Wisdom of solomon 18:1 - But for your holy ones there was great light; And the Egyptians, hearing their voice but seeing not their form, Counted it a happy thing that they too had suffered,
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What does "Wisdom of solomon 18:1" mean?
This verse from Wisdom of Solomon 18:1 describes the contrasting experiences of the Israelites ("your holy ones") and the Egyptians during the final plague, the plague of darkness. Let's break it down:
"But for your holy ones there was great light": This refers to the Israelites, who were spared the darkness that enveloped Egypt. The "great light" symbolizes God's protection, favor, and presence with them. It emphasizes their special relationship with God.
"And the Egyptians, hearing their voice but seeing not their form": The Egyptians were plunged into a deep, terrifying darkness so thick they couldn't see anything. During this time, they could hear the Israelites (likely their lamentations or perhaps even voices in prayer) but couldn't see them. The juxtaposition of hearing but not seeing highlights their helplessness and fear.
"Counted it a happy thing that they too had suffered": This is the most complex and often debated part of the verse. It implies that the Egyptians, in their suffering, found a strange sort of comfort in knowing that the Israelites were also experiencing hardship. This can be interpreted in a few ways:
Guilt and Retribution: The Egyptians might have believed their suffering was divine punishment for their oppression of the Israelites. Hearing the Israelites' voices, they might have thought the Israelites were suffering as well, thus feeling that justice was being served equally. This could lessen their feelings of being targeted unfairly by a divine power.
Shared Humanity (Twisted): In a twisted way, the Egyptians might have found some solace in shared misery. Perhaps they thought that if everyone was suffering, it made their own situation less isolating and terrifying. The idea is that, by thinking the Israelites were also afflicted, they felt less like isolated targets of divine wrath.
Misinterpretation & Desperation: The Egyptians, being in extreme distress, might have misinterpreted the voices or the situation to convince themselves the Israelites were also suffering. In the chaos and terror, they might have grasped at any possible explanation that brought them some measure of comfort, even if it was based on a false premise.
In essence, the verse contrasts the Israelites' divinely provided light and protection with the Egyptians' terrifying darkness and suggests a complex, perhaps even distorted, reaction from the Egyptians to their suffering. They found a twisted comfort, whether real or imagined, in believing the Israelites were also suffering.
The verse is rich in irony. The Israelites, whom the Egyptians had oppressed, were blessed with light, while the oppressors were plunged into darkness. The verse highlights the power of God, the consequences of injustice, and the complexities of human psychology in the face of suffering. It also prepares the reader for the coming resolution, where the Egyptians will ultimately acknowledge God's power and release the Israelites.
Wisdom of solomon 18:1 - But for your holy ones there was great light; And the Egyptians, hearing their voice but seeing not their form, Counted it a happy thing that they too had suffered,
What does "Wisdom of solomon 18:1" mean?
This verse from Wisdom of Solomon 18:1 describes the contrasting experiences of the Israelites ("your holy ones") and the Egyptians during the final plague, the plague of darkness. Let's break it down:
"But for your holy ones there was great light": This refers to the Israelites, who were spared the darkness that enveloped Egypt. The "great light" symbolizes God's protection, favor, and presence with them. It emphasizes their special relationship with God.
"And the Egyptians, hearing their voice but seeing not their form": The Egyptians were plunged into a deep, terrifying darkness so thick they couldn't see anything. During this time, they could hear the Israelites (likely their lamentations or perhaps even voices in prayer) but couldn't see them. The juxtaposition of hearing but not seeing highlights their helplessness and fear.
"Counted it a happy thing that they too had suffered": This is the most complex and often debated part of the verse. It implies that the Egyptians, in their suffering, found a strange sort of comfort in knowing that the Israelites were also experiencing hardship. This can be interpreted in a few ways:
Guilt and Retribution: The Egyptians might have believed their suffering was divine punishment for their oppression of the Israelites. Hearing the Israelites' voices, they might have thought the Israelites were suffering as well, thus feeling that justice was being served equally. This could lessen their feelings of being targeted unfairly by a divine power.
Shared Humanity (Twisted): In a twisted way, the Egyptians might have found some solace in shared misery. Perhaps they thought that if everyone was suffering, it made their own situation less isolating and terrifying. The idea is that, by thinking the Israelites were also afflicted, they felt less like isolated targets of divine wrath.
Misinterpretation & Desperation: The Egyptians, being in extreme distress, might have misinterpreted the voices or the situation to convince themselves the Israelites were also suffering. In the chaos and terror, they might have grasped at any possible explanation that brought them some measure of comfort, even if it was based on a false premise.
In essence, the verse contrasts the Israelites' divinely provided light and protection with the Egyptians' terrifying darkness and suggests a complex, perhaps even distorted, reaction from the Egyptians to their suffering. They found a twisted comfort, whether real or imagined, in believing the Israelites were also suffering.
The verse is rich in irony. The Israelites, whom the Egyptians had oppressed, were blessed with light, while the oppressors were plunged into darkness. The verse highlights the power of God, the consequences of injustice, and the complexities of human psychology in the face of suffering. It also prepares the reader for the coming resolution, where the Egyptians will ultimately acknowledge God's power and release the Israelites.