“She prospered their works in the hand of the holy prophet.”
Prophet. Moses, (Challoner) by whose ministry the Hebrews were delivered, (Haydock) and governed with the utmost prudence, Numbers xii. 26. (Calmet)
“They stood against their enemies, and were avenged of their adversaries.”
Their enemies. The Amalecites, (Challoner) and all others, who durst attack Moses, Deuteronomy iii. 1.
“For by what things their enemies were punished, by the same they in their need were benefited.”
By what things, &c. The meaning is, that God, who wrought a miracle to punish the Egyptians by thirst, when he turned all their waters into blood, (at which time the Israelites, who were exempt from those plagues, had plenty of water) wrought another miracle in favour of his own people in their thirst, by giving them water out of the rock. (Challoner) — The Egyptians were thus tormented with thirst, though so near the Nile; and the Hebrews were refreshed in a barren desert, Exodus vii. 20.
“For a manifest reproof of that commandment, whereby the infants were slain, thou gavest unto them abundance of water by a means which they hoped not for:”
River. The Nile, to which the Egyptians gave divine honours. (Calmet) — Thou. Septuagint, “disturbed with corrupted blood, in punishment of the infanticide decree, thou gavest,” &c.
“For whom they respected with scorn, when he was long before thrown out at the casting forth of the infants, him in the end, when they saw what came to pass, they admired.”
By their punishments, &c. That is, that the Israelites had been benefited and miraculously favoured in the same kind, in which they had been punished. (Challoner) — Benefited. After war, peace is more agreeable. (Worthington)
“That they might know, that wherewithal a man sinneth, by the same also shall he be punished.”
Serpents. The Egyptians adored asps, and fed them at their tables, without receiving any harm. (Ælian. Hist. xvii. 5.) — Dumb beasts. Viz., frogs, sciniphs, flies, and locusts. (Challoner)
“For thou lovest all the things that are, and abhorrest nothing which thou hast made: for never wouldest thou have made any thing, if thou hadst hated it.”
Repentance. If people neglect to reform their conduct in this world, they must expect to be treated with all severity in the other.
“And how could any thing have endured, if it had not been thy will? or been preserved, if not called by thee?”
It. Sin and disorder is the work of man, deserving hatred. (Calmet) — God created nothing evil, nor is there any but one God, as the Manichees pretended. (Worthington)
“But thou sparest all: for they are thine, O Lord, thou lover of souls.”
Called. Into existence, or into its proper place, Romans iv. 17.
All. Awaiting their amendment, and unwilling to destroy thy creatures, chap. xii. 10. Hence thou didst not exterminate the Egyptians at once. (Calmet)