John Calvin on Exodus 34:29-35

29. And it came to pass when Moses came down Another remarkable honor given to the Law is here narrated, viz., that the brightness of the heavenly glory appeared in the face of Moses; for it is said that his face gave forth rays, or was irradiated. The word is derived from קרן keren, a horn; and therefore it is probable that rays shone forth from his face, which rendered it luminous; and this effulgence God shed upon him, whilst He was speaking to him in the mount. It is not certain what was the reason why Moses himself was ignorant that he was thus illumined by God, except that it seems probable that it was concealed from him for a short time, in order that he might approach the people with more freedom, and thus that the miracle might be more evident from close inspection. When it is said afterwards, that Aaron and the children of Israel were so alarmed at the brightness, that “they were afraid to come nigh him,” I do not understand it, as if they fled from him immediately; for, since they were recalled by his voice, undoubtedly they had not seen the rays from a distance, but when they were in the act of receiving him, and he, on his part, delivering to them the commands of God. Therefore, what follows soon afterwards, that, when he had done speaking, he covered his face with a vail, “Till Moses had done speaking with them, he put,” etc. — A. V. Rosenmuller translates it with C. and the LXX., “and, when,” etc. “We need not (says Willet) with Oleaster to transpose the words, ‘he put a vail upon his face, and so finished to speak unto the people;’ but either we may read with Junius,’ While he had finished to speak unto the people, he put a vail:’ or rather to read it in the praeter-pluperfect tense, with the Genevan version, ‘So Moses made an end of communing with them, and he had put a covering upon his face.’” I refer to his first address, which He was obliged to break off on account of the departure or flight of the people, so that the meaning is, when He knew the cause of their alarm, He left off speaking, and covered his face with a vail; for he could not have known the reason of their flying except by inquiry. Some, in order to avoid the difficulty, separate the second clause from the first, and transpose their order; but this exposition appears to me to be forced. It seems, however, in my opinion, to be perfectly consistent that Moses, after he saw them departing in consternation, ceased from speaking, because they did not listen to him, and, when he discovered the reason, put on the vail. Hence arises a question, viz., How Moses could have borne the brightness of God’s glory, whilst the people could not bear the rays which shone from his face? But this is easily answered: that they were branded with this mark of disgrace, in order that they might confess how far by their ingratitude they had departed from God, since they were terrified at the sight of this servant. They were, therefore, humbled by this difference between them, that, whilst Moses securely advanced to them from his conference with God, although he bore upon him the indications of God’s terrible power, they, in fear and astonishment, recoiled from the sight of a mortal man.

After Paul has shewn the genuine object of this brightness, viz., that the Law should be glorious, he proceeds further, and shews that it was a presage of the future blindness which awaited the Jews. (2 Corinthians 3:13.) He begins, therefore, by saying, that although the Law was only a dead letter, and the ministration of death, yet it was graced with its own peculiar glory; and then adds what is accidental, that there was a vail before the face of Moses, because it would be the case that the Jews would not be able to see what is the main thing in the Law, nor to pay attention to its true end; and so it actually is, that since the coming of Christ, their senses have been blinded, and the vail is upon them, until Moses shall be So C. translates the words in his Comment. on 2 Corinthians 3:16, ”and when he (i.e., Moses,) shall have turned to the Lord,” and thus defends it: “This passage has hitherto been badly rendered, for both Greek and Latin writers have thought that the word Israel was to be understoon, whereas Paul is speaking of Moses. he had said that a vial is upon the hearts of the Jews when Moses is read. He immediately adds, As soon as he will have turned to the Lord, the vial will be taken away. Who does not that this is said of Moses, that is, of the Law? For as Christ is the end of it, (Romans 10:4,) to which it ought to be referred, it was turned away in another direction, when the Jews shut out Christ from it.” Calvin Society edition, vol. 2, p. 183. Camerarius, in Poole, remarks on the difficulty of the passage, arising from the fact that the verb ἐπιστρέψὟ may either be the third person singular subjunctive active, or the second person singular of the first future middle; but he concludes, that “it seems somewhat harsh to apply it to Moses.” turned by them to Christ, who is the soul of the Law. But, since now in the Gospel God presents Himself with open face, we must take care that the prince of this world does not darken our minds, but rather that we may be transformed from glory to glory.

A Repetition of the same History

Deuteronomy 9

Deuteronomy 9:7-21, 25-29

7. Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the Lord thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the Lord.

7. Memento, ne obliviscaris quod ad iram provocasti Jehovam Deum tuum in deserto, a die qua egressus es e terra AEgypti, donec ingressi estis ad hunc locum, rebelles fuistis Jehovae.

8. Also in Horeb ye provoked the Lord to wrath, so that the Lord was angry with you, to have destroyed you.

8. Nam in Horeb provocastis Jehovam: et excanduit Jehova in vos ad perdendum vos.

9. When I was gone up into the mount, to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the Lord made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights; I neither did eat bread nor drink water:

9. Quum ascendissem in montem ut acciperem tabulas lapideas, tabulas faederis quod pepigerat Jehova vobiscum, tunc mansi in monte quadraginta noctes, ubi panem non comedi, et aquam non bibi.

10. And the Lord delivered unto me two tables of stone, written with the finger of God: and on them was written according to all the words which the Lord spake with you in the mount, out of the midst of the fire, in the day of the assembly.

10. Et dedit mihi Jehova duas tabulas lapideas scriptas digito Dei, et in ipsis erat juxta omnia verba qum loquutus fuerat Jehova in monte e medio ignis, in die conventus.

11. And it came to pass, at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the Lord gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant.

11. Et factum est a fine quadraginta dierum et quadraginta noc tium, ut daret Jehova mihi duas tabulas lapideas, tabulas foederis.

12. And the Lord said unto me, Arise, get thee down quickly from hence; for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves; they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image.

12. Dixit autem mihi Jehova, Surge, descende hinc celeriter: quia corrupit se populus tuus quem eduxisti ex AEgypto: recesserunt cito e via quam praeceperam illis: feterunt sibi conflatile.

13. Furthermore the Lord spake unto me, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people.

13. Tunc dixit mihi Jehova, Vidi populum hunc, et ecce, populus est durae cervicis.

14. Let me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven: and I will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they.

14. Sine me ut perdam eos, deleamque nomen eorum sub coelo, et faciam to in gentem potentiorem, et majorem illa.

15. So I turned, and came down from the mount, and the mount burned with fire; and the two tables of the covenant were in my two hands.

15. Tunc verti me, et descendi e monte (mons autem ipse ardebat igni) et duae tabulae foederis in manibus meis erant.

16. And I looked, and, behold, ye had sinned against the Lord your God, and had made you a molten calf: ye had turned aside quickly out of the way which the Lord had commanded you.

16. Et vidi, et ecce, peccaveratis in Jehovam Deum vestrum, foceratis vobis vitulum conflatilem, recesseratis cito de via quam paeceperat Jehova vobis.

17. And I took the two tables, and cast them out of my two hands, and brake them before your eyes.

17. Tunc apprehendi duas tabulas, et projeci eas e manibus meis, confregique in oculis vestris.

18. And I fell down before the Lord, as at the first, forty days and forty nights: I did neither eat bread nor drink water, because of all your sins, which ye sinned, in doing wickedly in the sight of the Lord, to provoke him to anger.

18. Et procidi coram Jehova sicut prius, quadraginta dies et quadraginta noctes: panem non comedi, et aquam non bibi, propter omne peccatum vestrum quod peccaveratis, impie agendo in oculis Jehovae ad ipsum provocandum.

19. (For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure wherewith the Lord was wroth against you to destroy you.) But the Lord hearkened unto me at that time also.

19. Timui enim propter excandescentiam et tram qua excanduerat Jehova contra vos ad perdendum vos: et exaudivit me Jehova etiam hac vice.

20. And the Lord was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him: and I prayed for Aaron also the same time.

20. Contra Aharon quoque excanduit Jehova vehementer ad perdendum eum, et oravi etiam pro Aharon tempore illo.

21. And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, and ground it very small, even until it was as small as dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount.

21. Porro peccatum vestrum quod feceratis, nempe vitulum, accepi, et combussi ilium igni, et contrivi bene molendo, donec comminutus esset in pulverem: ae projeci pulverem ejus in torrentem qui descendebat e monte illo.

25. Thus I fell down before the Lord forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first; because the Lord had said he would destroy you.

25. Et procidi coram Jehova quadraginta diebus et quadraginta noctibus, quibus procidi: quia dixerat Jehova se perditurum vos.

26. I prayed therefore unto the Lord, and said, O Lord God, destroy not thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed through thy greatness, which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt with a mighty hand.

26. Oravi igitur Jehovam, et dixi, Dominator Jehova, ne perdas populum tuum, et haereditatem tuam quam redemisti magnitudine tua, quem eduxisti ex AEgypto manu valida.

27. Remember thy servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; look not unto the stubbornness of this people, nor to their wickedness, nor to their sin;

27. Memento servorum tuorum, Abrahae, Isaac et Jacob, ne respicias ad duritiem populi hujus, et ad impietatem ejus et peccatum.

28. Lest the land whence thou broughtest us out say, Because the Lord was not able to bring them into the land which he promised them, and because he hated them, he hath brought them out to slay them in the wilderness.

28. Ne forte dicant in terra, unde eduxisti nos, Propterea quod non potuit Jehova introducere eos in terram quam dixerat illis, vel quia oderat filius, eduxit eos ut interficeret in deserto.

29. Yet they are thy people, and thine inheritance, which thou broughtest out by thy mighty power, and by thy stretched-out arm.

29. Ipsi autem sunt populus tuus, et haereditas tua, quam eduxisti fortitudine tua magna, et brachio tuo extento.