Chapter 19
Chapter XIX.
On the punishment of the Egyptians through their own death.
But to the impious even to the end. After he has treated the punishment of the Egyptians through the death of the firstborn, here he treats their punishment through their own death, namely when they were drowned in the Red Sea. And first is touched upon the drowning of the Egyptians; second, the liberation of the Hebrews: For every creature: third, the giving of thanks for both: Seeing your: fourth, the obedience of creatures in both: For the elements in themselves.
First, the drowning of the Egyptians.
In the first part, first is touched upon the gravity of the punishment: second, the reason on the part of the one punishing: He foreknew; third, the desert on the part of the punished: For still: fourth, the fittingness of the penalty: For he led.
(Vers. 1.). But to the impious etc., as if to say: thus the Israelites were freed from the fire: but, standing for "however": to the impious, namely the Egyptians, lacking the piety of religion toward God and of compassion toward neighbor, because they both despised God and oppressed his people: even to the end, that is, finally: Proverbs 5: "Her end is bitter as wormwood"; wrath came upon them without mercy. Without mercy, namely not relenting, but delivering without mercy, and this because they were impious and without mercy: James 2: "Judgment without mercy to him who has not shown mercy." Wrath, that is, the vengeance of sin, which is a sign of anger; came upon them, that is, by the heavenly judgment of God it came to their destruction: Job 21: "The lamp of the wicked shall be extinguished, and a flood shall come upon them"; Proverbs 1: "When tribulation and distress shall come upon you." And deservedly it came upon them etc.; for he foreknew, namely God, and, that is also, their future deeds, namely their sins, before they came to be: Hebrews 4: "All things are naked and open to his eyes"; likewise in the Psalm: "You have understood my thoughts from afar"; likewise Ecclesiasticus 23: "To the Lord our God, before all things were created, they are known" etc.
(Vers. 2.). For when they themselves, namely the Egyptians, had returned, namely to their heart, according to what Isaiah admonishes, saying: "Return to your heart, you transgressors," Isaiah forty-six. Had returned, I say, to their heart, outside of which they had been on account of fear: in the Psalm: "My heart has forsaken me." And had permitted, namely previously, that they should lead them away, that is, that the children of Israel should lead them apart from their land; whence Exodus eleven: "Go forth, you and all the people who are subject to you." And with great solicitude, that is, urgency, had sent them forth, namely by compelling them to go out; whence Exodus twelve: "The Egyptians urged the people to go out of the land quickly." There followed upon them, namely the Egyptians, when they had done this, the driving of repentance, that is, grief over their departure—grief, I say, in the heart, and confession on the lips, and the manifestation of both in the work of pursuit: Exodus fourteen: "The heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was changed regarding the people, and they said: What did we intend to do, that we should let Israel go?"
(Vers. 3.). And I rightly said that there followed etc. For while still having mourning in their hands, that is, the matter of mourning, namely the dead firstborn, or: mourning, that is, the signs of mourning; and bewailing, that is, weeping greatly, or weeping from the heart, or: bewailing, that is, weeping over the death of the firstborn. Rightly there follows: At the tombs of the dead, namely of the firstborn, they took up another thought, etc. Rightly he says: They took up, etc., because an evil thought is from man, but a good one from God; Second Corinthians three: "Not that we are sufficient to think anything of ourselves," etc. A thought, I say, of ignorance, that is, of foolishness. For every evildoer errs: Proverbs fourteen: "They err who work evil." The prior thought had been foolish, by which they had thought to detain them by force; the other also was foolish, by which they had thought to recall or bring them back by force. And those whom, entreating, they had cast out, namely by compelling the children of Israel to go out, as is clear from Exodus twelve; these, as though fugitives, that is, as though departing without their permission, which was false, they pursued, as is clear from Exodus fourteen.
(Vers. 4.). There led etc., as if to say: and fittingly, for a worthy necessity led them to this end, namely of obstinacy and drowning, a worthy necessity, not of fortune or fate, but of divine justice.
But to the contrary: Because they tended toward this voluntarily, therefore not by necessity.
It must be said that it was not a necessity of coercion, but of immutability.
But to the contrary: Because they could have repented and thus avoided that punishment.
It must be said that they could have, but they did not will to. Whence that necessity was consequent upon the will, not antecedent to it. Or: they could not do so fully of themselves, nor did they will to seek the help of God.
And of those things which had happened, namely the many plagues inflicted for the retention of the children of Israel, Exodus seven, eight, nine, ten, and twelve, they lost the remembrance, that is, they were losing it, if not in disposition, nevertheless in act; or in deed, if not in heart: Hosea thirteen: "They lifted up their heart and forgot me." So that what was lacking to the torments, namely the preceding ones, for they had not yet been sufficiently punished, the punishment might supply, namely the following one, and the word so that is placed consecutively, not causally.
(Vers. 5.). And indeed your people, namely the Israelite people, might pass through wondrously, namely through the Red Sea with dry footstep: whence Exodus fifteen: "The children of Israel walked through the dry land in the midst of it." But those, namely the Egyptians, might find a new death, namely a new manner of dying, namely through miraculous drowning: in the same place: "The horseman, that is the cavalry, entered"—"of Pharaoh," in the genitive case—"with chariots and horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought back the waters of the sea upon them."
Second, the liberation of the Hebrews.
For every etc. Here is touched upon the liberation of the Hebrews, and first in general; second, in particular: For the cloud.
(Vers. 6.). For every etc., as if to say thus: The Egyptians were drowned, and the Israelites were freed: for every creature, that is, all the elements, to its own kind from the beginning, namely the disposition it had, was being refashioned, that is, was again made like what it was, in this namely, that it did not harm the good, just as neither did it in the state of innocence; whence Isidore: "If man had not sinned, water would not drown, fire would not burn, nor would the pricks of thorns wound." The creature itself, I say, serving your commands, that is, your ordinance and will; in the Psalm: "He established them forever and for ages of ages; he set a decree, and it shall not pass away"; likewise Jeremiah five: "Who placed the sand as the boundary of the sea, an everlasting decree, which it shall not pass beyond." So that your children, namely the Hebrews subject to you: Isaiah eight: "Behold, I and my children"; might be kept unharmed; Proverbs two: "He will guard the salvation of the righteous and protect those who walk in simplicity."
(Vers. 7.). For the cloud, namely given by God through the ministry of an Angel, their camp, namely of the Hebrews, overshadowed, "standing between their camp and the camp of the Egyptians, so that throughout the whole night they were unable to approach them," as is clear from Exodus fourteen. And from water, that is, after the water, just as when it is said: from morning comes midday, that is, after. From water, I say, which was there before, in the place through which they crossed, dry land appeared, namely dried by the blast of the wind, as is clear from Exodus fourteen. And in the Red Sea, namely divided, as is clear there; likewise in the Psalm: "Who divided the Red Sea into divisions"; a way namely appeared, without impediment, namely of water or mud, according to that word of the Psalm: "In the sea is your way," etc.; Habakkuk three: "You made a way in the sea for your horses"; likewise Isaiah fifty-one: (You made the depth of the sea a way, that the redeemed might cross over). And a sprouting field, that is, a level and delightful way, as through a sprouting field, from the exceeding deep, that is, after the exceeding depth of water previously existing there.
(Vers. 8.). Through which, namely the field, the whole nation, namely of the Hebrews, crossed over, or might cross over, with the Egyptians pursuing. Which was covered, that is, protected, by your hand, that is, by your power: Isaiah forty-nine: "In the shadow of his hand he protected me," or by your Son, as in the Psalm: "Send forth your hand from on high," etc.
Third, the thanksgiving.
Seeing, etc. Here is subjoined the thanksgiving, first for the liberation of the Hebrews; second, for the punishment of the Egyptians or their drowning: And the vexations.
In the first part is touched upon the leading of the Hebrews out of Egypt; second, the wonders done for them in Egypt: For remembering; third, their refreshment in the desert: But at last.
Seeing your things, as if to say: not only hearing but also seeing; First John one: "What we have seen, what we have heard," etc. Your wonders and portents: wonders, namely lesser ones, and portents, namely greater ones; or: wonders, in their liberation, portents, in the overthrow of the Egyptians. For a portent is called not only something wondrous but also something terrible.
(Vers. 9.). Seeing, I say etc: for, that is certainly, they fed upon food, namely in the overthrow or destruction of their adversaries. Or he says this inasmuch as they delighted in the destruction of those, just as horses when they eat or feed upon food. Like horses, upon which namely the Lord was riding, according to that passage in Habakkuk 3: "You made a way in the sea for your horses." Like horses, namely neighing at the overcoming of their enemies, according to that passage in Isaiah 24: "These shall lift up their voice and shall praise. When the Lord shall be glorified, they shall neigh from the sea." And like lambs, namely simple and meek: in the Psalm: "The mountains skipped like rams, and the hills like lambs of the flock," that is, both the greater and the lesser among them: they exulted, not only inwardly in heart, but also outwardly in rejoicing. Magnifying you, O Lord, that is, proclaiming you as great or praising you magnificently: Exodus 15: "Let us sing to the Lord, for he has been gloriously magnified." Who delivered them, namely by leading them through the sea; Isaiah 63: "Who led them out through the depths, like a horse in the desert that does not stumble, and like an animal in the field"; and rightly they magnified you.
(Vers. 10.). For they were still mindful of those things, namely the signs, which had been done during their sojourning, that is, when they were still inhabitants of Egypt. Just as in place of the generation of animals, that is, instead of the production of natural animals, the earth brought forth flies, and this miraculously, as is clear from Exodus 8; likewise in the Psalm: "He spoke, and the dog-fly came, and gnats," etc. And in place of fish, that is, instead of fish, the river poured forth, namely the Nile, a multitude of frogs; for frogs ascended from the aforesaid river, as is found in Exodus 8. Nor is this contrary to what is said in the Psalm: "Their land brought forth frogs," etc., because in the Psalm the container is put for the contained, namely the channel of the earth for the water of the river.
(Vers. 11.). But lastly, that is, after the aforesaid things: new indeed, or first, had been the striking of Egypt; newer still the leading out of the Hebrews from Egypt; but newest of all, their refreshment in the desert. They saw, namely with their own eyes, a new creature of birds, namely quails, Exodus 16 and Numbers 11.
But to the contrary: Because in Genesis 2 it is said: "God completed on the seventh day his work which he had made, and he rested from all the work which he had done," that is, from creating new genera or species of creatures, according to Augustine; likewise Ecclesiastes 1: "Nothing is new under the sun": therefore it says wrongly here: They saw a new creature.
It must be said that it was not simply new, but new to them, because previously unseen by them; likewise, new in that place, namely in the desert; and new in so great a multitude, which birds are not accustomed to approach, but rather to flee from.
When led away, that is, led far from God, by concupiscence: James 1: "Each one is tempted by his own concupiscence, drawn away and enticed." Concerning the concupiscence of these people it is said in the Psalm: "They desired a concupiscence in the desert"; whence "that place was called the burial-place of concupiscence," Numbers 11. They demanded, namely from Moses, foods of feasting, that is, delicate and superfluous foods, not of necessity or sustenance.
(Vers. 12.). For in the speaking of desires, that is, in consolation and mitigation, there came up for them, namely the Hebrews, from the sea. Or thus: For in the speaking of desire, or of desires, while on account of their desire for meat they were speaking, namely words of murmuring: there came up for them from the sea, he does not say this because they drew their origin from the sea, but because they were brought from beyond the sea or from some island of the sea, according to that passage in Numbers 11: "A wind going forth from the Lord carried quails snatched from across the sea and dropped them into the camp," or released them, the ortygometra, that is, the quail. Now it is called ortygometra from orthos, which means "straight," and gogos, which means "leading," and metros, which means "measure," as if food rightly brought to them in measure; or, as was said above in chapter sixteen, ortygometra is named from the island of Ortygia, on which such birds are thought to have first existed, according to Isidore. "It should be noted that, as the Gloss says, for the enemies of God the earth produces flies and the river frogs; but for the worshippers of God the earth gives fruit and the sea the nourishment of flesh."
And the vexations. Here is touched upon the thanksgiving for the vexation of the Egyptians, or their punishment; and first their punishment is touched upon; second, the justice of the punishment: For justly; third, the blindness of those punished: They were struck.
The justice of the punishment is evident from this, that they behaved badly toward the strangers dwelling with them, or wishing to dwell with them, namely toward the children of Israel, and this either by in no way receiving them, or by reducing those received into servitude: But others etc.; or by receiving them unwillingly: And not only: or, those receiving them with joy, by grievously afflicting them: But those who etc.
And vexations etc., as if to say: not only were the aforementioned good things done for the Hebrews, but also vexations, that is, afflictions of body and soul, came upon sinners etc., according to that verse of the Psalm: "Many are the scourges of the sinner." Upon sinners, I say, that is, the Egyptians, who are here called sinners by antonomasia, and this on account of the sin of idolatry, which flourished there more than elsewhere, so much so that Cicero said that Egypt was the temple of the entire world. They came upon them, I say, that is, they came in addition to those things which they had suffered in Egypt; whence it follows: Not without those things, indeed with those things and beyond them; which before had been done with proofs, that is, with signs manifesting the divine power and their hardness of heart, according to that passage in Ephesians 5: "All that is reproved is made manifest by the light." Which, I say, had been done, that is, in Egypt, by the force of rivers, namely when they were turned into blood, and when the frogs ascended from the river. Or thus: they came upon them, I say, by the force of rivers, that is, by the rush of the waters gathered in the Red Sea, returning upon them and drowning them: Exodus 15: "They sank like lead in the mighty waters." And deservedly: for they justly suffered this, namely because it was according to the merits of their sins; whence he adds: According to their wickedness, that is, the merits of their wickedness; Deuteronomy 25: "According to the measure of the sin shall be the manner of the stripes."
(Vers. 13.). For indeed, meaning because, a more detestable, namely than others, they established, that is, they maintained as though it were an established practice, inhospitality, against that passage in Hebrews 13: "Do not forget hospitality"; likewise 1 Peter 4: "Be hospitable to one another without murmuring." So hold Rabanus and Augustine. But some read indetestable or inmore detestable, that is, exceedingly detestable, so that the prefix denotes augmentation or intensification: and he says: Inhospitality, either because they did not receive guests, or because they received them badly. Some indeed, namely among them, did not receive unknown strangers, against which Job acted, chapter 31: "The stranger did not remain outside." Similar to these were those of Gibeah of Benjamin, who refused to receive the Levite with his wife into their lodging, Judges 19. Others, however, having received good guests, reduced them to servitude, or received them, as they did the children of Israel, oppressing them with the servitude "of clay and brick," Exodus 1.
(Vers. 14.). And not only these things, supply: did they do, but there was also another regard of theirs, that is, their intention was perverse, since they received strangers unwillingly, although they ought to have been entreated, by the example of Abraham saying: "Lord, if I have found favor in your eyes, do not pass by your servant," Genesis eighteen. Nor only ought they to have been entreated, but even compelled, by the example of the two disciples, of whom Luke last chapter: "And they compelled him"; upon which Gregory says: "That strangers are not only to be invited to lodging, but even to be drawn in."
(Vers. 15.). But those who with gladness received those who had practiced the same customs, afflicted them with the most savage pains: the text is to be construed thus: I have said that some received strangers, but unwillingly: but, standing for "however": who had practiced the same customs, of detestable inhospitality, as also the preceding ones: afflicted them with the most savage pains, he says "most savage," because savage is the pain from evil inflicted upon an extrinsic possession; more savage in a connected person, namely in a wife; most savage in one's own person. They afflicted those whom they had received with gladness, namely guests, as the Sodomites themselves wished to afflict Lot, as is clear from Genesis nineteen, and the Benjaminites that old man, of whom Judges nineteen.
(Vers. 16.). But they were struck, namely the Egyptians, with blindness, namely corporeal, through the plague of darkness, of which Exodus ten; and spiritual, through the blinding of the mind, so that amid the scourges they became worse: Exodus seven: "The heart of Pharaoh was hardened," etc. As those, namely the unspeakable Sodomites, on account of their unspeakable sin, which they themselves committed: Romans one: "God delivered them over to shameful passions." At the doors of the just man, namely Lot, of whom Second Peter two: "In sight and hearing he was just." They, I say, when they were covered with sudden darkness, namely aorasia, or non-seeing, struck by the Angel, each one, namely of them, the passage of his door, namely Lot's, sought, and could not find it: whence Genesis nineteen: "Those who were outside they struck with blindness, from the least to the greatest, so that they could not find the door."
The obedience of creatures.
For the elements in themselves. Here, after the punishment of the Egyptians and the consolation of the Hebrews and the giving of thanks for both, he shows the obedience of creatures in the aforementioned matters, and first he sets forth the commendation of this obedience; second, its manifestation through examples: As in an instrument; third, the exaltation of God's people through this: In all things.
He sets forth examples first in the lower elements; second, in the higher element, namely in fire, there: Fire in water etc.; third, in composite bodies: Flames on the contrary.
(Vers. 17.). For in themselves. Thus I have said that through the lower creatures the Egyptians were afflicted and the Hebrews consoled: while the elements are changed, that is, pass over, one into the force and power or office and mode of another, and this miraculously: the sound of quality, that is, the quality of sound, is altered, namely in act, that is, the natural consonance in its effects is changed for a time according to the will and command of God who moves. As in an organ, that is, as in any musical instrument, which is what is understood here by organ, the quality of sound is changed in act according to the will of the one moving it; sometimes, however, organ is taken for a specific instrument, as in the Psalm: "Praise Him with strings and organ." And all things, that is, the individual elements and things composed of elements, their own sound, that is, their natural harmony and order, preserve, in habit: similarly, the individual strings in an organ preserve their own sound, and yet the sound of the organ is changed according to the will of the one moving it: whence the Gloss: "Just as in an organ diverse sounds agree by tempering to the concord of melody, so the discordant elements, with the law of nature preserved, are bent to the will of the Creator. For He did not establish a creature contrary to Himself, but in all things consonant with His will." Whence that is, from which thing, it can be judged, that is, known, from the very certain sight, namely by beholding the metaphor of the organ and the truth of the thing done among the people of God,
(Vers. 18.). For land creatures, namely animals, were changed into aquatic ones, that is, into the mode of aquatic ones, namely when "men and beasts, as the Gloss says, crossed the depths of the Red Sea with dry footstep." And whatever things were swimming, such as frogs, passed over to land, namely by walking about on the land, Exodus 8: "The frogs came up," namely from the river, "and covered the land of Egypt."
(Vers. 19.). Fire prevailed in water, that is, it acted powerfully, beyond its own, namely natural, power, which is such that it is extinguished in water, according to that saying of Ecclesiasticus 3: "Water extinguishes a burning fire." And water forgot its extinguishing nature, namely of extinguishing fire, because "hail and fire mingled together were carried along," as is found in Exodus 9; likewise above in chapter sixteen: "In water, which extinguishes all things, fire prevailed the more."
(Vers. 20.). The flames, namely those that were in the pillar of fire, on the contrary, supply: than their nature would require, did not torment the flesh, namely by burning: the flesh, I say, of corruptible living beings, namely of men and beasts, walking together with the flames themselves. He says this because when the pillar of fire accompanied the Hebrews by night, they were not afflicted nor burned, as is evident from Exodus thirteen. Nor did it dissolve, namely those flames, that good food, which was easily dissolved, namely by the heat of the sun: like ice, namely is dissolved by the heat of the sun, above in chapter sixteen: "For what could not be destroyed by fire" etc. Good food he calls manna, because it represented the goodness of any foods whatsoever: in the same place: "Serving the will of each one." (Vers. 21.). For in all things, namely the aforementioned miracles, you magnified your people, O Lord, namely the Israelite people, by casting down their adversaries. And you honored them, by exalting them with many benefits; John twelve: "If anyone serves me, my Father will honor him" etc.; likewise First Kings two: "If anyone honors me, I will honor him." And you did not despise them, namely by abandoning them in their tribulations: in the Psalm: "Many are the tribulations of the just, and the Lord delivered them from all of these"; Ecclesiasticus two: "Who called upon him, and he despised him?" as if to say: no one. At all times, namely of prosperity and adversity: Matthew last chapter: "Behold, I am with you all days"; and therefore at all times he is to be blessed, according to that word of the Psalm: "I will bless the Lord at all times"; and in every place, namely both safe and dangerous: standing by them, as though ready to help: Isaiah forty-three: "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you." It should be noted, moreover, that the Lord magnifies his Saints in manifold ways: in the first way, by conferring his grace, according to that word of Romans eight: "Those whom he justified, he also magnified." Second, by making them illustrious through miracles, according to that word of Ecclesiasticus forty-eight: "Thus was Elijah magnified in his wonders"; likewise Exodus eleven: "Moses was a very great man in the land of Egypt before the servants of Pharaoh and all the people." Third, by elevating them to ecclesiastical dignities: whence the Church sings: "Behold, the great Priest"; Third Kings ten: "King Solomon was magnified above all the kings of the earth in riches and wisdom." Fourth, by leading them to the glory of the heavenly kingdom, according to what the Church sings: "He magnified him in the sight of kings," namely of the Angels, "and gave him a crown of glory"; in the Psalm: "Great is his glory in your salvation" etc. So great is the magnitude of this glory that the least of that kingdom is greater than the greatest of this world; whence Matthew eleven: "There has not risen among those born of women one greater than John the Baptist. Yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he." May Jesus Christ our Lord lead us to this greatness, who is blessed forever and ever. Amen.
Here ends the commentary on the Book of Wisdom.