John Calvin Commentary Exodus 4:20

"And Moses took his wife and his sons, and set them upon an ass, and he returned to the land of Egypt: and Moses took the rod of God in his hand." — Exodus 4:20 (ASV)

And Moses took his wife. By taking his wife and children with him, Moses clearly and freely professed that he was returning to Egypt to live there. The donkey on which he set them is plain proof of how humble his condition was and how meager his means were.

For it is unlikely that he left money, silver vessels, or precious garments with his father-in-law, only to present himself to his people in poverty and nakedness. But just as he had been content in the land of Midian with his poverty and simple food, he continued in the same humble state. Nor was he ashamed in his modest and ordinary clothing to enter the scene where his poverty would be obvious, which had been hidden in the desert.

It is well known from experience that the poor are driven to crime more by the fear of shame than by hunger, cold, and other discomforts. Therefore, Moses withstood a very severe temptation when he did not care about being laughed at and despised, and presented himself without any worldly splendor.

But here there is an implied antithesis between the rod of God and the appearance of the humble and despised man, who was without any other equipment whatsoever. This means it did not trouble him that he was without everything else, as long as he had the rod, which fully compensated for all shortcomings. Therefore, although he perceived that he would be exposed to the scorn of high and low in leading the donkey, burdened as we have noted, he still considered himself well, and indeed more than well, provided with his rod—the instrument of divine power by which he would magnificently triumph and could afford to dispense with the pomp of royalty.

And surely, the marks by which God intends His servants to be distinguished deserve such honor that we should require nothing to be added to their dignity.

We must observe the epithet applied to the rod; it is no longer called the rod of Moses, but the rod of God, because it was not used, as before, to lead his flock, but⁵⁸ to represent the power of God. For since it was by the sovereign power of God that it worked miracles, whatever concerned their glory is truly and properly ascribed to God. Elsewhere, indeed, it is called the rod of Moses, because God communicates His own titles to the ministers chosen and created by Him, since He supplies them with the power of His Spirit.

⁵⁸ Pour estre lieutenant de Dieu. — Fr..