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Wisdom 19
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Chapter 19
Egypt and Israel: the Red Sea
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But the godless were assailed by merciless anger to the very end, for God knew beforehand what they would do,
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how, after letting his people leave and hastening their departure, they would change their minds and set out in pursuit.
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They were actually still conducting their mourning rites and lamenting at the tombs of their dead, when another mad scheme entered their heads, and they set out to pursue as fugitives the very people they had begged to go away.
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A well-deserved fate urged them to this extreme and made them forget what had already happened, so that to all their torments they might add the one penalty still outstanding
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and, while your people accomplished a miraculous journey, themselves meet an extraordinary death.
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For, to keep your children from all harm, the whole creation, obedient to your commands, was once more, and newly, fashioned in its nature.
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Overshadowing the camp there was the cloud, where water had been, dry land was seen to rise, the Red Sea became an unimpeded way, the tempestuous flood a green plain;
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sheltered by your hand, the whole nation passed across, gazing at these amazing miracles.
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They were like horses at pasture, they skipped like lambs, singing your praises, Lord, their deliverer.
Nature refashioned for Israel
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They still remembered the events of their exile, how the land, not bearing animals, had bred mosquitoes instead, how, instead of fish, the river had disgorged innumerable frogs.
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Later they saw a new method of birth for birds when, goaded by hunger, they asked for food they could relish,
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and quails came out of the sea to satisfy them.
Egypt more blameworthy than Sodom
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On the sinners, however, punishments rained down not without violent thunder as early warning; and deservedly they suffered for their crimes, since they evinced such bitter hatred towards strangers.
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Others[*a] had refused to welcome unknown men on their arrival, but these had made slaves of guests and benefactors.
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The former, moreover – and this will be to their credit – had shown the foreigners hostility from the start;
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not so the latter: these welcomed your people with feasting and after granting them equal rights with themselves then afflicted them with forced labour.
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Thus they were struck with blindness like the former at the door of the virtuous man,[*b] when, yawning darkness all around them, each had to grope his way through his own door.
Nature refashioned at the Exodus
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Thus the elements interchanged their qualities, as on a harp the notes may change their rhythm, though all the while preserving their tone; this clearly appears from a scrutiny of the events.
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Creatures that live on land became aquatic,[*c] and those that swim emerged on land.
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Fire increased its own virtue in the water, water forgot its property of extinguishing.
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Flames, on the other hand, would not scorch the flesh of animals, however frail, that ventured into them; nor would they melt that heavenly food like hoarfrost, and as easily melted.
Conclusion
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Yes, Lord, in every way you have made your people great and glorious; you have never disdained them, but stood by them always and everywhere.
Chapters of Wisdom
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