Read & explore together
Changing elements conclude the praise of God’s faithful care
This passage uses poetic images of music, creatures, fire, and water to describe unusual changes in creation. It moves from comparison to direct praise, saying the Lord honoured his people and stood by them in every time and place.
Understanding the passage
Listening in context
In these verses from the Catholic additional book of Wisdom of Solomon, the writer compares changing elements to varied notes on a lute, then lists striking reversals in land, water, fire, and food. The passage ends by addressing the Lord directly with praise for his care of his people.
Wisdom of Solomon 19:18–22Main takeaway
This passage presents changing creation in poetic language and ends by praising the Lord for magnifying, glorifying, and standing by his people.
Look closely at the words
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01A lute helps picture changing elementsVerse 18 begins with a comparison. Notes on a lute can vary the character of a rhythm while the sound continues, and the passage says the elements changed their order in a similar way.
Explanation
Verse 18 begins with a comparison. Notes on a lute can vary the character of a rhythm while the sound continues, and the passage says the elements changed their order in a similar way. This image prepares the reader for language about change without losing coherence or purpose.
02Land and water exchange their usual placesVerse 19 gives the first example of this altered order. Creatures of the dry land were turned into creatures of the waters, while creatures that swim moved upon the land.
Explanation
Verse 19 gives the first example of this altered order. Creatures of the dry land were turned into creatures of the waters, while creatures that swim moved upon the land. The wording points to exchanged conditions and locations, showing the kind of reversal verse 18 compared to changing notes within one continuing sound.
03Fire and water do not behave as expectedVerse 20 continues with the elements themselves. Fire kept the mastery of its own power in water, and water forgot its quenching nature.
Explanation
Verse 20 continues with the elements themselves. Fire kept the mastery of its own power in water, and water forgot its quenching nature. Instead of cancelling each other in the usual way, each is described in altered relation to the other. This matches the passage’s theme of changed order among created things.
04The passage ends in praise of the Lord’s careVerses 21 and 22 say flames did not consume perishable flesh and did not melt the crystalline grains of food.
Explanation
Verses 21 and 22 say flames did not consume perishable flesh and did not melt the crystalline grains of food. Then the passage itself gives its closing praise: in all things the Lord magnified and glorified his people and did not lightly regard them, but stood by their side in every time and place.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01How does the comparison with a lute help you read the rest of the passage?
Notice that Wisdom of Solomon 19:18 speaks of variation within continuing sound, which helps frame the later examples of changed order.
02What specific reversals are named in these verses?
List each example the text gives about land creatures, water creatures, fire, water, flames, and food.
03What does the passage finally say the Lord did for his people?
Use the exact praise language in Wisdom of Solomon 19:22 about magnifying, glorifying, and standing by them.
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Wisdom of Solomon 19:18–22
18For as the notes of a lute vary the character of the rhythm, even so the elements, changing their order one with another, continuing always in its sound, as may clearly be conjectured from the sight of the things that have happened.
19For creatures of the dry land were turned into creatures of the waters, and creatures that swim moved upon the land.
20Fire kept the mastery of its own power in water, and water forgot its quenching nature.
21On the contrary, flames didn’t consume flesh of perishable creatures that walked among them, neither did they melt the crystalline grains of ambrosial food that were melted easily.
22For in all things, O Lord, you magnified your people, and you glorified them and didn’t lightly regard them, standing by their side in every time and place.