John Calvin Commentary Deuteronomy 33:2

"And he said, Jehovah came from Sinai, And rose from Seir unto them; He shined forth from mount Paran, And he came from the ten thousands of holy ones: At his right hand was a fiery law for them." — Deuteronomy 33:2 (ASV)

And he said, The Lord came from Sinai.³⁰⁵ In these words he reminds them that he is setting before them a confirmation of the covenant, which God had made with them in this Law, and that it is nothing different from it. This connection was of great efficacy in establishing the certainty of the blessings, provided that the Law was duly honored, for nothing was better adapted to confirm the grace of God than the majesty which was displayed in the promulgation of the Law.

Some, as I believe incorrectly, translate it — God comes to Sinai, whereas Moses rather means that He came from there, when His brightness was made manifest. As an embellishment, the same thing is repeated with respect to Seir and Paran. Since these three words are synonymous, therefore to go forth, to rise up, and to come also represent the same thing: namely, that manifestation of the divine glory which should have inspired awe in the minds of all.

It is as if he had said that his blessings were to be received with the same reverence as that which God had secured for His Law, when His face was conspicuously displayed on Mount Sinai. The Prophet Habakkuk (Habakkuk 3:3) has imitated this figure, though with a different object: namely, that the people might confidently rely upon His power, which had formerly been manifested to the fathers in visible brightness.

By ten thousands of sanctity,³⁰⁶ I do not understand, as many do, the faithful, but the angels, by whom God was accompanied as by a royal retinue; for God also commanded the ark to be placed between the Cherubim, in order to show that the heavenly hosts were around Him. So in Isaiah (Isaiah 6:6), the Seraphim surround His throne; and Daniel says that he saw ten thousand times ten thousand (Daniel 7:10); thus designating an infinite multitude, as does Moses also by “ten thousand.” It is probable that both Paul and Stephen derived their statement from this passage that the Law was ordained by Angels in the hand of a mediator (Galatians 3:19; Acts 7:53); for its authority was greatly confirmed by its having so many witnesses (obsignatores).

The Law is placed at His right hand, not only as a scepter or mark of dignity, but as His power or rule of government; for He did not merely show Himself as a king, but also made known how He would preside over them.³⁰⁷

The Law is called fiery in order to inspire terror and to enforce humility upon them all, although I am not opposed to the opinion that Moses alludes in this epithet to the external signs of fire and flame, of which he spoke in Exodus 20. But, since the word דת (dath) means any statute or edict, some restrict it to the prohibition that no one should approach the mountain more closely. In my opinion, however, there is no doubt that it designates all the doctrine whereby God’s dominion is maintained.

³⁰⁵ Lat., ““Went from Sinai.”from Sinai.”

³⁰⁶ A. V.,” Ten thousands of saints. Ainsworth: “Heb., .,” Ten thousands of saints. Ainsworth: “Heb., of sanctity; meaning, ; meaning, spirits of sanctity; which Jonathan in his Thargum expoundeth which Jonathan in his Thargum expoundeth holy angels: — so we by grace in Christ are come to ten thousands of angels. — so we by grace in Christ are come to ten thousands of angels. Hebrews 12:22.”.”

³⁰⁷ “Comme il vouloit presider, et estre honore de son peuple;” how He would preside, and be honored by this people. — Fr..