John Calvin Commentary Numbers 33:8

"And they journeyed from before Hahiroth, and passed through the midst of the sea into the wilderness: and they went three days` journey in the wilderness of Etham, and encamped in Marah." — Numbers 33:8 (ASV)

And they departed from before Pi-hahiroth. He relates how the people marched forward for three days; not so much in praise of their endurance as in celebration of God’s wonderful power, who sustained so great a multitude without water.

For we must bear in mind, what I have elsewhere shown, that from the passage of the Red Sea to Marah no water was found. This is why the impiety of the people was all the more detestable, since they burst forth into rebellion there on account of the bitter taste of the water.

On the other hand, the incomparable mercy of God shone forth, in that He condescended to refresh these churlish and provoking men in a pleasant and delightful station; for from their first encampment they were led to Elim, where they found twelve fountains and seventy palm trees.

Moses passes briefly over the wilderness of Sin, as if nothing worthy of being recorded had occurred there. Yet, the vile impiety of the people revealed itself there, and the place was ennobled by a remarkable miracle, since the manna rained from heaven for the nourishment of the people, so that, the windows of heaven being opened, mortal man did eat angels’ food.

He also briefly refers to the lack of water to drink at Rephidim. However, he considered it sufficient here to list the stations, which might recall the various occurrences to the memory of the people.

At the Graves of Concupiscence, a memorial of God’s punishment was inscribed. But since he simply gives a list of other places without any record of events, we may gather, as I have stated above, that he had no other purpose than to set before the eyes of the people the journey in which they had been engaged for forty years.

He, however, briefly mentions the death of Aaron, because his life had been prolonged by God’s special blessing for the good of the people, until the time approached when they were about to enter the promised land. His authority was a useful and necessary restraint upon the ungovernable character of this headstrong people.

At the same time, the punishment inflicted upon the holy man should have reminded posterity that it was not without reason their fathers had been so severely chastised. For they had not ceased to add sin to sin, and God had not spared even His own servant on account of a single transgression.

When he adds shortly thereafter that the Canaanites then first heard of the coming of the children of Israel, he indicates that God had put a veil over the eyes of their enemies, so that they would not oppose them at an earlier period.

For God so mitigated the severity of His judgment, that the exile of the Israelites was, at any rate, undisturbed and free from external harassment, as long as they had to wander in the desert.