12 Wherefore should the Egyptians H4714 speak, H559 and say, H559 For mischief H7451 did he bring H3318 them out, to slay H2026 them in the mountains, H2022 and to consume H3615 them from the face H6440 of the earth? H127 Turn H7725 from thy fierce H2740 wrath, H639 and repent H5162 of this evil H7451 against thy people. H5971
And Moses H4872 said H559 unto the LORD, H3068 Then the Egyptians H4714 shall hear H8085 it, (for thou broughtest up H5927 this people H5971 in thy might H3581 from among H7130 them;) And they will tell H559 it to the inhabitants H3427 of this land: H776 for they have heard H8085 that thou LORD H3068 art among H7130 this people, H5971 that thou LORD H3068 art seen H7200 face H5869 to face, H5869 and that thy cloud H6051 standeth H5975 over them, and that thou goest H1980 before H6440 them, by day time H3119 in a pillar H5982 of a cloud, H6051 and in a pillar H5982 of fire H784 by night. H3915 Now if thou shalt kill H4191 all this people H5971 as one H259 man, H376 then the nations H1471 which have heard H8085 the fame H8088 of thee will speak, H559 saying, H559 Because the LORD H3068 was not H1115 able H3201 to bring H935 this people H5971 into the land H776 which he sware H7650 unto them, therefore he hath slain H7819 them in the wilderness. H4057
Lest the land H776 whence thou broughtest us out H3318 say, H559 Because the LORD H3068 was not able H3201 to bring H935 them into the land H776 which he promised H1696 them, and because he hated H8135 them, he hath brought them out H3318 to slay H4191 them in the wilderness. H4057
And the LORD H3068 repented H5162 of the evil H7451 which he thought H1696 to do H6213 unto his people. H5971
Who can tell H3045 if God H430 will turn H7725 and repent, H5162 and turn away H7725 from his fierce H2740 anger, H639 that we perish H6 not?
Nevertheless I withdrew H7725 mine hand, H3027 and wrought H6213 for my name's H8034 sake, that it should not be polluted H2490 in the sight H5869 of the heathen, H1471 in whose sight H5869 I brought them forth. H3318
But I wrought H6213 for my name's H8034 sake, that it should not be polluted H2490 before H5869 the heathen, H1471 in whose sight H5869 I brought them out. H3318
And it repented H5162 the LORD H3068 that he had made H6213 man H120 on the earth, H776 and it grieved H6087 him at H413 his heart. H3820
Return, H7725 O LORD, H3068 how long? and let it repent H5162 thee concerning thy servants. H5650
Help H5826 us, O God H430 of our salvation, H3468 for H1697 the glory H3519 of thy name: H8034 and deliver H5337 us, and purge away H3722 our sins, H2403 for thy name's H8034 sake. Wherefore should the heathen H1471 say, H559 Where is their God? H430 let him be known H3045 among the heathen H1471 in our sight H5869 by the revenging H5360 of the blood H1818 of thy servants H5650 which is shed. H8210
Let now our rulers H8269 of all the congregation H6951 stand, H5975 and let all them which have taken H3427 strange H5237 wives H802 in our cities H5892 come H935 at appointed H2163 times, H6256 and with them the elders H2205 of every city, H5892 and the judges H8199 thereof, until the fierce H2740 wrath H639 of our God H430 for this matter H1697 be turned H7725 from us.
And they raised H6965 over him a great H1419 heap H1530 of stones H68 unto this day. H3117 So the LORD H3068 turned H7725 from the fierceness H2740 of his anger. H639 Wherefore the name H8034 of that place H4725 was called, H7121 The valley H6010 of Achor, H5911 unto this day. H3117
I said, H559 I would scatter them into corners, H6284 I would make the remembrance H2143 of them to cease H7673 from among men: H582 Were it not H3884 that I feared H1481 the wrath H3708 of the enemy, H341 lest their adversaries H6862 should behave themselves strangely, H5234 and lest they should say, H559 Our hand H3027 is high, H7311 and the LORD H3068 hath not done H6466 all this.
And there shall cleave H1692 nought H3972 of the cursed thing H2764 to thine hand: H3027 that the LORD H3068 may turn H7725 from the fierceness H2740 of his anger, H639 and shew H5414 thee mercy, H7356 and have compassion H7355 upon thee, and multiply H7235 thee, as he hath sworn H7650 unto thy fathers; H1
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Exodus 32
Commentary on Exodus 32 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 32
It is a very lamentable interruption which the story of this chapter gives to the record of the establishment of the church, and of religion among the Jews. Things went on admirably well towards that happy settlement: God had shown himself very favourable, and the people also had seemed to be pretty tractable. Moses had now almost completed his forty days upon the mount, and, we may suppose, was pleasing himself with the thoughts of the very joyful welcome he should have to the camp of Israel at his return, and the speedy setting up of the tabernacle among them. But, behold, the measures are broken, the sin of Israel turns away those good things from them, and puts a stop to the current of God's favours; the sin that did the mischief (would you think it?) was worshipping a golden calf. The marriage was ready to be solemnized between God and Israel, but Israel plays the harlot, and so the match is broken, and it will be no easy matter to piece it again. Here is,
Exd 32:1-6
While Moses was in the mount, receiving the law from God, the people had time to meditate upon what had been delivered, and prepare themselves for what was further to be revealed, and forty days was little enough for that work; but, instead of that, there were those among them that were contriving how to break the laws they had already received, and to anticipate those which they were in expectation of. On the thirty-ninth day of the forty, the plot broke out of rebellion against the Lord. Here is,
Exd 32:7-14
Here,
Exd 32:15-20
Here is,
Exd 32:21-29
Moses, having shown his just indignation against the sin of Israel by breaking the tables and burning the calf, now proceeds to reckon with the sinners and to call them to an account, herein acting as the representative of God, who is not only a holy God, and hates sin, but a just God, and is engaged in honour to punish it, Isa. 59:18. Now,
Exd 32:30-35
Moses, having executed justice upon the principal offenders, is here dealing both with the people and with God.