415. If so, it is a great honor for Egypt, because being caught by a king is different than being caught by a simple man. Even more so, since there is no nation as defiled with all sorts of impurity as Egypt, of which it is written, "Whose flesh is as the flesh of donkeys," (Yechezkel 23:20) because they are suspected of sodomy. And they issue from Ham, who did what he did to his father, who then cursed him and his son Canaan. Did not the Holy One, blessed be He, have an angel or a messenger to send to take revenge on Egypt, as he had done to Ashur who was the son of Shem, as it is written, "The children of Shem, Elam and Ashur..." (Beresheet 10:22)? And Shem was a High Priest who was blessed, as it is written, "Blessed be Hashem, the Elohim of Shem" (Beresheet 9:26). Thus, Shem received blessings and attained superiority over his brothers. Of them, it is written, "Then the angel of Hashem went forth and smote in the camp of Ashur" (Yeshayah 37:36). Therefore, this revenge was accomplished by a messenger - all the more so with Egypt, the most impure of all nations. Nevertheless, He said, "I and not an angel."