[91] Regarding the essence of life these few remarks may suffice. In due sequence we must go on to interpret “the voice of blood crieth” in this way. One part of our life or soul is dumb, another part has a voice. The irrational part is dumb; the rational part has a voice, it only having attained to the conception of God; for with the other parts we can apprehend neither God nor any other mental object.
[92] In the vital faculty, then, whose essence is blood, a portion has obtained, as a special prize, voice and speech; I do not mean the stream flowing through the mouth and over the tongue, but the fountain-head from which, by nature’s ordering, the cisterns of uttered speech are filled. This fountain-head is the mind, through which, partly voluntarily, partly involuntarily, we utter aloud entreaties and outcries to Him that is.
[93] He, in His goodness and graciousness, does not disregard His suppliants, above all when they cry out without pretence or falsehood, groaning over their tasks and sufferings in Egypt: for then, says Moses, their words go up to God (Exod. 2:23), and He listens to them and delivers them from evils that are upon them.
[94] All this comes to pass upon the death of the king of Egypt. Here is a thing clean contrary to expectation; for one would expect, when a tyrant dies, those over whom he has tyrannized to be glad and rejoice; yet it is then that they are said to lament, for we are told “after those many days the king of Egypt died, and the children of Israel lamented sorely” (ibid.).
[95] Taken literally the sentence is contradictory to reason: If it apply to the powers that sway the soul, the statement of the second clause is seen to be consequent upon that in the first. Pharaoh is the power that scatters to the winds and flings away all ideas of what is noble. When this power is quick and active in us and seems to be strong and healthy, if indeed any evil power may be said to be healthy, we drive self-control far from us, and welcome pleasure. But, when the author of our foul and licentious life weakens and, so to speak, dies, we are brought all at once to a clear view of the life of self-mastery, and turn to lamenting and bewailing ourselves for our old mode of living, seeing that, preferring pleasure to virtue, we overlaid immortal with mortal life. But He Who alone is gracious, taking pity on our ceaseless mourning, accepts our suppliant souls, and without effort dispels the Egyptian tornado of passions which had burst upon us.