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As for the ungodly, wrath came upon them without mercy unto the end; for He knew before what they would do:
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how that, having given them leave to depart and sent them hastily away, they would change their minds and pursue them.
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For whilst they were yet mourning and making lamentation at the graves of the dead, they added another foolish device and pursued them as fugitives, whom they had entreated to be gone.
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For the destiny whereof they were deserving drew them unto this end, and made them forget the things that had already happened, that they might fulfill the punishment which was lacking to their torments;
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and that Thy people might pass a miraculous way, but they might find a strange death.
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For the whole creation in his proper kind was fashioned again anew, serving the peculiar commandments that were given unto them, that Thy children might be kept without hurt.
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For a cloud shadowed the camp, and where water stood before dry land appeared; and out of the Red Sea a way without impediment, and out of the violent stream a green field,
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through which all the people went that were defended with Thy hand, seeing Thy marvelous strange wonders.
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For they went at large like horses and leaped like lambs, praising Thee, O Lord, who had delivered them.
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For they were yet mindful of the things that were done while they sojourned in the strange land: how the ground brought forth flies instead of cattle, and how the river cast up a multitude of frogs instead of fishes.
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But afterwards they saw a new kind of fowls when, being led by their appetite, they asked delicate meats;
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for quails came up unto them from the sea for their contentment.
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And punishments came not upon the sinners without former signs by the force of thunders; for they suffered justly according to their own wickedness, insomuch as they used a more hard and hateful behavior toward strangers.
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For the Sodomites did not receive those whom they knew not when they came, but these brought friends into bondage, who had deserved goodness from them.
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And not only so, but perhaps some respect shall be had for those, because they used strangers not friendly;
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but these very grievously afflicted those whom they had received with feasting, and were already made partakers of the same laws with them.
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Therefore even with blindness were these stricken, as those were at the doors of the righteous man when, being compassed about with horrible great darkness, every one sought the passage through his own doors.
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For the elements were changed in themselves by a kind of harmony, as on a psaltery notes change the name of the tune and yet are always sounds. This may well be perceived by the sight of the things that have been done.
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For earthly things were turned into watery, and the things that before swam in the water now went upon the ground.
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The fire had power in the water, forgetting his own virtue, and the water forgot his own quenching nature.
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On the other hand, the flames wasted not the flesh of the corruptible living things, though they walked therein; neither melted they the icy kind of heavenly meat, that was by nature apt to melt.
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For in all things, O Lord, Thou didst magnify Thy people and glorify them; neither didst Thou lightly regard them, but didst assist them in every time and place.