John Calvin Commentary Exodus 32:11

"And Moses besought Jehovah his God, and said, Jehovah, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, that thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?" — Exodus 32:11 (ASV)

And Moses besought the Lord his God. It is clear that this prayer sprang from faith, though in it he seems to fight against the very word of God, for God had said, Get you down to your people; but his answer is, No, it is yours.

But, as I have recently stated, because he firmly grasped the principle that it was impossible for God’s covenant to be made ineffective, he breaks through or surmounts all obstacles with closed eyes, as it were. He proves them to be God’s people by the benefit they had so recently received, yet he mainly relies on the covenant; indeed, he mentions their deliverance as a result of it, for he proceeds afterwards to say, Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel.

We see, therefore, that the first ground of his confidence is the promise, although Moses refers first of all to the fact that the people had been delivered by the hand of God. He so expressly particularizes His mighty hand, and great power, to signify that the more conspicuous God’s miracles had been, the more His glory was exposed to the slanders of the ungodly; and this he immediately afterwards explains with the words, Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, etc.

The particle, ברעה, beragnah, which the old interpreter³³⁶ renders craftily, and others maliciously, I prefer simply to translate to evil, (ad malum,) as denoting an unprosperous and unhappy issue. The interpretation which others give, “under an unlucky star,” seems to me to be too far-fetched.³³⁷

I have no doubt, therefore, that Moses signifies that this would be a consolation to the Egyptians in their misfortunes if the people should be destroyed, as if God had thus avenged them against their enemies. Besides, by this misapprehension, the memory of God’s grace, as well as of His judgment, would have been destroyed; for the Egyptians would have hardened themselves, and would have been untouched by any sense of guilt, deeming that God would show no mercy to His elect people.

What follows, repent of this evil, is spoken in accordance with common parlance. For the saints often stammer in their prayers and, while unburdening their cares into the bosom of God, address Him in their infirmity in a way that by no means befits His nature. For instance, they ask Him questions like, How long will you sleep? or be forgetful? or shut your eyes? or hide your face?

But with God, repentance is nothing but a change of dealing, where He seems to retrace His course, as if He had conceived some fresh design. When, therefore, it is said a little further on that the Lord repented of the evil, it is equivalent to saying that He was appeased; not because He retracts in Himself what He has once decreed, but because He does not execute the sentence He had pronounced.

If my readers³³⁸ desire more on this point, let them consult my Comments on Genesis and the Prophets.

³³⁶ “For mischief.” — A.V.By the old interpreter (C. means the V. which renders the word “callide,” craftily. The version of LXX. is μετὰ πονηρίας, with maliciousness. “Some thus, (says Poole,) malo sidere, under an evil star; because the Egyptians attributed all things to the stars. Fagius, Vatablus.”

³³⁷ Addition in Fr., “et profane.”., “et profane.”

³³⁸ See on Genesis 6:6, (Calvin Soc. Edit., , (Calvin Soc. Edit., vol. 1, pp. 248, 249,) the latter part of which passage is quoted by Hengstenberg on the Pentat., vol. 2, p. 373, “On the repentance of God,” with the following remark: “These last words show how very deeply Calvin had gained the right point of view in reference to Anthropomorphisms. In his esteem they formed a glorious ornament of holy writ. How totally different the apologists since the times of Deism! One remarks, on all occasions, how gladly they would dispense with Anthropomorphisms. They try to be satisfied only with that which they cannot alter.” See also ,) the latter part of which passage is quoted by Hengstenberg on the Pentat., vol. 2, p. 373, “On the repentance of God,” with the following remark: “These last words show how very deeply Calvin had gained the right point of view in reference to Anthropomorphisms. In his esteem they formed a glorious ornament of holy writ. How totally different the apologists since the times of Deism! One remarks, on all occasions, how gladly they would dispense with Anthropomorphisms. They try to be satisfied only with that which they cannot alter.” See also C. on Minor Prophets, vol. 1, . on Minor Prophets, vol. 1, p. 402; 2, ; 2, p. 61; 3, pp. ; 3, pp. 115, , 126, , 408; and Institutes, Book 1, ch. 17. Section 13, vol. 1, p. 263. (Calvin Soc. editions.); and Institutes, Book 1, ch. 17. Section 13, vol. 1, p. 263. (Calvin Soc. editions.)