the world, as it is said: And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrian a hundred fourscore and five thousand; and when men arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses (II Kings 19:35). Hence, it is written: He looketh at all high things (Job 41:26), for the Holy One, blessed be He, reveals to all mankind the abominations of the arrogant. Thus it is written: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Can anyone hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? (Jer. 23:24).

אָמַר רַבִּי בִּנְיָמִין בַּר לֵוִי: אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: יֵשֵׁב אָדָם בְּזָוִית בֵּיתוֹ וְיַעֲסֹק בַּתּוֹרָה, אֲנִי מַרְאֵהוּ לַבְּרִיּוֹת. בְּיוֹתֵר אִם יַטְמִין אָדָם עַצְמוֹ לַעֲבֹד עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אוֹ לַעֲבֹר עֲבֵרָה, שֶׁאֲנִי מַרְאֵהוּ לַבְּרִיּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אִם יִסָּתֵר אִישׁ בַּמִּסְתָּרִים וַאֲנִי לֹא אֶרְאֶנּוּ נְאֻם ה'. R. Benjamin the son of Levi explained: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: When a man sits in a corner of his house and devotes himself to the Torah, I reveal him to all mankind; surely if a man hides himself in order to commit idolatry or to sin, I will expose him before mankind. Can anyone hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?

וּמַהוּ? הֲלוֹא אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ אֲנִי מָלֵא. (ירמיה כג, כד) אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא: אֲנִי מְמַלֵּא מִמֶּנּוּ הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וְהַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וּמַרְאֶה שִׁבְחָן לַבְּרִיּוֹת. לְפִיכָךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה רְאֵה נְתַתִּיךָ אֱלֹהִים לְפַרְעֹה, לָמָּה? כִּי גָּבֹהַּ מֵעַל גָּבֹהַּ וְגוֹ'. (קהלת ה, ז). אָמַר לוֹ: רְאֵה נְתַתִּיךָ אֱלֹהִים לְפַרְעֹה, לֵךְ וְהִפָּרַע מִמֶּנּוּ וְהָבֵא עָלָיו עֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת. אָמַר לוֹ: הֵיאַךְ אָבִיא עָלָיו אֶת הַמַּכּוֹת? אָמַר לוֹ: אֶת הַמַּטֶּה הַזֶּה תִּקַּח בְּיָדֶךָ. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה: הַמַּטֶּה מִשְׁקַל אַרְבָּעִים סְאָה הָיָה, וְשֶׁל סַנְפִּירִינוֹן הָיָה, וְעֶשֶׂר מַכּוֹת חֲקוּקוֹת עָלָיו נוֹטָרִיקוֹן דְּצַ״‎ךְ עֲדַ״‎שׁ בְּאַחַ ״‎ב. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: בַּטַּקְסִין הַזֶּה הָבֵא עָלָיו אֶת הַמַּכּוֹת. What is the meaning of the verse Do not I fill heaven and earth? (ibid.) R. Hama the son of Hanina declared: I will fill the upper regions (with those who do good) and the lower regions (with those who do evil), and I will reveal their behavior to mankind. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: See, I have set thee in God’s stead to Pharaoh. Why? For one higher than the high watcheth, and there are higher than they (Eccles. 5:7). He said to him: See, I have set thee in God’s stead to Pharaoh. Go take vengeance and bring the ten plagues upon him. He asked: How shall I bring the plagues upon him? Take this staff in your hand was the reply.¹⁰The article ha (“the”) in the word “the staff” in the biblical text makes this explanation possible. R. Judah stated that the staff weighted forty seah and was made of sapphires. The ten plagues were engraved upon it in abbreviated form: DeTZaK ‘aDaSH Be’aHaB.¹¹The Haggadah for Passover tells us that it was R. Judah who formulated the abbreviation. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this order you shall inflict the plagues upon him.