Bereshit Rabbah 2:3 (Vilna numbering)
Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon interpreted the verses regarding the generations. “The earth was emptiness and disorder” – this is Adam the first man, who became oblivion and nothingness. “And disorder” – this is Cain, who sought to restore the world to emptiness and disorder. “And darkness” – this is the generation of Enosh, based on the verse: “Their actions are in the dark and they say: Who sees us and who knows of us?” (Isaiah 29:15). “Upon the face of the depths” – this is the generation of the Flood, as it is stated: “On that day all the wellsprings of the great depths were breached” (Genesis 7:11). “And the spirit [ruaḥ] of God was hovering over the surface of the water” – based on the verse: “God passed a wind [ruaḥ] over the earth” (Genesis 8:1). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Until when will the world conduct itself in darkness? Let some light come.’ “God said: Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3) – this is Abraham. That is what is written [regarding Abraham]: “Who roused [he’ir] righteousness from the east?” (Isaiah 41:2). Do not read it as he’ir, but rather, he’ir. “God called the light, Day, and the darkness, He called Night. It was evening and it was morning, one day” (Genesis 1:5). “God called the light, Day” – this is Jacob. “And the darkness, He called Night” – this is Esau. “It was evening” – this is Esau; “and it was morning” – this is Jacob. “It was evening” – the evening of Esau; “and it was morning” – the morning of Jacob. “One day” – as it is stated: “There will be one day, it will be known to the Lord, that is not day and not night…” (Zechariah 14:7). Alternatively, “one day” – which the Holy One blessed be He provided him. Which is that? It is Yom Kippur.
The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah, 2022 · sefaria-midrash-rabbah
Bereshit Rabbah 2:3 (Vilna numbering) · cc-by-sa
The verse read straight through as a history of the generations: tohu is Adam, who came to nothing; va-vohu is Cain, who sought to return the world to tohu va-vohu; the darkness is the generation of Enosh; the face of the deep is the generation of the Flood; the spirit of God is the wind God made pass over the earth (Gen 8:1); and 'let there be light' is Abraham. Then day and night are Jacob and Esau. The move is exactly Bruno of Segni's in the twelfth century — the verse as a periodization running from the first man to the last redemption — and neither could have known the other; the difference is whose history it is. Note that Resh Lakish's reading of the same verse as the four kingdoms follows immediately in 2:4, which is built as a K7 witness for the Messiah's spirit; its first half belongs here too (see notes/cross-crux.md).