John Calvin Commentary Exodus 2:14

"And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us? Thinkest thou to kill me, as thou killedst the Egyptian? And Moses feared, and said, Surely the thing is known." — Exodus 2:14 (ASV)

Who made you a prince? No wonder the headstrong and wicked man angrily repels this mild admonition. For those who are disposed to injustice are accustomed to rage as soon as they are reproved and to drive away good advisers with contempt. And certainly, it is an uncommon virtue to acknowledge our faults and patiently submit to correction. For in proportion to a man’s evil disposition and the greatness of his offense is his rage under admonition and his violence in argument; therefore, whoever undertakes to restrain the wicked must expect to meet with these indignities.

Still, we may understand from the insolence of this individual how perverse the minds of the whole nation were. On this account, Stephen says that Moses was refused by his own nation and accuses them all of ingratitude (Acts 7:35). But, without being too hard on this people, we learn from this example how untamed is the nature of those whom God has not tamed, for their perverseness repels correction as firmly as an anvil repels the blow of a hammer. When, therefore, they are so stubborn that though reproved ten times they are still hardened, it is no wonder if God deals with them more roughly, as he declares he will do by the mouth of David (Psalms 18:27). To avoid experiencing this, let us submit to his rod in time; and since this is not given to all, let us implore him to make us truly teachable. For what shall we gain by kicking against the pricks?

Moreover, a kind of brutal fierceness accompanies this perverseness, as is again seen in this instance. The vile and abject slave asks Moses who made him a judge over the Hebrews, as if he and all his race were not exposed to universal scorn. If the lowest of the Egyptian rabble had struck him a blow, he would not have dared to murmur; yet he rages as imperiously against this mild admonition as if he were free from all subjection. What follows is even worse: Do you intend to kill me, as you killed the Egyptian? He ought to have received Moses as if he had been an angel of God on account of such a proof of his zeal and piety; but, turning the benefit into an accusation, he not only hatefully taunts him with what it would have been just to praise but even threatens him.

Meanwhile, we cannot doubt that the holy man must have been racked by a severe temptation when he found such barbarity in his nation. He knew, indeed, that the Egyptians would have been his declared enemies if the matter had become known; but he never could have expected such an unworthy return from his brothers, whose misery he desired to relieve. Therefore, it was a proof of incredible strength of purpose to surmount such an obstacle.