With ten Divine Statements the world was created. And what does this come to teach? Is it not evident that it could have been created with one Divine Statement? Rather, [it is] to hold liable the wicked who destroy the world that was created with ten Di-vine Statements, and to bestow optimal reward upon the righteous who sustain the world that was created with ten Divine Statements.

[There were] ten generations from Adam to Noah. [This is] to show how much patience [exists] before Him, for all those gen-erations angered [God] increasingly, until He brought upon them the waters of the Flood.  [There were] ten generations from Noah to Abraham. [This is] to show how much patience exists before Him, for all those generations were increasingly contemptuous [before God], until Abraham came and took upon himself the reward for them all.

[In] ten tests our father Abraham, peace be on him, was tested and he stood up to all of them. [This is] to make known how great is the endear- ment of our father Abraham, peace be on him.