Wisdom — Chapter 17

FOR GREAT ARE THY JUDGMENTS, O LORD, AND UNUTTERABLE: THEREFORE UNTAUGHT SOULS HAVE ERRED.

God's judgments are great and inutterable (inenarrabilia) — beyond human capacity to fully explain. \"Untaught souls have erred\" — the undisciplined, untutored soul cannot comprehend or accept divine judgment and therefore falls into error. Lapide: the plague of darkness is a divine judgment that exceeds human explanation, since it operated on the interior conscience as well as on the exterior senses.

FOR WHEREAS THE WICKED THOUGHT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE DOMINION OVER THE HOLY NATION, THEY THEMSELVES BEING FETTERED WITH THE BONDS OF DARKNESS AND A LONG NIGHT, SHUT UP IN THEIR HOUSES, LAY THERE AS EXILES FROM THE ETERNAL PROVIDENCE.

The Egyptians, who had enslaved and dominated Israel, were now themselves enslaved in their own homes by chains of darkness. \"Exiles from eternal providence\" — during the darkness, God's ordinary care (light, order, visibility) was withdrawn from them; they experienced an anticipation of hell. Lapide on the punishment of slavery: those who enslaved others are enslaved by their own sins and God's judgment.

AND WHILE THEY THOUGHT TO LIE HID IN THEIR DARK SINS, THEY WERE SCATTERED UNDER A DARK VEIL OF FORGETFULNESS, BEING HORRIBLY AFRAID AND TROUBLED WITH EXCEEDING GREAT ASTONISHMENT.

The Egyptians thought their dark sins were hidden — now they are hidden in literal darkness, which mirrors and punishes their hidden sins. \"Veil of forgetfulness\" (velamento oblitionis) — the darkening of memory, reason, and prudence that accompanies mortal sin. Lapide: this verse is one of Scripture's most penetrating analyses of the psychology of sin: hidden sin produces an interior darkness that ultimately externalizes as visible punishment.

FOR NEITHER DID THE DARK DEN THAT HELD THEM, KEEP THEM FREE FROM FEAR: FOR NOISES COMING DOWN TROUBLED THEM, AND SAD VISIONS APPEARING TO THEM, AFFRIGHTED THEM.

Even in their houses and hiding places, the Egyptians were not safe from fear — noises and sad visions (apparitions of demons) terrified them. Lapide on the nature of the Egyptian darkness: (1) physical darkness (absence of light); (2) demonic presence (devils appearing as frightening visions); (3) interior darkness of conscience. The three levels of darkness reinforce each other.

AND NO POWER OF FIRE COULD GIVE THEM LIGHT, NEITHER COULD THE BRIGHT FLAMES OF THE STARS ENLIGHTEN THAT HORRIBLE NIGHT.

No natural light — not fire, not stars — could penetrate the Egyptian darkness. Lapide: the darkness was supernatural, placed and sustained by divine power beyond any natural force to overcome. Applied spiritually: the darkness of sin and spiritual blindness cannot be overcome by natural human wisdom or effort — only divine grace can restore spiritual light.

BUT THERE APPEARED TO THEM A SUDDEN FIRE, VERY DREADFUL: AND BEING STRUCK WITH THE FEAR OF THAT FACE WHICH WAS NOT SEEN, THEY THOUGHT THE THINGS WHICH THEY SAW TO BE WORSE.

Sudden flashes of dreadful fire — not illuminating but terrifying — appeared in the Egyptian darkness. \"Being struck with the fear of that face which was not seen\" — the terror was enhanced by not seeing the source; fear of the unknown (especially when known to be divine) is greater than fear of the visible. Lapide on the supernatural character of this darkness: it was not merely the absence of light but an active divine intervention.

AND THE DELUSIONS OF THEIR MAGIC ART WERE PUT DOWN, AND THEIR BOASTING OF WISDOM WAS REPROACHFULLY REBUKED.

The Egyptian magicians' arts (pharmacia = magic) were confounded and put down. Lapide: Egyptian wisdom — renowned in antiquity — was exposed as impotent before the smallest divine operation. Applied to all forms of occult practice: God's power overcomes and exposes the deceptions of magic and divination.

FOR THEY WHO PROMISED TO DRIVE AWAY FEARS AND TROUBLES FROM A SICK SOUL, WERE SICK THEMSELVES OF A FEAR WORTHY TO BE LAUGHED AT.

The Egyptian priests who promised to cure others of fear were themselves paralyzed by fear. Lapide: divine irony at its most complete — the \"wise men\" who offered guidance and protection could not protect themselves. Applied to false religion in general: it cannot deliver what it promises.

FOR THOUGH NO TROUBLESOME THING FRIGHTED THEM: YET BEING SCARED WITH THE PASSING BY OF BEASTS, AND HISSING OF SERPENTS, THEY DIED FOR FEAR: AND DENYING THAT THEY SAW THE AIR, WHICH COULD BY NO MEANS BE AVOIDED.

Even ordinary animal noises — the hissing of serpents — terrified the Egyptians to death. Lapide on the extreme sensitivity of a guilty conscience: small things that would be trivial to an innocent person are unbearable to one already burdened with guilt and divine punishment. \"Denying that they saw the air\" — they could not even acknowledge the atmosphere around them; such was the degree of sensory and spiritual confusion.

FOR WHEREAS WICKEDNESS IS FEARFUL, IT BEARETH WITNESS TO ITS OWN CONDEMNATION: FOR A TROUBLED CONSCIENCE ALWAYS FORECASTETH GRIEVOUS THINGS.

Wickedness bears witness against itself — the guilty conscience is its own accuser and judge. \"A troubled conscience always forecasteth grievous things\" — this is the psychological reality of sin: the guilty person unconsciously projects future punishment, experiencing a form of anticipatory hell. Lapide cites Cicero (Pro Milone), Seneca, and Augustine on the testimony of conscience.

FOR FEAR IS NOTHING ELSE BUT A YIELDING UP OF THE HELPS FROM THOUGHT.

Fear = the abandonment of reason's defense. When the rational faculties yield to panic, the mind loses its ability to distinguish real from imaginary dangers, proportion punishments, or trust in God. Lapide on the theology of fear: holy fear (timor filialis) strengthens; servile fear (timor servilis) without hope destroys. The fear of the Egyptians was servile and despairing.

AND WHILE THERE IS LESS EXPECTATION FROM WITHIN, THE GREATER DOTH IT COUNT THE IGNORANCE OF THAT CAUSE WHICH BRINGETH THE TORMENT.

The less inner resource one has (from virtue, grace, and right reason), the more terrifying the unknown cause of suffering becomes. Lapide: the spiritual destitution of the Egyptians left them completely vulnerable to both interior and exterior darkness. Applied to spiritual direction: a soul without prayer, sacraments, and virtue is uniquely vulnerable to spiritual terror and despair.

BUT THEY THAT DURING THAT NIGHT, IN WHICH NOTHING COULD BE DONE, AND WHICH CAME UPON THEM FROM THE DEPTHS OF POWERLESS HELL, SLEPT THE SAME SLEEP.

The terrible night of Egyptian darkness — \"from the depths of powerless hell\" (ab inferis impotentibus). The darkness was not merely natural night but had the character of the infernal: a foretaste of eternal darkness. Lapide: the Egyptian darkness is the supreme type of the spiritual darkness that envelops the impenitent sinner and ultimately culminates in eternal separation from God.

WERE SOMETIMES DISTURBED WITH THE FEAR OF MONSTERS, SOMETIMES FAINTED AWAY, THEIR SOUL FAILING THEM: FOR A SUDDEN AND UNLOOKED FOR FEAR WAS COME UPON THEM.

Alternating between terror at monsters and fainting from fear — the psychological torment of the Egyptian darkness was relentless and varied, giving no respite. \"Sudden and unlooked for fear\" — the unexpected character of divine punishment intensified its effect. Lapide: the suddenness of divine judgment is itself a sign of divine sovereignty — He acts when and how He wills, not according to human expectation.

MOREOVER IF ANY OF THEM HAD FALLEN DOWN, HE WAS KEPT SHUT UP IN A PRISON WITHOUT IRON BARS.

Even fallen Egyptians could not move — imprisoned without visible bars, by the power of the darkness itself. Lapide: supernatural imprisonment is more terrifying and inescapable than physical chains, because there is no visible means of escape. The \"prison without iron bars\" anticipates the spiritual prison of the damned in hell.

FOR WHETHER HE WERE A HUSBANDMAN, OR A SHEPHERD, OR A LABOURER IN THE FIELD, HE WAS OVERTAKEN, AND ENDURED THAT INEVITABLE NECESSITY.

No class of person — farmer, shepherd, fieldworker — escaped the darkness. Universal affliction throughout Egyptian society. Lapide: divine punishment is class-blind — the laborer and the noble suffer equally when God's judgment falls. Applied to the Last Judgment: no earthly status (wealth, power, knowledge) provides exemption.

FOR THEY WERE ALL BOUND WITH ONE CHAIN OF DARKNESS.

All bound with one chain of darkness — the unity of their punishment in sin. Lapide: those who are united in sin are united in punishment. The image of the chain is developed: sin chains the soul; the darkness of Egypt chains the body; the chains of hell bind the damned eternally.

WHETHER THERE WAS A WHISTLING WIND, OR A MELODIOUS SOUND OF BIRDS, AMONG THE SPREADING BRANCHES OF TREES, OR A FALL OF WATER RUNNING DOWN WITH VIOLENCE.

Even beautiful natural sounds — wind, birds, water — terrified the Egyptians in their darkness and guilty conscience. Lapide: sin transforms even the good things of creation into sources of terror for the guilty. Applied to the psychology of scrupulosity in excess and to the torment of the damned, for whom even God's goodness is terrifying.

OR A HARSH SOUND OF STONES TUMBLING DOWN, OR THE RUNNING THAT COULD NOT BE SEEN OF BEASTS PLAYING TOGETHER, OR THE ROARING VOICE OF WILD BEASTS, OR AN ECHO RESOUNDING FROM THE HOLLOW MOUNTAINS: THESE THINGS MADE THEM TO SWOON FOR FEAR.

A comprehensive catalog of natural sounds that terrified the Egyptians: falling stones, playing animals, wild beasts roaring, echoes from mountains. Lapide: the disordered imagination of the guilty person transforms every sound into a threat. \"Made them swoon for fear\" — total psychological collapse. Applied to the spiritual life: sin gradually destroys the soul's capacity for proper relationships with creation and Creator.

FOR THE WHOLE WORLD WAS ENLIGHTENED WITH A CLEAR LIGHT, AND NONE WERE HINDERED IN THEIR LABOURS.

While Egypt was in darkness, the whole world (and specifically the land of Goshen where Israel dwelt) was illuminated with clear light. \"None were hindered in their labours\" — Israel went about their normal activities unimpeded. The contrast between light and darkness, between the free and the enslaved, between the children of God and the enemies of God — is total and vivid.

BUT OVER THEM ONLY WAS SPREAD A HEAVY NIGHT, AN IMAGE OF THAT DARKNESS WHICH WAS TO COME UPON THEM. BUT THEY WERE TO THEMSELVES MORE GRIEVOUS THAN THE DARKNESS.

The Egyptian darkness was \"an image of the darkness which was to come upon them\" — the eternal darkness of hell is the ultimate reality of which the ninth plague was only a temporal sign. \"They were more grievous to themselves than the darkness\" — the worst darkness is interior: the darkness of a guilty conscience is worse than any external darkness. This is the spiritual climax of the chapter: the interior darkness of sin is more terrible than any physical punishment.