 Rabbi Berekiah noted that after the 98 reproofs in says, “You are standing this day all of you,” which Rabbi Berekiah taught we render (according to Onkelos), “You "endure" this day all of you,” and thus to mean, “you are strong men to withstand all these reproofs.”

Similarly, a Midrash reported that two teachers offered different explanations of “He (God) has bent His bow, and set me (, "vayatziveni") as a mark for the arrow.” One taught that the verse compared Israel to a wedge used to split a log (as the wedge, Israel, is struck, but the log, the enemy, is split).The other taught that the verse compared Israel to a post on which a target for arrows is placed, at which all shoot but which remains standing.Rabbi Judan taught that the verse meant that God strengthened the writer (representing the people of God) to withstand all afflictions (reading , "vayatziveni", to mean “He has made me stand firm”).