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But indignation without mercy came upon the ungodly to the end; for God also foreknew their future,
Verse 1. Knew. God foresaw the malice of the Egyptians against his people, but as not the author of it. Worthington.
how, having changed their minds to let your people go, and having sped them eagerly on their way, they would change their minds and pursue them.
Verse 2. Care. Lit. “solicitude,” ( Bible.) so that they would not allow them time to prepare victuals.
For while they were yet in the midst of their mourning, and lamenting at the graves of the dead, they made another foolish decision, and pursued as fugitives those whom they had begged to leave and driven out.
For the doom which they deserved was drawing them to this end, and it made them forget the things that had happened to them, that they might fill up the punishment which was yet lacking from their torments,
Verse 4. Necessity. God permitted them to be blinded by their own obstinacy. Calmet.—They rushed headlong into the channel of the Red Sea. Bible.
and that your people might journey on by a marvelous road, but they themselves might find a strange death.
For the whole creation, each part in its diverse kind, was made new again, complying with your commandments, that your servants might be kept unharmed.
Verse 6. Beginning. It seemed susceptible of any form; and the elements appeared to be of another nature. The fire burnt in water, the sea retired, and so forth Calmet. 5:21 and 16:24.
Then the cloud that overshadowed the camp was seen, and dry land rising up out of what had been water, out of the Red sea an unhindered highway, and a grassy plain out of the violent surge,
Verse 7. Field. Like a meadow, ( Calmet.) germinans, “growing grass.” Septuagint Bible.—Pliny (xiii. 25.) attests, that “the Red Sea, and all the eastern ocean, are full of wood.” The Hebrews passed with as much ease as in a desert, (Psalms 105:9. Isaiah 63:13) or place of pasture, while the sea seemed to be in quest of other channels. Calmet. Genesis 1:9. Bible.
by which they passed over with all their army, these who were covered with your hand, having seen strange marvels.
For like horses they roamed at large, and they skipped about like lambs, praising you, O Lord, who was their deliverer.
For they still remembered the things that happened in the time of their sojourning, how instead of bearing cattle, the land brought forth lice, and instead of fish, the river spewed out a multitude of frogs.
But afterwards, they also saw a new kind of birds, when, led on by desire, they asked for luxurious dainties;
for, to comfort them, quails came up for them from the sea.
Verse 12. Thunders. Which took place at the destruction of Sodom, for their warning. Calmet.
Punishments came upon the sinners, not without the signs that were given beforehand by the violence of the thunder, for they justly suffered through their own wickednesses, for the hatred which they practiced toward guests was grievous indeed.
For while the others didn’t receive the strangers when they came to them, the Egyptians made slaves of guests who were their benefactors.
Verse 14. In another. Lit. “but there was another respect (or punishment) of them, because unwillingly they received strangers.” Genesis 19:1. Bible.—The Amorrhites would not admit the Israelites. Numbers 21:21. Worthington.
And not only so, but while punishment of some sort will come upon the former, since they received as enemies those who were aliens;
Verse 15. Laws. Or “rights,” justitiis. The Hebrews acknowledged the civil authority ( Menochius.) of Pharao, though they adopted not his religion. Calmet. 18:4. Bible.
because these first welcomed with feastings, and then afflicted with dreadful toils, those who had already shared with them in the same rights.
And moreover they were stricken with loss of sight (even as were those others at the righteous man’s doors), when, being surrounded with yawning darkness, they each looked for the passage through his own door.
Verse 17. Changed. The meaning is, that whatever changes God wrought in the elements by miracles in favour of his people, they still kept their harmony by obeying his will. Challoner.—He answers the objection of philosophers, who argued against the possibility of miracles, as being against the established laws of nature. But they induce no more confusion than the various strings of a harp, when they are touched with skill, though they have each their respective name and sound. The ancients frequently compared the harmony of the universe to a musical instrument. See plut. Macrob. som. ii.—Sight. Septuagint add, “of what happened” ( Bible.) in those miraculous changes.
For as the notes of a lute vary the character of the rhythm, even so the elements, changing their order one with another, continuing always in its sound, as may clearly be conjectured from the sight of the things that have happened.
Verse 18. Water. Men, and so forth passed through the Red Sea, while frogs got into houses.
For creatures of the dry land were turned into creatures of the waters, and creatures that swim moved upon the land.
Fire kept the mastery of its own power in water, and water forgot its quenching nature.
Verse 20. Therein. For the punishment of the Egyptians. Calmet. 16:18. Calmet.—Food. Manna. Challoner.—Septuagint “immortal food,” ambrosia. Bible.—Place. This conclusion agrees very well with the preceding observations. But it seems some thing should be said respecting the original petition for wisdom; whence we conclude, with Grotius, that the work is imperfect: ( Calmet.) though this is by no means clear, as the prayer is sufficiently expressed in the nine first chapters, if not in the whole book, and God answers it, 3 Kennicott. 9. Bible.
ECCLESIASTICUS
On the contrary, flames didn’t consume flesh of perishable creatures that walked among them, neither did they melt the crystalline grains of ambrosial food that were melted easily.
For in all things, O Lord, you magnified your people, and you glorified them and didn’t lightly regard them, standing by their side in every time and place.