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Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:35

The Lord plagued the people - Every time they transgressed afterwards Divine justice seems to have remembered this transgression against them. The Jews have a metaphorical saying, apparently founded on this text: "No affliction has ever happened to Israel in which there was not some particle of the dust of the golden calf." 1. The attentive reader has seen enough in this chapter to induce him to exclaim, How soon a clear sky may be overcast! How soon may the brightest prospects be... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:31

Verse 31 31.And Moses returned unto the Lord This relation does not stand in its proper place, since, as we have already said, Moses does not exactly preserve the order of time. For we shall see in the next chapter that God refuses with respect to His angel what he here accords; since it is (354) a mere quibble to say that a mere ordinary angel is here promised, in whom God will not so manifest His presence as He has done before. Therefore now Moses briefly records what he will afterwards more... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:33

Verse 33 33.Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out In these words God adapts Himself to the comprehension of the human mind, when He says, “him will I blot out;” for hypocrites make such false profession of His name, that they are not accounted aliens, until God openly renounces them: and hence their manifest rejection is called erasure. Moreover, God reproves the preposterous request of Moses, inasmuch as it does not consist with His justice to reject the innocent; whence it... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:34

Verse 34 34.Therefore now go, lead the people In these words God shews that He is appeased, for it was a sure sign of His reconciliation that His angel is appointed to guide them during the rest of their way. The exposition which some give, that an angel is now promised to take care of them, such as Daniel testifies to have been sometimes assigned even to heathen nations, and an instance of which we shall see in the next chapter, is but a poor conjecture; besides, God declares that though the... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:35

Verse 35 35.And the Lord plagued the people Moses here briefly attributes to God what he had before related as to the slaughter of the three thousand, lest any should think that he had smitten them with immoderate severity Therefore Paul bids us consider in this history, as in a mirror, how greatly displeasing to God idolatry is; lest we should imitate those who were smitten by His hand. (1 Corinthians 10:7.) The indignation of Moses is consequently connected with the command of God. Meanwhile... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 32:15-35

Judgment and mercy. I. THE DESCENT or MOSES THE EMBLEM OF THE LAW 'S ENTRANCE INTO A WORLD OF SIN ( Exodus 32:15-29 ). 1 . He came with tables written by God's own finger. The Divine origin and claims of the law are still attested by its own nature and by man's conscience. 2 . He was met by the exhibition of gross and defiant sin. The law does not come to a people waiting to receive the knowledge of God's will, but busy with their idolatry and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 32:30-34

Moses as the forerunner of Christ. " A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto me," said the great lawgiver, ere he left the earth ( Deuteronomy 17:15 , Deuteronomy 17:18 ); and the parallelism between Christ and Moses is in many respects most striking. 1 . Both were of obscure birth—"the son of a carpenter"—the son of "a man of the house of Levi." 2 . Both were in great peril in infancy—their life sought by the civil ruler—Herod—Pharaoh. 3 . Both... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 32:30-35

The second intercession. This second intercession of Moses is even more wonderful than the first. The question raised on that former occasion—Is Moses more merciful than God?—will, indeed, no longer occur. Those who might have been disposed to press that question then will probably not be disposed to press it now. They have since had sufficient evidence of Moses' severity. They have found that, whatever elements of character are lacking to him, he is not wanting in energy of indignation at... read more

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