John Calvin Commentary Exodus 10:18

"And he went out from Pharaoh, and entreated Jehovah." — Exodus 10:18 (ASV)

And he went out. We have stated why the holy Prophet went out from the king to pray: namely, because Pharaoh was not worthy for the sacred name of God to be invoked in his presence. Therefore, Moses did not pray for him as if he thought Pharaoh was truly converted; rather, his prayer was intended to open God's way for the remaining contests.

Indeed, if the choice had been given to the holy man, I do not doubt that his extraordinary kindness of heart would have inclined him willingly to seek the tyrant’s safety. However, since he had received the revelation of Pharaoh's desperate obstinacy, Moses was focused solely on manifesting the power of God.

Furthermore, there is no question that he prayed under the special guidance of the Spirit until he was assured of the outcome. The event itself proves that his prayers were not cast into the air in vain, as the land was immediately cleared of the locusts.

We must hold the same view regarding the west wind as we previously expressed concerning the east wind. A temporary gust would not have been sufficient to scatter such a vast and filthy host. In both instances, however, God testified by a visible sign that He was moved by His servant's prayers, and for this reason the plague was halted.

It is well known that the Arabian Gulf is also called the Red Sea. The Hebrews call it סוף,¹²³suph, derived either from the reeds or rushes with which it abounds, or from its whirlwinds, since this word is used in Scripture in both senses.¹²⁴ Therefore, if one chooses to translate it into Latin, it must be called “Mare algosum et junceum,” or “turbinosum” (meaning the weedy and rushy sea, or the tempestuous sea).

However, because there is something monstrous and incredible in such raving obstinacy, it is expressly stated that Pharaoh’s heart was hardened by God. This is so that we may learn to tremble at that terrible judgment, when the wicked, seized by a spirit of madness, do not hesitate to provoke more and more the God whose name overwhelms them with terror.

¹²³ סוף, sea-weed, סופה, or tempest. In Luther’s German, Schilfmeer preserves the original meaning of the Hebrew name for the Red Sea. — W.

¹²⁴ Addition in Fr., “C’est par ou les enfans d’ Israel ont depuis passe comme nous verrons;” the children of Israel afterwards passed through it, as we shall see.., “C’est par ou les enfans d’ Israel ont depuis passe comme nous verrons;” the children of Israel afterwards passed through it, as we shall see.