God's different dealings with the Egyptians and with his own people.
16:1. For these things, and by the like things to these, they were worthily punished, and were destroyed by a multitude of beasts.
16:2. Instead of which punishment, dealiug well with thy people, thou gavest them their desire of delicious food, of a new taste, preparing for them quails for their meat:
16:3. To the end, that they indeed desiring food, by means of those things that were shewn and sent among them, might loath even that which was necessary to satisfy their desire. But these, after suffering want for a short time, tasted a new meat.
They indeed desiring food, etc… He means the Egyptians; who were restrained even from that food which was necessary, by the frogs and the flies that were sent amongst them, and spoiled all their meats.-Ibid. But these… Viz., the Israelites.
16:4. For it was requisite that inevitable destruction should come upon them that exercised tyranny: but to these it should only be shewn how their enemies were destroyed.
16:5. For when the fierce rage of beasts came upon these, they were destroyed by the bitings of crooked serpents.
16:6. But thy wrath endured not for ever, but they were troubled for a short time for their correction, having a sign of salvation, to put them in remembrance of the commandment of thy law.
Sign of salvation… The brazen serpent, an emblem of Christ our
Saviour.
16:7. For he that turned to it, was not healed by that which he saw, but by thee, the Saviour of all.