John Calvin Commentary Exodus 17:10

"So Joshua did as Moses had said to him, and fought with Amalek: and Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill." — Exodus 17:10 (ASV)

So Joshua did as. Although Joshua is by no means hesitant, but diligently carries out what he knows God Himself commanded him, and it is probable that the soldiers he had taken with him performed their duty properly, yet it is expressly stated that they gained the victory not by any care, effort, or courage of their own, but by the prayer of Moses, by whose support their leader as well as the army was sustained.

Yet Moses does not boastfully commend his own zeal in praying here; rather, he is the public witness and proclaimer of his weakness, so that the glory might be entirely attributed to the gratuitous favor of God.

Nor is there any doubt that, conscious of the weakness he later confesses, he associated Aaron and Hur with himself, who might assist him in his task.

There¹⁹¹ is more cleverness than substance in the idea some have that these two men represent a figure of the Old and New Testaments, on which the prayers of the saints must rest. They also suggest that the stone given to Moses to sit upon was offered to him because our faith is founded only on Christ.

I know how plausible such allegories can be, but what I have just said is sufficient for me: because Moses distrusted his own weakness, he therefore sought these two assistants.

And surely, when they held up his hands, they also lifted up their minds and prayed together to God in common supplications. However, Moses speaks chiefly of himself to show that this responsibility was entrusted to him by God. For he did not offer his prayers merely as an act of charity, but because God had chosen him as an intercessor to conquer the enemies from afar by the stretching out of the rod and by his secret earnestness in prayer. In this respect, he was a type of Christ, although the likeness does not hold in all its parts.

Doubtless, his failing arose from his extreme earnestness and the extraordinary vehemence of his zeal. Therefore, praise is mixed with blame, just as the saints, when stirred to make great efforts in prayer, find that not only does their vigor diminish, but they also falter from being almost consumed by their own ardor.

¹⁹¹ “Divers allegories are made of this place: as that Moses’ hands, i.e., the precepts of the law are heavy, but that by Aaron, who signifieth Christ, and Hur, , the precepts of the law are heavy, but that by Aaron, who signifieth Christ, and Hur, i.e., the Holy Ghost, they are made easy and light. — ., the Holy Ghost, they are made easy and light. — Ferus. Some, by Moses and Hur, understand the two Testaments, upon the which our prayer must rely. Some again thus allegorize: — Aaron, they say, signifieth . Some, by Moses and Hur, understand the two Testaments, upon the which our prayer must rely. Some again thus allegorize: — Aaron, they say, signifieth montanus, hilly, and Hur, , hilly, and Hur, fire, so two things support our prayer, high and heavenly meditation, and fervent charity. — , so two things support our prayer, high and heavenly meditation, and fervent charity. — Lyranus,” etc. — ,” etc. — Willet in loco.