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Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 32:7-14

Here, I. God acquaints Moses with what was doing in the camp while he was absent, Exod. 32:7, 8. He could have told him sooner, as soon as the first step was taken towards it, and have hastened him down to prevent it; but he suffered it to come to this height, for wise and holy ends, and then sent him down to punish it. Note, It is no reproach to the holiness of God that he suffers sin to be committed, since he knows, not only how to restrain it when he pleases, but how to make it serviceable... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:10

Now, therefore, let me alone ,.... And not solicit him with prayers and supplications in favour of these people, but leave him to take his own way with them, without troubling him with any suit on their behalf; and so the Targum of Jonathan,"and now leave off thy prayer, and do not cry for them before me;'as the Prophet Jeremiah was often bid not to pray for this people in his time, which was a token of God's great displeasure with them, as well as shows the prevalence of prayer with him;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:11

And Moses besought the Lord his God ,.... As the Lord was the God of Moses, his covenant God, and he had an interest in him, he made use of it in favour of the people of Israel: and said, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people ? so as to think or speak of consuming them utterly; otherwise he knew there was reason for his being angry and wroth with them; but though they were deserving of his hot wrath and displeasure, and even to be dealt with in the manner proposed, yet he... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:12

Wherefore should the Egyptians speak and say ,.... Those that remained, as the Targum of Jonathan, who were not drowned in the Red sea: a good man will be concerned for the honour and glory of God among the enemies of his people, that their mouths may not be opened to blaspheme the Lord and speak ill of his ways, see Joshua 7:9 and this is sometimes an argument with God himself, not to do that to his people they deserve, lest it should give occasion to the enemy to speak reproachfully,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:13

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants ,.... The covenant he made with them, the promise he had made unto them, with an oath annexed to it: to whom thou swarest by thine own self ; which he did, because he could swear by no greater; and for the confirmation of his covenant and promise, see Genesis 22:16 . and saidst unto them ; for what was said to Abraham was repeated and confirmed to Isaac and Jacob: I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven ; multitudes of... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:10

Now therefore let me alone - Moses had already begun to plead with God in the behalf of this rebellious and ungrateful people; and so powerful was his intercession that even the Omnipotent represents himself as incapable of doing any thing in the way of judgment, unless his creature desisted from praying for mercy! See an instance of the prevalence of fervent intercession in the case of Abraham, Genesis 18:23-33 , from the model of which the intercession of Moses seems to have been formed. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:11

Verse 11 11.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 thee down to thy people; but his answer is, Nay, it is thine. But, as I have lately stated, inasmuch as 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... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:13

Verse 13 13.Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants He does not bring thern forward as patrons, by the assistance of whose voice he might obtain what He seeks; but because the promise was lodged with them, which they transmitted as an inheritance to their descendants. We must observe, then, the quality or character with which God had invested the Patriarchs. For which reason it is said in Psalms 132:1, “Lord, remember David, and all his afflictions.” And hence the ignorance and folly... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 32:7-10

The anger of God. God may well be angry when his people apostatise; and having recently professed entire submission to his will ( Exodus 19:8 ; Exodus 24:3 ), rebel suddenly, and cast his words behind their backs. God's anger against Israel was at this time intensified— I. BY THEIR EXTREME INGRATITUDE . He had just delivered them by a series of stupendous miracles from a cruel bondage. He had brought them out of Egypt—he had divided the Red Sea before them, and led them... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Exodus 32:7-11

The first intercessions. If Israel has been forgetting God, God has not been forgetting Israel. His eye has been on all their doings. There has not been a thought in their heart, or a word on their tongue, but, lo! it has altogether been well known to him ( Psalms 139:4 ). It is God's way, however, to permit matters to reach a crisis before he interposes. For a time he keeps silence. During the inception and early stages of the movement in Israel, he makes no discovery of it to Moses. He... read more

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