How God treats his people and the Egyptians differently
1That is why this people received the punishment they deserved through similar animals and hordes of tormenting insects. 2But in contrast to this punishment it was kindness you showed to your people by providing quails – a delicious food – for them.
3As for the Egyptians, in spite of their fierce hunger, they were restrained by disgust from eating because of the repulsive sight of the creatures sent against them. But the Israelites after being deprived for a time were then given the finest food.
4It was necessary for their oppressors to suffer severe want, but enough for your people to know how the enemy was punished. 5Indeed when they experienced the fury of wild animals and the bites of writhing snakes, your anger did not endure.
6Their temporary affliction served as a warning; then they were given a sign of salvation to remind them of the prescriptions of your law. 7For whoever turned towards it was saved, not by the image he saw, but by you, Lord, the Savior of all.
8In that way you taught our enemies that it is you who deliver us from every evil. 9They were, in fact, killed by the sting of insects and flies for which there was no cure since they deserved punishment from these creatures. 10Your children instead were not overcome, even by the fangs of venomous serpents, for your mercy intervened and healed them.
11Bites quickly healed reminded them of your commands, lest they fall into deep oblivion and forget your kindness. 12No herb, no ointment healed them but your word, Lord, that heals all.
13You are Lord of life and death; you bring down to the gate of the netherworld and bring back again. 14Man in his wickedness is able to kill but he cannot bring back the departed spirit or rescue the snatched soul. 15It is impossible to escape your hand.
16The godless, refusing to acknowledge you, were scourged by the strength of your arm, lashed by relentless downpours, hail, and pitiless storms, and consumed by fire. 17But this was the most astounding: water, powerful to quench, made fire burn more fiercely. For the elements fight on the side of the righteous.
18At times the flame abated to spare the insects thrust against the wicked, that they might know they were pursued by God’s sentence.
19At other times, in the midst of water the flame rose more fiercely than fire to destroy the harvest of an unholy land.
20 ① But to your people you gave the food of angels and from heaven sent bread already prepared and suiting all tastes, having every flavor. 21In this way you revealed your loving kindness to your children. 22Satisfying all needs, this bread provided what each one wanted.
That food, having the appearance of snow and ice, resisted fire and did not melt; thus they understood how their enemy’s harvest was destroyed by fire in the midst of hail, while lightning flashed in the falling rain. 23This same fire seemed to forget its own nature in order to spare the food of the righteous.
24Your creation is at your service for you are its Author. It works to punish the wicked and withdraws for the benefit of those who put their trust in you.
25In the service of your bounty which attends to everything, creation made itself manifold and adjusted to the wish of everyone. 26Then the children you love learned that it is not crops of whatever kind which nourish humankind, but your word that sustains those who trust you.
27That food which resisted fire, simply melted in the warmth of a fleeting sunbeam, 28teaching us that we must rise before the sun to give thanks and pray to you at dawn. 29The hope of the ungrateful will melt like winter frost and flow away like water that is not being used.
- Wis 16,20 What an amplification of the manna that God gave the Hebrews in the desert! Such rhetoric scarcely moves us, yet this Jewish way of seeing things prepared for what Jesus would say in John 6.
