John Calvin Commentary Deuteronomy 32:26

"I said, I would scatter them afar, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men;" — Deuteronomy 32:26 (ASV)

I said, I would scatter them. God again represents Himself in the character of a man, as if He were meditating opposite determinations and restrained His vehemence in consideration of the impediments He encountered. What it amounts to, however, is this: God suspended His final judgment upon them for no other reason than because He had regard to His own glory, which would otherwise have been subjected to the taunts of the Gentiles. Hence the Jews were reminded that, while they had deserved certain destruction, they were preserved for no other reason than because God was unwilling to give the reins to the insolence of the Gentiles.

The expression wrath, is here used for arrogant boasting, because in their prosperity ungodly and profane men burst forth into cruelty; unless it is preferred to render it simply irritation,²⁷³ in which sense it is used in 2 Kings 23. Immediately afterwards, it is explained with the words, lest the adversaries should behave themselves strangely. The Hebrew word נכר, nacar, signifies sometimes to be strange, sometimes to put on a different face, and sometimes to acknowledge. Thus, I do not doubt that Moses meant to express the arrogance of those who, in a manner, transform themselves that they may dazzle the eyes of the simple by their pomp and empty exaltation.

If any approve of a different sense—that is, lest they should separate themselves from God and arrogate to themselves what belongs to Him alone—I make no objection. This, indeed, seems to agree with what follows:²⁷⁴ Our high hand, and not the Lord, has done this. For when men indulge in such unbridled license, they go so far astray as to have nothing in common with God. Thus, the judgment of God, which should have been conspicuous in these punishments, would have been put out of sight when the enemies appropriated to themselves the glory of the people’s destruction.

Nevertheless, the ungodly did not cease to pride themselves on their victories (as God complains by Isaiah and Habakkuk confirms),²⁷⁵ although their insolence was in some measure repressed as long as there were some remnants of the elect people preserved.²⁷⁶

It is only figuratively that God says He feared this insolence, which He might have easily remedied and restrained. But, as I have already stated, He speaks in the manner of men to show the Israelites that they escaped rather on account of their enemies than by their own merits. The question, however, arises: How could such a consultation as this have taken place after God had determined to consume them with the fire of His wrath?²⁷⁷ I reply that the consumption there indicated was not such as to totally annihilate the nation, so that no ruins should remain as witnesses of their former state; whereas He now speaks of the destruction that would altogether blot out the name of the nation, as if it had never been chosen by God.

²⁷³ Hebr., כעס, cagnas, used in the plural number in used in the plural number in 2 Kings 23:26, and translated in , and translated in A. V. provocations; margin, “margin, “Heb. angers.”. angers.”

²⁷⁴ See Margin, A.V..

²⁷⁵ The references in the original to both these passages are obviously incorrect; it is probable, however, that Marckius in loco supplies them aright, viz., supplies them aright, viz., Isaiah 10:12, 13, etc. and , etc. and Habakkuk 1:16, 17..

²⁷⁶ “Quand il y est tousjours demeure quelque reserve du peuple eleu;” since some remains of the elect people always existed. — Fr..

²⁷⁷ See ante on ver 23..