For He hath founded it upon (the) seas, And established it upon (the) floods – The earth He has established upon seas and floods for the sake of the creatures upon it; but this mountain He has not founded for all creatures, not even for all the sons of men, but for the clean of hand and pure of heart; and it is the seed of Jacob who seek the Lord, and were bidden to be clean of hand and pure of heart. And so they were often, as in the days of Joshua and in the days of the elders who outlived him, even as it says (Joshua 24:31), "and Israel served the Lord all the days of Joshua"; and so, in the days of the judges all the days of the judges; and in the days of Samuel it says (1 Sam. 7:2), "All the house of Israel was drawn together after the Lord"; and in the days of David and Solomon; and so in the days of the rest of the kings who were good. And there has not been one such as this among other people to serve the Name unitedly. Therefore he says that none shall ascend this holy hill of the Lord except the seekers after the Lord, and they are the house of Jacob. And in the Haggadic interpretation (Shoher Tob, with some verbal change): "the earth is the Lord's and its fullness – this is the land of Israel: for He hath founded it upon (the) seas and established it upon the floods (rivers), because it rests upon seven seas and four rivers, and these are the seven seas: the Great Sea, the Sea of Sibhkay, the Sea of Tiberias, the Salt Sea, the Sea of Chulta, the Sea of Chulitha, the Sea of Sheryithi, and the Sea of Hispamia; and these are the four rivers: the Jordan, the Yarmukh, the Keramyon, and the Pigah.⁠" And the interpretation of upon (the) seas and upon (the) floods is "next to" seas and rivers, as (in the text) (Num. 2:20), "and next to him (i.e. Ephraim), the tribe of Manasseh.⁠" And (it is said) that there is no habitable spot in the world (more than) eighteen days' (journey) distant from the sea, and this is for the provision of moisture for the creatures; and likewise the rivers are for the use (provision) of the creatures; and this is according to what is said (Is. 45:18), "He formed it to be inhabited" because He established it so that created beings might live in it. And the reason (for so doing) was because it had not been created so from the beginning, but rather (at first) to be entirely under water; for the waters encompassed it on every side as the air encompassed the waters on every side, and the fire encompasses the air on every side. And behold the earth was under the waters, in accordance with the nature He imposes on them; and He did not make it so at first, in order to demonstrate that all is in His hand and that He varies (their) natures at His pleasure. And God commanded that its first division should be uncovered, so that the creatures might live in it; and (so) He says (Gen. 1:9) "Let the waters under the heaven be gathered unto one place and let the dry land appear.⁠"