103. Gideon was destroying all that seed of Midian, so that he left none of those who planned to harm Yisrael by counsel or in any other way. To all those that caused harm to Yisrael, the Holy One, blessed be He, will reserve hate for them and be vindictive to them. However, if good is destined to emerge from them, He will be long-suffering and extend the period of His anger to them, until that good will come into the world. Then he will carry out their sentence of vengeance. Rabbi Elazar said, That is definitely the meaning and that is the clarification of it. That child said, From here on friends, prepare your weapon to do battle.
103. וּמִדְיָן, גִּדְעוֹן שָׁצֵי כָּל הַהוּא זַרְעָא, דְּלָא אַשְׁאִיר מִנַּיְיהוּ, מִכָּל אִינּוּן דְּאַבְאִישׁוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּעֵיטָא, אוֹ בְּמִלָּה אַחֲרָא. וּלְכֻלְּהוּ דְּאַבְאִישׁוּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא נָטִיר לוֹן דְּבָבוּ, וְנָטַל מִנַּיְיהוּ נוּקְמִין. אֲבָל אִי זִמְנִין לְמֵיתֵי מִנַּיְיהוּ טַב לְעָלְמָא, אָרִיךְ רוּגְזֵיהּ וְאַפֵּיהּ עִמְּהוֹן, עַד דְּיָפִּיק הַהוּא טַב לְעָלְמָא, וּבָתַר כֵּן נָטִיל נוּקְמָא וְדִינָא מִנַּיְיהוּ. א"ר אֶלְעָזָר, הָכִי הוּא וַדַּאי, וְדָא הוּא בְּרִירוּ דְּמִלָּה. אָמַר הַהוּא יַנּוּקָא, מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה, חַבְרַיָּיא, אַתְקִינוּ מָאנֵי קְרָבָא בִּידַיְיכוּ, וְאַגָחוּ קְרָבָא.