Wisdom

Judgment of the Red Sea

Instead, a merciless fury raged against the wicked until the very end, for God knew beforehand what they would do:

that after allowing them to leave and hastening their departure, they would then pursue them.

While the Egyptians were still mourning at the graves of their dead, they foolishly decided to pursue them as fugitives.

A just fate drove them to this extreme, making them forget what had happened and completing their punishment with additional torment.

While your people experienced a miraculous journey, their oppressors suffered an extraordinary death.

All creation in its various forms was reshaped at your command, to protect your people.

The cloud shaded the camp; dry land appeared where water had been. A safe path opened through the Red Sea, and the tumultuous flood turned into a green plain

where the entire nation, protected by your hand, crossed and witnessed your incredible deeds.

They were like sheep led to pasture or like playful lambs, praising you, their Lord, who had saved them.

For they still remembered what they had seen in their exile: how the earth, instead of animals, had produced mosquitoes, and rivers, instead of fish, produced frogs.

Later, your people would see a new way for birds to appear, for when they hungered for food,

quails came out of the sea to satisfy their needs.

They Enslaved Some Immigrants

Punishment came upon the sinners after they were warned by violent thunder; they rightly suffered for their own wickedness, as they had shown the cruelest hatred toward strangers.

Some had not welcomed unfamiliar guests, but the Egyptians enslaved those who had been kind to them.

The former will be condemned for mistreating strangers;

even worse, the Egyptians who initially greeted them with celebration and treated them as equals, yet later caused them great suffering.

Because of this, they were struck with blindness, like the men of Sodom who came to the door of righteous Lot and found themselves in total darkness, each one groping to find his own door.

Metamorphosis of Creation

The elements changed their qualities just as a harp’s notes alter their tones while keeping their pitch. Clearly, this is evident when examining the events.

Creatures on land became aquatic, and those that swam appeared on dry land.

Fire burned more intensely in water when water failed to quench it.

On another occasion, flames did not burn fragile animals passing through them, nor did they melt the heavenly food that would normally melt like frost.

For in every way, Lord, you have exalted and glorified your people, never disdaining them, but standing by them always and everywhere.