John Calvin Commentary Numbers 16:22

"And they fell upon their faces, and said, O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and wilt thou be wroth with all the congregation?" — Numbers 16:22 (ASV)

O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh. The old interpreter renders the first el, as an adjective, in which some others have followed him;⁹³ but, in my opinion, the name of God is rather repeated to add force to the sentence. However, it is not so clear to me why all render the word flesh, in the genitive case. But, since I do not think that the lamed, is superfluous here, but that it is used for beth, as often elsewhere, I have accurately expressed the sense in my translation, “in all flesh.”⁹⁴

There is no question that Moses applies this epithet to God in connection with the present matter, as if he desired to induce God to preserve His own work, just as a potter spares the vessels formed by himself. To the same effect is the prayer of Isaiah:

But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. Be not wroth very sore (Isaiah 64:8, 9).

For from this he alleges a reason why God should relent and be inclined to mercy. There is this difference: Isaiah refers to that special grace with which God had embraced His people, whereas Moses carries his address further, namely, to the general grace of creation.

It is of little importance whether we choose to expound this⁹⁵ with reference to all animals or only to the human race, since Moses merely prays that, because God is the Creator and Maker of the world, He should not destroy the men whom He has formed, but rather have pity on them, as being His work.

In passing, however, we may infer from this passage⁹⁶ that all (men) have their separate souls, for God is not said to have inspired all flesh with life, but to have created their spirits. Therefore, the monstrous delusion of the Manicheans is refuted—namely, that our souls are so infused by the transmission of the Spirit of God that there would still be only one spirit.⁹⁷

But if it is preferred to include the animals, we must mark the grades of distinction between the spirit of man and the spirit of a dog or an ass. It is, however, more fitting to restrict it to men.

⁹³ In the clause under consideration, אל, , El, is immediately followed by is immediately followed by אלהי, Elohey, the form given to Elohim, when it is to be used in connection with the next word. The different roots of El and Elohim seem to indicate that El has an especial reference to the power of the Deity, and Elohim to His authority as a judge. There being no practicable equivalent distinction in Latin or English, and the word the form given to Elohim, when it is to be used in connection with the next word. The different roots of El and Elohim seem to indicate that El has an especial reference to the power of the Deity, and Elohim to His authority as a judge. There being no practicable equivalent distinction in Latin or English, and the word Almighty being appropriated to rendering being appropriated to rendering שדי, , Shaddai, C. and our and our A.V. do but repeat the word God, whilst the do but repeat the word God, whilst the V. and and S.M. have have fortissime Deus; but but C. saw in saw in S.M.’s notes, notes, Aut sic, O Deus, Deus. —— W.

⁹⁴ C.’s supposition, that the preposition supposition, that the preposition ל prefixed to prefixed to all, is equivalent to is equivalent to ב or or in, would not facilitate the version. Noldius, giving instances where, the , would not facilitate the version. Noldius, giving instances where, the ל prefixed has the effect of a genitive, cites this passage amongst: others. — prefixed has the effect of a genitive, cites this passage amongst: others. — W.

⁹⁵ “Le mot de chair;” the word flesh —— Fr.

⁹⁶ Addition in Fr., “Moyennant qu’il soit prins des hommes, comme e’est le plus vray-semblable;” supposing it be taken as having reference to men, as is the more probable conjecture.“Moyennant qu’il soit prins des hommes, comme e’est le plus vray-semblable;” supposing it be taken as having reference to men, as is the more probable conjecture.

⁹⁷ “Lesquels pensent que les ames procedent de la substance de Dieu;” who think that our souls proceed from the substance of God. — Fr..