John Calvin Commentary Exodus 17:15

"And Moses built an altar, and called the name of it Jehovah-nissi;" — Exodus 17:15 (ASV)

And Moses built an altar. The purpose of this was that not he alone, but the whole people, should testify to their gratitude by solemn sacrifice; which the very name of the altar proves. For he neither wished to erect a statue to God, nor to honor the altar by God’s name, but he shows that this was the purpose he intended: that the Israelites, puffed up by their good success, should not boast of their own strength, but glory only in God.

I do not see why some should translate it as “miracle,” for the word נס,¹⁹³nis, is undoubtedly always rendered “banner.” Yet I do not deny that the word is here used metaphorically for “exaltation;” as if Moses had said that the God who had sustained His people was worthy only to be exalted among them.

¹⁹³ It was in S M ’s version that C. found this clause rendered Dominus miraculum meum; and Munster cites Onkelos, the Chaldee paraphrast, as his authority for so translating the word נסי; but the text of that paraphrase, as given in Elias Hutter’s Heptateuch, does not justify this singular rendering. — W