Chapter Sixteen

1–14. The punishment of the Egyptians through animals and the blessing through them of the Hebrews. 15–29. The second comparison: the punishment of the Egyptians through dread atmospheric phenomena and their beneficial action on the Hebrews.

Chapters 16 and 19

contain a comparison of events from the history of the Egyptians and the Hebrew people during the time of his liberation from bondage.

In this final section of the Book of the Wisdom of Solomon the author returns to the same theme he had unfolded in Wis 10:15-11:1-17 and which was interrupted by discussion of God’s love (XI:18-XII) and on the origin and foolishness of idolatry (XIII-XV). Clarifying the opposite fate of the Hebrews protected by divine Wisdom and the rejected Egyptians, he makes five comparisons of events from the period of the Hebrew exodus from Egypt. These comparisons are made with great skill, and the description of events contains many new details compared with the Book of Exodus and explanations; indeed the descriptions themselves are often highly artistic (for example, Chapter XVII).

The opening fourteen verses of Chapter XVI contain the first parallel between the opposite fate of the Egyptians and Israelites, namely in regard to the punishment of the former and the blessing of the latter through animals. The Israelites satisfied their hunger through animals sent to them, while the Egyptians, on the contrary, had the sight of animals sent in the second plague inspire disgust for food (verses 1–4). And if the Israelites were punished through animals, then in contrast to the Egyptians it was for a brief time and with the purpose that swift salvation following the punishment would remind them of God’s mercy (verses 5–14).

Wisdom 16:1. Therefore they were justly punished through such animals and tormented by a multitude of monsters. 1. See the remark on 11:16. The first verse is closely connected with the last two verses of Chapter XV. The absurd veneration of disgusting animals was the reason why the Egyptians “were justly punished through such animals.”

Wisdom 16:2. Instead of such punishment You blessed Your people: in satisfaction of their desire You prepared for them in nourishment an unusual food – quails, 2. Compare Wis 19:11-12; Exod 16:13; Num 11:31; Ps 104:40. Turning to the fate of the Israelite people, the author contrasts the punishment of the Egyptians through animals with the blessing of the Hebrews through the sending of quails as food. This was done “in satisfaction of their desire,” that is, when the Hebrews did not yet feel real hunger, but in asking for meat, as the author notes elsewhere, “gave way to appetite” (Wis 19:11). This detail is noted here by the author for contrast with the hunger of the Egyptians in verse 3.

Wisdom 16:3. so that those tormented by hunger, by the loathsome sight of the sent creatures, would refuse even the necessary call to food, while these, having briefly suffered want, tasted extraordinary food. 3. The author means the punishment of the Egyptians by loathsome frogs that appeared in such numbers that they invaded everything: homes, ovens, kneading bowls (Exod 8:3) and inspired disgust for food that they touched. Therefore “tormented by hunger” the Egyptians “refused even the necessary call to food.” Thus animals were sent to the Israelites to satisfy their “desire,” while animals prevented the Egyptians from satisfying even their natural hunger. As is evident from this example, the author with great skill establishes a parallel between different events from the ancient history of the Hebrew people. The beginning of verse 3 “so that those” is directly connected with verse 1, not with verse 2.

Wisdom 16:4. For those oppressors deserved to be overtaken by inevitable want, while these only needed to know how their enemies suffered. 4. See Wis 11:9-11. The measure of punishment for the Israelites and Egyptians is not equal. The latter are overtaken by “inevitable want,” utter impossibility to satisfy their hunger, complete measure of punishment, while the Israelites are punished only so that they might know “how their enemies suffered.” In their suffering there is an element of satisfaction, the knowledge that their historical enemies suffered in the same way, and even more.

Wisdom 16:5. And when terrible fury of beasts came upon them and they were being destroyed by the bites of treacherous serpents, Your anger did not last until the end. 5. The author turns to another event – the punishment of the Israelites by the bite of poisonous serpents (Num 21, from verse 6) and first of all notes that even here “God’s anger did not last until the end.”

Wisdom 16:6. But they were troubled for a short time for instruction, receiving a sign of salvation in remembrance of the commandment of Your law, Wisdom 16:7. for he who turned was healed not by that which he saw, but by You, the Savior of all. 6–7. These verses convey the account of Moses about the bronze serpent (Num 21:6-9), which was lifted up on a tree so that those bitten by serpents, looking upon it, would receive healing. This serpent was for the Hebrews a “sign of salvation,” a kind of symbol, but did not itself directly give healing: “for he who turned was healed not by that which he saw, but by You, the Savior of all.” The significance of the serpent as a symbol lay in the fact that it prompted “remembrance of the commandment of Your law.” There is no reason to think that the serpent recalled some specific law commandment violated by the Hebrews. Later this expression is replaced by the more general: “in remembrance of Your words” (verse 11). The bronze serpent in general should remind the Hebrews of God’s mercy, saving repentant sinners, and of their duty of obedience to God.

Wisdom 16:8. And by this You showed our enemies that You are the one who delivers from all evil: Wisdom 16:9. for they were killed by the wounds of locusts and flies, and no remedy was found for their soul, because they were worthy of torment from these. Wisdom 16:10. But the teeth of poisonous serpents did not overcome Your sons, for Your mercy came to their aid and healed them. 8–10. To the event of the healing of the Hebrews from serpent bites the author contrasts the “plagues” of the Egyptians from flies and locusts. This seemingly trifling danger led to their destruction (verse 9), while God’s mercy saved the Hebrew people even in vastly greater dangers (verse 10). This comparison was instructive even for the Egyptians themselves: “by this You showed our enemies that You are the one who delivers from all evil.” Here, as in Wis 11:14, the author either supposes that the events of the Hebrew wandering in the desert became known in Egypt, or speaks generally of the lesson of history for posterity.

Wisdom 16:11. Though they were wounded in remembrance of Your words, yet they were quickly healed, so that, having fallen into deep forgetfulness of them, they would not be bereft of Your beneficence. 11. The purpose of God’s mercies toward the Hebrews is indicated in this: that they not fall into “deep forgetfulness” of God’s words. Thus, in the author’s thought, the Hebrew people were educated in faithfulness to the Lord through His mercies and beneficence.

Wisdom 16:12. Not grass or poultice healed them, but Your, O Lord, all-healing word. Wisdom 16:13. You have the power of life and death and bring down to the gates of hell and bring up. 12–13. The author bases the assertion of verse 11, that the salvation of the Israelites was meant to remind them of God and their obligation to obey His commandments, on the fact that healing was accomplished not by natural forces of nature but solely by God’s almighty will, the Lord of life and death. “…all-healing word…” – here not the Logos of the Alexandrians, but in comparison of this verse with verses 7, 10, and 26 is understood the Divine will manifesting in the external world, whose natural and frequent symbol in Scripture is speech, the word (Ps 106:20; Isa 40:11). “…bring down to the gates of hell and bring up.” To bring down to the gates of hell means to bring to death, while to bring up from hell in the language of Scripture often (see Ps 48:16) means to rescue from mortal danger. But in view of the fact that in the next verse God’s power is contrasted with man’s powerlessness to return another person’s taken life, it is more correct even here in the words “bring up” from hell to see the thought that God is able to return life to the dead.

Wisdom 16:14. Man in his wickedness kills, but cannot return the spirit gone out nor can he call back the soul taken. Wisdom 16:15. But to escape Your hand is impossible, 15–29. In this section is contained the second parallel between the fate of the Hebrews and Egyptians. The latter were punished by rain, hail, and fire; fire destroyed their means of sustenance; on the contrary, the Israelites received miraculous heavenly food, resembling snow and hail in appearance, which did not melt even from fire. True, part of this food was lost for the Israelites, but not for the same reason as for the Egyptians, not from the destroying power of fire, but from a weak sunbeam, and not as punishment for them did this happen, but to remind them of the duty of gratitude.

Wisdom 16:16. for the impious, having renounced knowing You, were punished by the strength of Your arm, being pursued by unusual rains, hails, and inevitable storms and destroyed by fire. Wisdom 16:17. But the most wondrous was that fire showed its power more in water, which extinguishes all, for the world itself is a defender of the righteous. Wisdom 16:18. Sometimes flame was subdued so as not to burn the animals sent against the impious, and so that they, seeing this, would know that they were pursued by God’s judgment. Wisdom 16:19. And at other times even in the midst of water it burned more strongly than fire, in order to destroy the fruits of the unrighteous land. 16–19. The basis for this account by the author is the narrative of Moses about the 7th and 8th plagues of Egypt: Exod 9:22-25. However, the character of the account is such that it is difficult to decide whether the author by his particular language is conveying only events already known from the Book of Exodus, introducing only new details into them, or whether he is partly recounting events completely unknown from the Bible. Particular difficulty is occasioned by the account of fire that “burned even in the midst of water” (verse 19) and even “showed its power more in water” (verse 17), which acted with discrimination (verse 18). If under this fire is understood lightning accompanying hail and storm, striking even in the midst of a downpour, as it seems to be indicated by the name of this fire “burning in hail and flashing in rains,” then in this case the author reports an event essentially already known from Moses’s account, only adorning it with details from later tradition. Besides introducing new details, the author also departs from Moses’s account in that whereas according to Moses the plagues through animals ceased long before the hail and fire came, according to the conception of the author of our book, these plagues coincided in time (verse 18). “…The world itself is a defender of the righteous” (verse 17). This expression means that the elements of nature, serving in God’s hands as a means of punishment for the impious, thereby rise to the defense of the righteous.

Wisdom 16:20. Instead of that Your people You nourished with the food of angels and sent to those not laboring, bread ready from heaven, which had all sweetness according to the taste of each. From verse 20 the author turns to contrasting the Egyptian people with the Hebrew people. In those the flame destroyed the products of their land, “instead of that Your people You nourished with the food of angels,” which was given to them without any labor on their part and in a form completely ready for use. These details are noted for greater distinctness of the contrast. Undoubtedly, the author speaks here of manna (Exod 16 ch.). The name of manna “food of angels” indicates that it fell from heaven, and the predicate “angelic” is equivalent to the adjective “heavenly.” In other places it is so called: Wis 19:20; Ps 77:24. “…bread which had all sweetness according to the taste of each.” Concerning such a property of manna to change taste according to the taste of each, the author speaks on the basis of later tradition. In the books of Moses there is no basis for this; on the contrary, the Hebrews complained that only manna was before their eyes and asked for other kinds of food.

Wisdom 16:21. For the quality of Your food demonstrated Your love for the children, and in satisfaction of the desire of the one partaking changed according to the taste of each. Wisdom 16:22. And snow and ice endured fire and did not melt, so that they would know that fire burning in the hail and flashing in the rains was destroying the fruits of the enemies. Wisdom 16:23. But that same fire, so that the righteous might be nourished, lost its power. 22–23. “And snow and ice endured fire…” In 16:14 of the Book of Exodus (Exod 16:14) manna is compared to hoarfrost with respect to its extraordinary abundance and to amber (Num 11:7) by its transparent appearance. In this place the author also speaks of manna, using the comparison of snow and ice. That “snow and ice” here are images of some kind of food is evident from the fact that the author contrasts them with the “fruits of the enemies,” and then in another place he directly calls manna the “snow-like form of heavenly food” (Wis 19:20). By these images of manna the author makes use for strengthening the opposition between Egyptians and Hebrews: hail beat down the wheat fields of the Egyptians, while manna-like food was sent to the Hebrews; “fire destroyed the fruits of the enemies,” while the bread sent to the Hebrews, though resembling snow and ice, yet did not melt from fire; the Hebrews fed on it even in the heat of the wilderness.

Wisdom 16:24. For creation, serving You, the Creator, strives toward the punishment of the impious and is quiet for the beneficence of those who believe in You. 24. The basis for the indicated twofold opposite action of fire the author points out in the fact that nature in the fulfillment of higher divine purposes in moral governance changes its forces: “strives toward the punishment of the impious, and is quiet for the beneficence of those who believe in You.” This “striving” and “quieting” of nature the author distinguishes from the usual order of things (see Wis 19:6) and to these phenomena fully applies the concept of miracle.

Wisdom 16:25. Therefore also then it, changing in everything, obeyed Your grace, nourishing all according to the wish of those in need, Wisdom 16:26. so that Your sons, whom You, O Lord, loved, might know that it is not the kinds of fruits that nourish man, but Your word preserves those who believe in You. 25–26. The discourse is about manna. Relying on the thought expressed in the preceding verse that all that is created serves the higher purposes of the Creator (verse 24), the author says that manna also changed its taste not according to its natural property but “obeyed Your grace.” From this the Hebrews should have learned that “it is not the kinds of fruits that nourish man, but Your word preserves those who believe in You.” Man is sustained not by abundance of earthly fruits but solely by Divine will as the first and immediate cause of all things. On “word” see the remark to verse 12.

Wisdom 16:27. For that which was not destroyed by fire, when warmed by a weak sunbeam, at once melted, Wisdom 16:28. so that it would be known that one must give thanks to You before the sun and turn toward You at the rising of the light. Wisdom 16:29. For the hope of the ungrateful will melt like winter hoarfrost and will flow away like useless water. 27–29. Compare Exod 16:21. Manna fell only in the early morning; warmed by the rays of the sun, it quickly disappeared. In this circumstance the author sees the purpose of educating the Israelites in the feeling of gratitude toward God. Not having the ability to gather manna in supply but forced to seek sustenance each early morning, the Hebrews were meant to feel vividly their dependence on God and, receiving daily sustenance from Him, be filled with gratitude toward Him. The words of verse 28: “one must give thanks to You before the sun and turn toward You at the rising of the light” some commentators adduce in support of their supposition that the author of the Book of Wisdom of Solomon was a Therapeute or Essene, in which sects prayer at the indicated time was obligatory. However, without this preconceived notion about the author’s belonging to one of the indicated sects, it is most natural in the cited words to see a simple exhortation to be zealous in prayer so as to begin one’s day with it. In this sense morning prayer is spoken of in other places of Scripture: Ps 5:3-4 and others. Since manna disappeared with the first rays of the sun (verse 27), those Hebrews who gathered it naturally should by their prayerful thanksgiving “give thanks before the sun.” In exhorting the Hebrews to gratitude toward God, the author says in the last verse that “the hope of the ungrateful will melt like winter hoarfrost and will flow away like useless water.” The images are taken in correspondence with verses 22 and 27. Our Telegram channel