1 And so it was
appropriate that these people
-- --
were punished by such creatures—
tormented by swarms of them.
2 But you, O Lord, did not punish
your people in this way; instead, you
showed them kindness. You sent
them quails to eat, a rare, delicious
food to satisfy their hunger. note
3 You
did all this so that the idolaters,
when they were hungry, would be
unable to eat because of the disgusting
creatures sent to them. Your
people, however, suffered hunger
only a short while, and then they ate
the finest food.
4 It was necessary for
the oppressors to suffer relentless
need, while your people saw how
their enemies were being tormented.
5 When terrible, fierce snakes attacked
your people and were killing
them with their poison, you did not
remain angry long enough to destroy
your people.
6 This trouble lasted for
only a little while, as a warning.
Then you gave them a healing symbol,
the bronze snake, to remind
them of what your Law requires.
7 If
a person looked at that symbol, he
was cured of the snakebite—not by
what he saw, but by you, the savior
of all mankind. note
8 By doing this, you
also convinced our enemies that you
are the one who rescues people from
every evil.
9 Our enemies died from
the bites of locusts and flies; no way
was found to cure them, because
they deserved to be punished by
such creatures.
10 But even poisonous
snakes could not overcome your
people, because you had mercy,
helped them, and cured them.
11 They were bitten so that they
would remember your commands,
but they were quickly rescued, in order
to keep them from forgetting
you completely and depriving themselves
of your kindness.
12 No medicine
or ointment cured them. They
were restored to health by your
word, O Lord, the word which heals
all humanity.
13 You have power
over life and death; you can bring a
person to the brink of death and
back again.
14 A wicked man may
kill someone, but he cannot bring
the dead person back to life or rescue
a soul imprisoned in the world of
the dead.
Disastrous Storms Hit Egypt
15 No one can possibly escape
from you.
16 Look at those ungodly
people: they refused to recognize
you as God, so you punished them
with your great power. They were
overtaken by terrible storms of rain
and hail and were completely destroyed
by fire.
17 The most amazing
thing was that the fire burned all the
more fiercely in the water, which
usually puts fire out. All the forces
of nature fight to defend those who
are righteous.
18 At one point the
flames died down, so that they
wouldn't destroy the creatures sent
to punish the ungodly. Those people
had to learn that they were being
overtaken by your judgment.
19 But
at another point, when surrounded
by water, the flames burned more
fiercely than fire had ever burned before,
and so destroyed the crops on
the land where those unrighteous
people lived.
The Israelites Receive Manna to Eat
20 But this disaster did not strike
your people. Instead, you gave them
the food of angels. From heaven you
sent down bread that was ready to
eat, and they did not have to prepare
it. The food you gave delighted
everyone, no matter what his taste.
21 All this showed how lovingly you
care for your children. That food satisfied
the desire of everyone who ate
it; it was changed to suit each person's
taste.
22 It was food that under
normal circumstances would vanish
away like snow or ice, but now it did
not melt even in the fire. This was
meant to teach your people that the
same fire that was destroying their
enemies' crops during the heavy
downpour of rain and hail
23 held
back its power, so that your own
righteous people might have food.
24 You created the universe; it is at
your command. All creation uses its
power to punish unrighteous people,
-- --
but it becomes mild and kind to
those who put their trust in you.
25 Creation assumed all kinds of
forms to show how you provide generously
for all who pray to you. note
26 This happened so that the people
whom you loved, O Lord, might
learn that they are not fed by what
they can grow. It is your word that
maintains those who put their trust
in you.
27 The food that was not destroyed
by the fire melted when the
first ray of sunlight warmed it.
28 This was to teach us that we must
get up before daybreak to give you
thanks, and pray as the sun comes
up.
29 But an ungrateful person's
hope will melt away like frost, and
drain away like water that is not
being used. note
Good News [1976], GOOD NEWS BIBLE WITH DEUTEROCANONICALS / APOCRYPHA Today's English Version (AMERICAN BIBLE SOCIETY, New York) [word count] [B15000].