Wisdom of Solomon 15:18-16:14
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
Serpents in the Desert
18 Moreover, they worship even the most hateful animals,
which are worse than all others when judged by their lack of intelligence,(A)
19 and even as animals they are not so beautiful in appearance that one would desire them,
but they have escaped both the praise of God and his blessing.(B)
16 Therefore those people[a] were deservedly punished through such creatures
and were tormented by a multitude of animals.(C)
2 Instead of this punishment you showed kindness to your people,
and you prepared quails to eat,
a delicacy to satisfy the desire of appetite,(D)
3 in order that those people, when they desired food,
might lose the least remnant of appetite[b]
because of the odious creatures sent to them,
while your people,[c] after suffering want a short time,
might partake of delicacies.(E)
4 For it was necessary that upon those oppressors inescapable want should come,
while to these others it was merely shown how their enemies were being tormented.(F)
5 For when the terrible rage of wild animals came upon your people[d]
and they were being destroyed by the bites of writhing serpents,
your wrath did not continue to the end;(G)
6 they were troubled for a little while as a warning
and received a symbol of deliverance to remind them of your law’s command.(H)
7 For the one who turned toward it was saved not by the thing that was beheld
but by you, the Savior of all.(I)
8 And by this also you convinced our enemies
that it is you who deliver from every evil.
9 For they were killed by the bites of locusts and flies,
and no healing was found for them
because they deserved to be punished by such things.(J)
10 But your children were not conquered even by the fangs of venomous serpents,
for your mercy came to their help and healed them.(K)
11 To remind them of your oracles they were bitten
and then were quickly delivered,
so that they would not fall into deep forgetfulness
and become unresponsive[e] to your kindness.(L)
12 For neither herb nor poultice cured them,
but it was your word, O Lord, that heals all people.(M)
13 For you have power over life and death;
you lead mortals down to the gates of Hades and back again.(N)
14 A person in wickedness kills another
but cannot bring back the departed spirit
or set free the imprisoned soul.(O)
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.