John Calvin Commentary Exodus 2:23

"And it came to pass in the course of those many days, that the king of Egypt died: and the children of Israel sighed by reason of the bondage, and they cried, and their cry came up unto God by reason of the bondage." — Exodus 2:23 (ASV)

And it came to pass in process of time.³⁴ He uses the demonstrative pronoun to mark the forty years during which God kept His servant in suspense, as if He had forsaken him. By adding “many,” he expresses the approaching end of this interval.

When, therefore, Moses had reached his eightieth year, having married and grown old in the land of Midian, the intolerable cruelty of their tyrannical masters extorted new sighs and cries from the children of Israel. This was not because they first began to grieve and lament at that point; rather, they became more acutely aware of their woes, and the duration of their suffering made them feel its sharpness more intensely.

We know that the hope of a happier outcome is soothing to our woes. The hope that someone kinder would succeed the dead tyrant somewhat softened the misery of the afflicted people. But when the change of kings in no way lightened their oppression, their sorrow increased and forced them to cry out more loudly than before.

Thus, I understand the words of Moses to mean that when the tyrant was dead, the children of Israel were not treated more humanely, and therefore they cried out more vehemently. However, I think it is not likely that the Pharaoh who had first afflicted them with burdens and taxes, and had commanded their children to be killed, lived until this time, because in that case he would have reigned more than eighty years, which is not usual.

Before the birth of Moses, the Israelites had already been severely oppressed for many years. Nor had (the king) proceeded at once to such a great atrocity as to command all the males to be killed; but when he found that his cruel edicts achieved nothing, he advanced to this extremity.

From the birth of Moses until the time spoken of here, about eighty years had passed. Therefore, we may suppose that before their deliverance drew near, there had been one or more successive kings. When these various changes of circumstances left the condition of the people unchanged, or even made it worse, extreme necessity drew out this unusual lamentation. Despair itself drove them to pray—not that they had entirely neglected supplication to God before, but because they also looked in other directions, until, all earthly means being entirely cut off, they were forcibly drawn to earnestly seek help from above.

From this example we learn that, although the pressure of our tribulations weighs us down with sorrow and pain, our prayers are not immediately directed to God, and much is required to stimulate our sluggish hearts. Moses also infers that it was no wonder God’s assistance was not afforded earlier, since the children of Israel were stupefied in their misery. Let this example, then, teach us to flee to God at once, so that He may hasten to bestow His grace.

And their cry came up. Moses magnifies the mercy of God in this circumstance: that He did not take vengeance on their slowness, as it deserved, but graciously inclined to their tardy cries. In fact, we may observe in this history what is described in Psalm 106: that the most stubborn and hard-hearted, in their extremity, finally turn their prayers to God, more from the exceeding greatness of their trouble than from a well-regulated exercise of faith.

He says, by reason of the bondage; because it is God’s attribute to help the oppressed, to deliver the captives, and to raise up those who are brought low; and this office He constantly performs.

Regarding what is added, that God remembered his covenant, this explains why He heard their groaning: namely, that He might ratify His gracious promise made to Abraham and his descendants. He expressly mentions the three patriarchs because God established His covenant with them, that it might continue firm for all generations.

Indeed, since God is inclined to help us out of His own free mercy, He also offers Himself and invites us voluntarily. Therefore, confidence in prayer must be sought only in His promises.

Thus, the copula here should be resolved into the illative particle, meaning that “God heard their groaning, because He remembered His covenant.” We must learn how far remembrance is possible with God from its contrary.

God is said to forget when He does not really and openly appear and extend His hand to help. Therefore, when we say He “remembers,” we mark our apprehension of His aid; and both expressions relate to the effect.

In the same way, He is said “to behold,” and its opposite, “to turn His back,” because we then perceive that He beholds us when He actually helps us.

³⁴ The Commentary here refers to Calvin’s Latin Translation.