it. So Idolaters doe even to this day, draw out and polish with their pennes, idoll worship and heresie. and he made] or, when he had made it. molten Calfe] Hebrew, calfe of melting, or of molten worke; meaning the image of a calfe, as before the image of God, is called God, v. 1. As the Heathens chan∣ged the glory of the incorruptible God, into ima∣ges made like to corruptible men, birds, beasts, &c. Rom. 1. 23. so Israel now changed their Glory into the forme of an oxe that eateth grasse; and forgat God their Saviour, Psal. 106. 19. 20. 21. These be thy Gods] that is, This is thy God; as the holy Ghost expoundeth it in Nehem. 9. 18. They made them a molten calfe, and said, this is thy God; meaning an i∣mage of the true God, which had brought them out of Egypt, who is also called in Scripture after the like phrase plurally, though he be but one, as in Gen. 20. 13. and 35. 7. Ios. 24. 19. As the image of a calfe, was before called a calfe; so the Scripture u∣seth figuratively to call signes and figures, by the names of those things they signified, as Ex. 12. 11. and 17. 15. Gen. 37. 7. Matth. 26. 26. 28. 1 Cor. 10. 4. Thus Ieroboam spake also of his golden calves, 1 King. 12. 28. And the intent of Israel in making the calfe, and the intent of Ieroboam were one. R. Mena∣chem. on Exod. 32.
V. 5. to Iehovah] or of Iehovah, as the Gr. is, of the Lord; unto whom a feast should have beene kept, [unspec 5] Ex. 10. 9. and to him they intended this their ser∣vice, although indeed they sacrificed unto the Idol, and rejoyced in the workes of their owne hands, v. 8. Act. 7. 41. and in Gods account, offred unto Divels, after whom they went a whoring, Levit. 17. 7. So Iehu would be thought zealous for Iehovah, when yet he worshipped Ieroboams golden calves, which al∣so were Divels, 2. King, 10. 16. 29. 2 Chron. 11. 15.
Vers. 6. brought-neer] to the altar; that is, offred, as [unspec 6] the Gr. translateth. to play] so the Apostle transla∣teth it also in Gr. 1 Cor. 10. 7. sometime the word is used for laughing and rejoycing, Gen. 21. 6. here it is meant of their singing, dancing, &c. about their Gods of gold, v. 18. 19. So that which one Prophet calleth playing (the word here used) 1 Chro. 15. 29. another calleth dancing, 2 Sam. 6. 16. The Hebr. (as R. Menachem on this place) expound it whordome, according to that in Gen. 39. 14. He hath brought in to us an Hebrew man to mocke us (or to play with us,) which being understood of spirituall whoredome, that is, Idolatrie, is according to truth. And from this their practice, we are warned not to be Idola∣ters like them. 1 Cor. 10. 7.
V. 7. Goe] the Gr. addeth the word quickly, as Mo∣ses also doth in Deut. 9. 12. Arise, get thee down quick∣ly. [unspec 7] corrupted] this implieth both their Idolatrie, & the judgment which they brought upon them∣selves therfore, as in Gen. 6. 11. 12. 13. whereupon he calleth them Moses his people, as not being worthy to be named Gods children, Deut. 32. 5. but under the wrath and curse of Moses law. The Greeke interpreteth it, have transgressed the law.
Vers. 9. stiffenecked] or hard necked, as elsewhere the Lord saith, Thou art hard, and thy neck is an yron [unspec 9] sinew, Esay. 48. 4. It is a similitude taken from unruly heifers that will not submit their neck to the yoke, Hos. 4. 16. Ier. 5. 5. and 27. 8. and so meaneth stub∣born & disobedient cariage; of which God often reproveth them by this name, Ex. 33. 3. 5. and 34. 9. Deut. 9. 6. 13. and 10. 16. and 31. 27. Ier. 7. 26. and 19. 15. Neh. 9. 17. 29. Act. 7. 51.
Vers. 10. Let me alone] that is, intreat me not to [unspec 10] spare them; or, hinder me not by thy prayer, from punishing them. So the Chaldee translate, Leave off thy prayer before me. consume] and put out their name from under heaven, Deut. 9. 14. of thee] Hebrew make thee to a great nation. In Deut. 9. 14. it is said, a mighty nation, and greater then they. So againe in Num. 14. 12.
V. 11. the face] this the Gr. and Chaldee trans∣late, [unspec 11] he prayed before the Lord: but Gods face, is som∣time used for his anger, as in Gen. 32. 20. Lev. 20. 6. Ps. 21. 10. & 34. 17. & so it meaneth a supplicating against the anger which was now waxing hot. For they had beene abolished, had not Moses stood be∣fore God in the breach, to turne away his wrath from destroying them, Psal. 106. 23. Where∣fore, &c.] This is not a question, as if there were no cause for the Lord to be angrie; but is a man∣ner of earnest intreaty, that he would not in wrath destroy thē. So the Prophets often used to pray in this sort, as in Psal. 10. 1. and 44. 25. Esa. 64. 12. And when Christ said, Wherefore make yee this adoe and weepe, Mar. 5. 39. another Euangelist explaineth it, Weepe not, Luk. 8. 52. and, Art thou come to torment us? Mat. 8. 29. is expounded, I pray thee torment me not. Luke 8. 28.
Ver. 12. for evill] or, in evill, in malice, that is, mali∣ciously: [unspec 12] the Greeke translateth with maliciousnesse. repent] The Greek translateth, be mercifull un∣to the evill of thy people: which thing is here im∣plyed, but the Hebrew phrase meaneth also the evill of punishment, which God should repent of, that is, not inflict upon them; speaking after the manner of men, as in Gen. 6. 6. Therefore the Chal∣dee addeth repent of the evill, which thou thinkest to doe to thy people, which is confirmed by v. 14.
V. 13. by thy selfe] God having no greater to sweare [unspec 13] by, and by such an oath, willing to shew the immu∣tability of his counsel, as Paul expoundeth it, Heb. 6. 13. 17. The Chaldee translateth, by thy Word, see Gen. 22. 16. 17. 18. unto which place, this praier of Moses hath speciall reference, where also the bles∣sing of all nations in Christ, is mentioned, which is the ground of this request, and of Gods yeelding thereunto. So the Hebrew Doctors after a sort ac∣knowledged, saying, Then Moses returned & sought mercy at the face of the Lord, and the Lord remembred the inclination of Isaack, who was bound by his father in mount Morijah upon the Altar: and the Lord tur∣ned from his anger, and caused his divine-presence to dwell in the midst of them, as before, Thargum in Cant. cap. 1. vers. 13. cap. 2. vers. 17.
Vers. 15. on the one] Hebr. on this side, and on this. [unspec 15] This manner of writing on both side, was also in o∣ther mysticall books, Ezek. 2. 10. Rev. 5. 1. It signi∣fied in respect of the Law it selfe, that it hath both the outward letter, and inward spirituall meaning, Ro. 7. 14. Gal. 4. 24. in respect of men, that the Law should be written outwardly in their actions be∣fore