John Calvin Commentary Exodus 14:13

"And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah, which he will work for you to-day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more for ever." — Exodus 14:13 (ASV)

And Moses said to the people. Although with his characteristic kindness Moses courteously urges them to be of good hope, yet it is not probable that he passed over in silence those wicked cries with which he saw that God was atrociously assailed. I understand, then, that he discharged the duty of a faithful teacher by freely chastising their insolence, which was intolerable; and since he spoke under the inspiration of the guiding Spirit of God, there is no doubt that God Himself severely reproved their blasphemies, lest, by indulgence, they should grow worse.

But Moses omits the reproof and only shows that God’s loving-kindness went beyond the execrable impiety of the people, giving them consolation to assuage their grief and to calm their troubled hearts. Moreover, by instructing them not to fear, and to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, he implies that as long as fear possesses our minds, we are blinded and confounded in our stupidity, so that we do not receive the help of God.

By the expression “stand still,” he means “keep quiet,” essentially saying that there was no need for anyone to lift a finger, because God alone would preserve them, even if they were quiet and unmoved. This he confirms in the next verse, where God promises to conquer for them while they hold their peace. But, in my opinion, it is not that he urges them to be quiet, but rather intimates that in God alone there would be strength enough to prevail, even if they might be sluggish like men in a trance.

Now the Israelites—who, though preserved by God’s hand, reject His offered grace as much as possible—are an example to us of how many repeated acts of salvation are necessary for us, so that God may bring us to complete salvation. This is because, by our ingratitude, we nullify whatever He has given us and so would willfully perish if God did not correct our apathy by the power of His Spirit.