The comparison between Egypt and Israel resumes. The Egyptians, tormented by beasts, loathed even the food they needed, while Israel received quails of a strange taste. When serpents bit the Israelites in the desert they had 'a sign of salvation', yet whoever turned toward it was saved not by what he saw but by God, 'the Saviour of all'. Grasshoppers and flies killed the Egyptians, while God's word, 'which healeth all things', healed Israel. Fire burned in the hail against Egypt, while Israel ate 'angels' food', bread from heaven suited to every taste, that melted in the sun to teach thanks before dawn.
Wisdom 16 - Summary
Summary
Read Wisdom Chapter 16 Summary
Original
Characters in This Chapter
Solomon
The king whose voice the book adopts, never named: he prays for wisdom and is charged with building the temple
Adam
The first formed father, whom wisdom preserved and brought out of his fall
Noah
The righteous man steered through the flood on a piece of wood of small value
Abraham
The righteous man kept blameless and strong against his tender love for his son
Joseph
The righteous man who was sold, whom wisdom followed into the pit and raised to the sceptre
Moses
The servant of the Lord and holy prophet through whom wisdom faced Pharaoh and led Israel
Places in This Chapter
Position in Book
Righteousness and ImmortalityChapters 1-2
The Fate of the RighteousChapters 3-5
A Call to KingsChapters 6
Solomon's Love of WisdomChapters 7-9
Wisdom in HistoryChapters 10-11
God's Patience and the Folly of IdolsChapters 12-15
Egypt and IsraelChapters 16-19
Beasts and quails, hail and manna, darkness and the pillar of fire, the death of the firstborn and the crossing of the Red Sea: each plague is set against a gift to God's people.