1You were right to punish the Egyptians by sending snakes to attack those worshipers of snakes. 2 But you did not punish your own people. Instead, you treated them with kindness and sent tasty quails for them to eat and enjoy. 3You did these things, so that when those Egyptians were hungry, they would feel sick and lose their appetites, because they would have to eat the horrible meat of snakes. However, after suffering for a while, your own people enjoyed the best of foods. 4In this way, those who had been oppressed could watch their oppressors suffer cruel punishment.

5 When you were angry with your people and were destroying them with poisonous snakes, you stopped before all of them died, 6because you did this merely as a warning. Then you told them to make a metal snake, so that they would be rescued and remember to obey your Law. 7Everyone who looked at the metal snake was saved, not because of the snake itself, but because of you, the Savior of all people.

8By doing this, you proved to our enemies that you alone can protect people from harm, 9because many of them got what they deserved, when they died from the bites of locusts and flies. 10But you were merciful to your children and healed them from poisonous snake bites, 11so that they would remember your teachings and never forget your kindness. 12Medicine isn't what healed them. Only your word can heal, 13because you rule both life and death and possess the power to give life or to take it away. 14It's easy enough for us humans to kill another in anger, but we don't have the power to bring back a departed spirit or to set a soul free from the world of the dead.

Egypt Is Struck by Storms

Solomon continues praying:

15No one can escape from you, our God. 16And when those evil Egyptians rejected you and tried to escape, you punished them with your mighty arm and wiped them out with rainstorms, hailstones, and fiery lightning. 17Although water is used to put out a fire, an amazing thing happened--the water made the fire even more destructive, because nature itself protects good people.

18One time you kept the fire under control, so that it would not destroy the frogs and flies that were sent to punish those pagans and to let them know you were the one doing all of this. 19But at another time, you let it burn out of control--even in water--to wipe out the crops in that evil country.

God Provides Manna for His People

Solomon continues praying:

20 You blessed your people with manna, that food of angels, the bread you sent down from heaven. It satisfied their hunger and tasted delicious. 21Your care for your people was as sweet as this bread that everyone enjoyed so much. 22And though the bread was frail as snowflakes, it did not melt in the fiery flames that your enemies saw destroying their crops during the hailstorm. 23Contrary to nature, the fire did not spread to the crops of your people.

24All of creation serves you, its Creator, and uses its power to punish those who are evil and to show kindness to those who trust in you. 25And so on that occasion, the forces of the universe changed the way they work, in order to serve your purpose by answering the prayers 26of your precious children. This was also your way of teaching them not to depend upon their crops, but rather to depend upon your word, since it takes care of those who trust you. 27Even the manna that survived the fire then melted in the warmth of the sun. 28This shows that we must rise before dawn to pray to you, 29because if we are ungrateful, our hope will melt like frost and flow away like dirty water.