Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Chapter 32 · Questions · Question 64 – Question 68
QUEST. LXIII. Why Moses onelyonly rebuketh Aaron, and forbeareth further punishment.
NOw that Moses spared Aaron from further punishment, and onelyonly rebuked him: 1. Some make this to be the cause, for that the Lord had revealed unto Moses Aarons sinne in the mount, before he came downe, at what time Moses prayed also for him, seeing the Lord bent to kill him, Tostat. qu. …5. But that intreatie for Aaron was afterward, at Moses second going up to God, when hee fasted fortie dayes and fortie nights, as before: at that time he saith he prayed for Aaron, Deut. 9.20. And seeing at this time the Lord purposed to destroy all the nation, and so Aaron could not escape: Moses now onelyonly prayed in generall for all Israel, that God would not destroy the whole nation.
2. Others thinke that Moses did after a milde manner reprove Aaron: quiae sic arguendi praelati, because Prelates (and Ecclesiasticall Governours) are so to be reproved, Ferus. he thinketh he was now the high Priest: So also Oleaster calleth him, Pontificem summum, the chiefe Priest. But as yet Aaron was not consecrated, as Lippoman inferreth upon these reasons, Quia non illi improperatur consp…r…atum sacerdotium ▪ He is not upbraided with defiling of his Priesthood by this meanes: neither doe we read of his reconciliation afterward, which should not have beene omitted in such a case of irregularitie.
3. Procopius thinketh that Aaron was both spared at this time, and afterward likewise, when he repined against Moses, cum propter alias causas, tum propter sanctos ex ejus lumbis prodituros: Both for other causes, as also for those holy mens sakes which should come out of his loynes. But if this had beene the reason, all the tribes should have beene spared likewise: because out of all of them came holy and worthy men, Judges, Prophets, or Kings.
4. But the causes rather were these: 1. Aaron confessed his sinne, and therefore Moses inclined to favour him. 2. Moses afterward intreated the Lord for him, and the Lord at his instance forgiving his sinne, the punishment also was remitted, Simler. 3. Adde hereunto that Aaron was now appointed to be high Priest: order was taken for his priestly apparell and his office, what it should be, and how he and his sonnes should bee consecrated: all which had beene in vaine, if Aaron now had perished. 4. Beside, Moses had direction from God, to put divers of the people to the sword for this offence, but for Aaron hee had no such commandement. 5. But Augustine yeeldeth the best reason, Novit ille cui parcat, &c. God onelyonly knoweth whom to spare for amendment, and whom not to spare at all, or for a time, for his wayes and judgements are past finding out, qu. 148.
5. Now whereas Tostatus further reasoneth, that Moses by all likelihood had prayed for Aaron in the mount, because then the Lord did specially reveale unto him his sinne: for otherwise Moses had knowne nothing of Aarons doings, as he did, as it appeareth by this reprehension: it may be answered, that it is not necessarie for this cause to presuppose any such notice to have beene given unto Moses in the mount: for either Moses might by examination and inquirie after hee came downe learne out the truth: or which is rather like, Moses Aaronem vicarium constituerat, had left Aaron his deputie governour, when he went up into the mount, Simler. and therefore he was sure that such a thing could not bee attempted in the host, without Aarons permission at the least and sufferance.
QUEST. LXIV. What things are to be commended in Aarons confession, what not.
Vers. 22. THen Aaron answered, &c. 1. Some things are to be commended here in Aarons confession: 1. His modestie, that being Moses elder brother, yet hee calleth him Lord, and submitteth himselfe unto him: whereof these two reasons may be yeelded: both because Moses was greater in office than Aaron, both as a Prophet and Governour of Israel, Tostat. qu. 32. and his owne conscience accused him, agnoscebat sejure argui, he knew he was worthily reproved. 2. Aaron confesseth and acknowledgeth his fault, in saying, Let not the wrath of my Lord wa… f…erce: Agnoscit crimen, hee therein yeeldeth himselfe to be in fault, Borrh. 3. He maketh a full and large declaration of the manner, rem gestam liberè confi…etur, he freely openeth all the matter how it was done, Pelarg. both what the people required, and upon what reason and ground, what he did, and what came thereof: rem ut gesta est simpliciter narra…, he simply declareth the matter as it was done.
2. But Aaron in some things sheweth his infirmitie: 1. Peccatum & culpam in alios trajicere studet: Hee seeketh to turne over the sinne and offence upon others, laying the fault upon the people, Ferus. 2. Aaron bewrayeth some hypocrisie, that seeketh to extenuate his fault as much as he can, being afraid, n… aliquid de existimatione sua decodat, lest he should lose any thing of his credit, Simler. 3. He sheweth his ignorance, thinking himselfe excusable, because hee was urged and compelled through the importunitie of the people to doe it: Importunitas populi eos levare non potest, &c. The importunitie of the people cannot ease them any thing, who should have beene more prudent and circumspect in their government, Gall…s. 4. In excusing hee accuseth himselfe; for in that the people were bent to mischiefe, hee ought to have beene so much the more vigilant over them. And whereas they asked to have gods made to goe before them, and alleaged, they knew not what was become of Moses; he should have told them, that the Lord was their guide, and have declared where Moses was, Simler. 5. In saying, thereof came this calfe; frigida & exili narratione culpam tegere, &c. he goeth about by a cold and slender narration to hide his fault, Calvin.
QUEST. LXV. Whether Aaron dissembled in not confessing plainly, that he made the Calfe.
Vers. 24. I Did cast it into the fire, and thereof came this Calfe. 1. The Hebrewes seeking to excuse Aarons fault what they may, say that he intended not to make a Calfe, but cast in the golden eare-rings into the fire to consume them: but by the operation of Satan, working by certaine Egyptian Magicians in the camp, the forme of a Calfe came forth. But that Aaron had an intention to make a Calfe, appeareth by the former narration, vers. 4. how Aaron, after it was molten and cast, caused it to be fashioned with a graving toole. See more hereof, quest. 17. before.
2. Some thinke that Aaron, mentitur tim…re perterritus, maketh a plaine lie, being overcome of feare, Oleaster. So also Lyranus. But Aaron would have beene ashamed publikely to make a lye, as though he had purposed to make a Calfe, seeing it was not well knowne to all the people to be his doing.
3. Tostatus is of opinion, that Aaron herein is not faultie at all, but that he simply confessed that hee made the Calfe, being through feare of the people thereunto compelled: Sed Scriptura, qua breviloqu… est, &c. hic eum breviter tangit: But the Sripture which is compendious, because the narration hereof was set downe before, doth but briefly touch it here. But it might as briefly have beene set downe, that Aaron made the molten Calfe, as it is expressed before vers. 4. therefore the brevitie of speech is not the cause.
4. Augustine thinketh that Aaron himselfe, compendio locut… est, used this compendious speech, and that he lied not at all,Quaest. 145, in Exod. because Moses, eum de mendacio non arguit, doth not reprove him for lying. But as Aaron is not convinced here of a manifest lye, yet some colouring and dissimulation appeareth in his speech, because he doth not plainly confesse hee did it: Substantia facti narratur, tantummodo faciendi: He confesseth only the substance of the fact, concealing the manner. Moses reproveth him not for this dissembling, no more he doth for any other infirmitie here shewed, because he replieth not againe.
5. Hugo de S. Victor. would have the meaning of Aarons words to be this: Thereou… came this Calfe, opere scilicet hominis, non miraculo, by the worke of man, not by any miracle. But the manner of his speech sheweth that Aaron sought to extenuate his sinne.
6. I therefore here rather consent to those, which thinke that Aaron coloured his fault by this speech: R…m ita refert, ac si praeter ipsius intentionem formatus sic vitulus: He so reporteth the matter, as though the Calfe were formed beside his intention, Marbach. Iejune & simpliciter narrat: Hee maketh a drie and slender narration, Simler. Exili narratione culpam tegere, &c. By a slender report he would cover his sinne, Calvin. Quicquid sit, atten…at quantum potest culpam: Whatsoever it is, in these words he extenuateth his sinne what he may, Lippoman. And this seemeth to be more likely, because Aaron maketh a colourable defence and excuse of his fault thorowout, as is shewed before, quest. 64.
QUEST. LXVI. In what sense the people are said to be naked.
Vers. 24. MOses saw therefore, that the people were naked, &c. 1. Some understand it of their jewels of gold, which they were deprived of, being bestowed upon the idoll, Lyran. Hugo de S. Victor. But we read in the next chapter, that they were, splendidè ornati, they had goodly ornaments, Calvin, Marbach. Therefore they were not stripped of all. 2. Some thinke that they were disarmed: for Aaron fearing some mutinie and rising among the people, had taken away their armour, Cajetan. But in that it is said afterward, that the Levites girded their swords to them, vers. 27. it appeareth that their weapons were not taken from them, Simler. 3. Some expound it of the manifestation of their sinne: that whereas hitherto they were counted the true worshippers of God, now they should bee knowne to be idolaters, and so defamed among the Heathen, R. D. Kimbi, Oleaster, Vatab. 4. Some giuegive this sense: Aaron had made them naked, that is, laid all the fault upon the people. 5. Or they were naked, because they went about obstinately to defend their sinne: but in this sense Aaron could not bee said to have made them naked; for he would not have encouraged them to stand in defence of their sinne, having himselfe confessed it. 6. The Chalde translateth, Moses saw the people were idle, that is, gave themselves to eating, and drinking, and playing, and neglected the feares of warre, which would have beene unto their shame, if their enemies should encounter with them.
7. But beyond the rest, this is the most proper interpretation: that they were naked, gratia & prasi…lio Dei, of the favour, help and assistance of God, Iunius. Nudatus erat gratia & protectione, they were naked of his favour and protection, Ferus. Therefore, Si tunc corruissent hostes, proculdubio eos ignomi…iosè delevissent. If then the enemie had fallen upon them, they had most shamefully foiled them, Gallas. As the Canaanites overcame the Israelites, when they set upon them wilfully, God being not among them, Tostat. qu. 34. So also Calvin: Significat rejectos esse à Deo, Hee signifieth they were rejected of God, under whose protection they were. To the same purpose, Osiander, Borrhaius, Lippoman, Simlerus.
QUEST. LXVII. Why Moses stood in the gate, and what gate it was.
Vers. 26. MOses stood in the gate of the camp. 1. Cajetan thinketh that the camp had gates to enter in by, Quia castra munita eran… tanquam civitas, because the camp was fenced about like a citie: and Simlerus thinketh that the camp was compassed about with a ditch, and by the same there were certaine passages and entrances into the camp. But that is not like that they alwayes entrenched themselves, seeing they were to remove at all times, as the cloud before them removed, which was sometime the same day, sometime within two dayes, Numb. 9.22. so that they could have no time to make any such ditch or trench, Tostat. qu. 34. 2. Who therefore thinketh right, that these gates were onelyonly the places of entrance into the great streets which went thorow the camp; for the host lay in such order, as that they had wayes and streets betweene their tents, as wee see now in cities and townes: as Iosephus also describeth the situation and disposing of the camp. 3. Now Moses stood in the gate or entrance, not because the use was to give sentence and judgement in the gates, Lyran. Borrh. Or because Moses would have the Levites to give the onset in the beginning of a street, and so to go thorow, as Tostat. ibid. But this was the reason: Moses tabernacle or tent was without the camp, and so upon that occasion Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, going now to his owne tent, Iun.