Chapter Twelve

1–2. The purpose of God’s merciful punishment of people is repentance and correction. 3–11. Example of the ancient Canaanites. 11–14. The mercy of Divine judgment does not flow from fear of anyone, 15–18. but has its foundation in the omnipotence of God. 19–20. What the fate of the Canaanites teaches the Israelites. 23–28. The punishment of the Egyptians.

Wisdom 12:1. Your immortal Spirit is in all things. Verse 1 concludes the thought of the preceding chapter that all that exists preserves its being through the love and will of God. “Your immortal Spirit dwells in all things,” pervades all that exists (compare Wis 1:7) and is in all the animating and sustaining principle.

Wisdom 12:2. Therefore You gradually rebuke those who go astray, reminding them of their sins so that, abandoning their wickedness, they might believe in You, Lord. Verse 2. The thought of verse 2 is a conclusion from the preceding. If God loves all that exists (Wis 11:24-12:1 verse), then He relates with the same love also to people, even those “who go astray.” He “gradually rebuke” them, with careful moderation, and He punishes them so that the very punishments remind them of their sins. (Compare Wis 11:16-17). The purpose of such punishment is to make them repent: “so that, abandoning their wickedness, they might believe in You, Lord.” Some commentators, on the basis of comparing verse 2 with verses 10–11 of chapter XI, relate it to the Hebrews, but the connection with the preceding (XI:24-XII:1) speaks to the fact that here the speech concerns God’s relation to people in general and perhaps, in the first place, the author intended the “going astray” pagans, since later he provides the example of the punishment of the Canaanites.

Wisdom 12:3. Thus, despising the ancient inhabitants of Your holy land, Verses 3–11. To confirm the thought expressed in verse 2, that God’s sent punishments have as their goal first of all the instruction and correction of the “going astray,” the author in this section (verses 3–11) presents the example of the Canaanites, calling them “the ancient inhabitants of Your holy land” (God’s land). By “holy land” is undoubtedly meant Palestine, called thus as the place of the center of true worship of God: for this reason later it is called “most precious in all things to God” (verse 7). The expression “despising the ancient inhabitants” does not contradict verse 25 of chapter XI: You “despise nothing.” From verses 8 and 10 it is evident that God did not despise the Canaanites as people; therefore this expression means only “abhorrence” of God toward the corruptions of religious feeling among the Canaanites, about which there is discussion further.

Wisdom 12:4. who were committing abominable deeds of sorcery and ungodly sacrifices, Wisdom 12:5. and merciless murderers of children, and those who at sacrificial feasts devoured the entrails of human flesh and blood in secret gatherings, Wisdom 12:6. and parents who murdered defenseless souls – You desired to destroy them by the hands of our ancestors, Verses 4–6. The author indicates the cause of Divine wrath and the punishments that fell upon the Canaanites not in immoral acts, but in superstitions and corruptions of religious feeling. Under “deeds of sorcery” is understood various superstitious rites connected with pagan idolatry: witchcraft, necromancy, against which Moses repeatedly warned the Hebrews before their entry into Canaan. (Exod 22:18; Deut 18:9-14). According to the author’s understanding, these superstitions are so dangerous because they are the cause of unbelief (see Wis 18:13). After superstitions, the author dwells at length on human sacrifice. Most often children were sacrificed, sometimes even by their own parents; for this the author calls the Canaanites “merciless slayers of children” and speaks of “parents who murdered defenseless souls.” There is evidence of human sacrifice among the Canaanites in other places of Holy Scripture: Lev 18:21; Deut 12:31; Ps 105:37-38; Ezek 16:20. Ancient historians testify to them as well: Diodorus Siculus XX, 14, Plutarch De superst. c. 12, Lactantius I, 21, Eusebius Praep. evang. 4, 16. One detail only, which the author mentions, is not attested by history, namely, that the Canaanites “in secret feasts devoured the flesh and blood of humans.” It is possible that such an accusation was leveled against them by later Jewish tradition, guided by national hostility toward pagans. The author of our book, not verifying, took this tradition in order to strengthen his thought about the unnaturalness of human sacrifice.

Wisdom 12:7. so that the land, most precious to You of all, might receive a worthy population of God’s children. Verse 7. Through their grave sins the Canaanites defiled the land on which they lived, which was “holy” and “most precious to God.” God’s land was to receive “a worthy population of God’s children.” In this lies the reason why God “desired to destroy them by the hands of our ancestors” of the Hebrew people.

Wisdom 12:8. Yet even toward these You showed clemency, sending wasps as scouts before Your army, so that they might gradually annihilate them. Verse 8. The mercy of God in punishing the Canaanites was manifest in the fact that God punished them “gradually,” “giving place for repentance” (verse 10). For this purpose, before “His army,” that is, the Israelite people, led by the Ark of the Covenant, He sent hornets. Gradual destruction of the inhabitants of Canaan is spoken of also in the books of Moses (Exod 23:30), but there a different purpose is indicated for this compared with our passage (see also verse 19), namely: so that the land would not become desolate and uninhabitable. Speaking of hornets, the author likely had in mind Exod 23:28; Deut 7:20; Josh 24:12.

Wisdom 12:9. Yet it was not impossible for Your hand, though almighty, to overcome the ungodly by war with the righteous, or to destroy them by fearful beasts, or by one stern word at once; Verse 9. Compare Wis 11:18-21 verse.

Wisdom 12:10. but slowly punishing them You gave them an opportunity for repentance, though knowing that their race was wicked and their malice was inborn and their disposition would never change. Verse 10. By emphasizing the thought of God’s forbearance, the author says that God gave the Canaanites the opportunity and motivation for repentance although He foresaw their impenitence. “...Their race was wicked...” is meant either the origin in general from ungodly ancestors, or the origin of the Canaanites from Canaan, the grandson of Noah (Gen 10:15-16). Through the natural transmission of sinful inclinations and owing to the evil influence of example, wrongdoing took root in the Canaanites, with it they were already born: “their malice was inborn.” This explains their impenitence: “their disposition would never change.”

Wisdom 12:11. For their seed was accursed from the beginning, and without fear of anyone did You permit their sins to go unpunished. Verse 11. “...Their seed was accursed from the beginning...” The author likely refers here to the curse which Noah uttered against Canaan and his descendants. (Gen 9:25). Thus, the Hebrews, in exterminating and enslaving the Canaanites, were fulfilling the divine predestination concerning them, revealed to people in the most ancient times. Such slowness of Divine judgment over the Canaanites and the continuing “lack of punishment of their sins” cannot in any way be explained by the fact that God permitted this “out of fear of anyone,” for God depends on no one and is limited by nothing. The author expounds this thought in detail from the second half of verse 11 to verse 18.

Wisdom 12:12. For who will say, “What have You done?” or who will stand against Your judgment? Who will accuse You of destroying nations that You created? Or what defender will come before You with a plea for unjust people? Verse 12. God has no need to appear merciful before anyone; immediately, in one instant, He can manifest His avenging hand and no one will withstand His judgment even with a simple question: “What have You done?”, for He is the Creator of the nations He destroys. The thought about the unlimited power of God over all creation is expressed in this passage in the form of a series of questions, as in other places of Holy Scripture: Wis 11:22; Isa 45:9; Dan 4:32; Job 9:12; Rom 9:20.

Wisdom 12:13. For besides You there is no other God who has care for all, to whom You might have to prove that You judged unjustly. Wisdom 12:14. No king or ruler can stand before You in behalf of those whom You have condemned. Verses 13–14. The thought expressed in verse 12, that God is not answerable to anyone, is defined more closely in verses 13 and 14. The irresponsibility of Divine judgment is founded on His infinite love for all creation. Therefore, only a being similar to Him, with all-encompassing love, could judge God’s actions toward creation, yet “besides You there is no other God who has care for all, to whom You might have to prove that You judged unjustly.” Still more, from among men, no matter what high position they hold, anyone would dare to withstand Your judgment, even in the form of “intercession” (verse 12) “on behalf of those whom You have condemned” (verse 14).

Wisdom 12:15. For You are righteous, and You govern all things righteously, deeming it inappropriate to Your power to condemn one who does not deserve punishment. Wisdom 12:16. For Your strength is the origin of righteousness, and Your dominion over all makes You spare all. Verses 15–16. The thought expressed above about the absolute unlimitedness and irresponsibility of the power of God in its action in the human world might give rise in the reader to the fear that the avenging hand of God might strike down those who are completely innocent. To prevent this concern, the author in verses 15–16 speaks of Divine justice and Divine mercy, which are grounded precisely in the unlimited power of God. People most often commit injustice toward others out of fear of them and awareness of their own weakness; the almighty power of God can have no such motive, and therefore to it “it is inappropriate to condemn one who does not deserve punishment.” For almighty power there can be only one motive for action in the human world – the moral dignity of man, his good, his salvation. From this it is clear why “Your strength is the origin of righteousness,” (compare Wis 11:24) and that very fact that You govern all things makes You spare all.”

Wisdom 12:17. You manifest Your strength to those who do not believe in Your omnipotence, and You reprove the boldness of those who do not acknowledge You; Wisdom 12:18. but, possessing power, You judge with compassion and govern us with great mercy, for Your power is ever at Your disposal. Verses 17–18. God shows His power only in specific cases, namely where there is doubt in His omnipotence or impudent unbelief. But even in this case He “judges with compassion.” He is long-suffering, “for Your power is ever at Your disposal,” He has no need to hurry with punishment.

Wisdom 12:19. But by these very deeds You taught Your people that the righteous must be humane, and You gave Your sons good hope, that You grant repentance for sins. Wisdom 12:20. For if You punished with such compassion and mercy even the enemies of Your sons who are deserving of death, giving them time and opportunity to free themselves from wickedness, Wisdom 12:21. with what care did You judge Your own sons, to whom You gave oaths and covenants of good promises! Wisdom 12:22. So while instructing us, You punish our enemies many times over, so that when we judge, we think of Your goodness, and when we are judged, we expect mercy. Verses 19–22. These verses indicate what purposes God had in relation to the Israelite people in punishing the Canaanites with patience and mercy. By merciful punishment of the Canaanites, God taught the Israelites humaneness: “by these very deeds You taught Your people that the righteous must be humane” (verse 19). Second, by forbearance toward the Canaanites, God gave the Israelites “good hope” for a better future in the misfortunes that befell them, convinced them that these afflictions are not the final Judgment of God, but only “time for repentance for sins.” For if the Canaanites, for their grave sins (verses 4–6), “deserving of death,” God through repeated (“many times over”) merciful punishment gave “opportunity to free themselves from wickedness,” then the Israelites, “to whom You gave oaths and covenants of good promises,” can hope even more for such fatherly judgment. By this passage fathers had such high moral purposes. Under oaths and covenants of good promises are probably understood here the promises given to the patriarchs of the Hebrew people: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and not the covenants of Sinai, because later (Wis 18:22) he says that Aaron “remembered” these oaths and covenants of the fathers. The passage being explained is very characteristic for the author: it shows his effort to find in the events recorded in the Pentateuch and in the Book of Joshua the highest moral purposes, whereas in those canonical books the events are conveyed only from an external factual side.

Wisdom 12:23. Therefore You also punished those impious who lived in folly, afflicting them with their own abominations, Verses 23–28. In this section pseudo-Solomon again returns to the punishment of the ancient Egyptians and indicates in this the highest divine purpose, namely, to lead them to knowledge of the one true God. Verse 23. “Living in folly...” An indication of the foolishness of idolatry, which had a very harmful influence on the moral life of the Egyptians. See Wis 14:23-24. For this they were punished “through their own abominations.” According to biblical usage of this word, by “abominations” are understood here idols. The thought of the verse is the same as Wis 11:16-17 verse.

Wisdom 12:24. because they went far astray in the ways of error, regarding as gods those of the animals which even their enemies held in contempt. Verse 24. More specifically is indicated the foolishness of Egyptian idolatry in that they “regarded as gods those of the animals which even their enemies held in contempt.” The worshipped animals, therefore, were not beautiful and did not make an impression by their strength and size, they were above all disagreeable, and yet were deified. To such delusion, however, the author relates with compassion: the Egyptians were deluded, by his expression, “like senseless children.”

Wisdom 12:25. Therefore, as to senseless children, You sent upon them a punishment that was a mockery. Wisdom 12:26. But, not instructed by that rebuke through mockery, they suffered the judgment they deserved. Verses 25–26. Having called above the delusions of the Egyptians childish, the author says that correspondingly the sent punishments were merely “a mockery” of them. Evidently, he here means the punishment through frogs, flies, and dog-flies (Exod 8:6 verse) and does not give these plagues serious significance compared with the subsequent slaying of the firstborn of the Egyptians and the drowning of the Egyptian army in the Red Sea. Only when the Egyptians “were not instructed by that rebuke through mockery,” they “suffered the judgment they deserved” in the final terrible events at the exodus of the Hebrews.

Wisdom 12:27. For as they suffered themselves what caused them trouble, so they saw the same things torment those whom they regarded as gods and by which they were punished, and they recognized the true God, Whom previously they had denied knowing; Verse 27. The Egyptian plagues led the Egyptians to knowledge of the true God in two ways. First, they saw that the same unpleasantnesses and sufferings that affected them also affected those animals “whom they regarded as gods”; second, the deified animals themselves became for them a source of sufferings. Then “they recognized the true God”; this does not mean that the Egyptians became worshippers of Jehovah just as the Hebrews were, but only that in the accomplished plagues they recognized the work of the God of the Hebrews, “Whom previously they had denied knowing.” The latter expression alludes to Pharaoh’s words: Exod 5:2.

Wisdom 12:28. therefore final condemnation came upon them.