John Calvin Commentary Exodus 10:16

"Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against Jehovah your God, and against you." — Exodus 10:16 (ASV)

Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste. This haste arose from anxiety and fear, because it was a time of extremity, and the enormity of the evil admitted no delay. By this vehemence, then, Pharaoh betrays his distress, when he not only is willingly inclined to recall Moses, whom he had recently driven out, but does so in such haste.

The confession that is added, although it flowed from a duplicitous or deceitful heart, still was not altogether feigned. For we cannot doubt that (because Pharaoh was conscious of his sin) God extorted from him this cry, “I have sinned,” under the smiting and compulsion of His chastisements.

For we must observe this distinction, which I have already laid down, between the hypocrites who lie and deceive intentionally, or who knowingly and willfully delude others, and those who deceive themselves and have a terror of God’s judgments, even while they cherish iniquity and impiety in the secret recesses of their hearts.

Pharaoh was a hypocrite of this latter kind who, although having no professed intention of deceiving either God or Moses, yet, because he did not test and examine himself, did not sincerely confess his sin.

And this must be carefully observed, so that no one should slumber in false repentance, as if temporary fear or forced humiliation could propitiate God.

As to his saying that he had “sinned against the Lord God and the Israelites,” it must be explained in this way: he had been rebellious against God because he had unjustly afflicted that people whom God had taken under His care and into His confidence.

For, although he had not been taught by the Prophets, he still held this principle: that because God by plain and illustrious miracles had shown that people to be under His defense and protection, he had by his iniquitous and tyrannical oppression of them committed an injury against their patron and guardian.

He confesses, then, that he is doubly culpable, because he had been cruel to the people and had impiously despised God. This would have been evidence of true repentance if it had proceeded from pure and genuine feeling; for the sinner, voluntarily condemning himself, prevents the judgment of God.

His humiliation also appears in this respect to have been by no means ordinary when he humbly prays to Moses for forgiveness; for it was no small virtue that a very powerful king should thus submit himself to an obscure and despised individual, which even the lower classes are often ashamed to do.

But, because his heart was still enchained by secret corruption, he deceitfully made a show of the outward signs (of humiliation) instead of the reality.

Therefore David, when he declares, Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, and whose sin is covered, has good cause for adding, and in whose spirit is no guile (Psalms 32:1–2).

Therefore, so that we may demonstrate to God, whose attribute it is to search the heart, the truth of our repentance, let us learn to examine ourselves seriously and inwardly, so that no hypocrisy may be lurking within us.

The addition “only this once” is meant to testify to the continuance of his better mind, as though he acknowledged that he had until now been perfidious and promised that he would hereafter obey God in earnest.

From this we gather that the reprobate do not return immediately to their natural habits and disposition, not because they are ignorant of the power and nature of true conversion, but because, being without a spirit of uprightness, they have a perverse and crooked heart.

Moreover, by desiring only that this present death should be removed from him, he seems not to care much for an entire reconciliation with God. It is usual for the wicked to be indifferent to the hatred or favor of God and only to have a dread of His hand.

Careless, then, of his sin, he merely wishes that punishment should be far removed from him.