Commentary on Genesis and Exodus, Chapter 34 · Questions · Question 8 – Question 9
QUEST. VIII. Who proclaimed the name Iehovah, God or Moses.
Vers. 6. IEhovah passed before his face, and cried, Iehovah, Iehovah, &c. 1. The vulgar Latine readeth this in the Vocative case, (so also the Chalde paraphrast) and inferreth in the former verse, the name of Moses, which is not in the Hebrew: Moses … nomen Domini; And Moses invocated the name of God, and putteth the verbs in the second person, vers. 7. Which keepest merciemercy unto thousands. So also Ferus, and Mathias Thoring defending Lyranus against Burgensis, and Simlerus: because they say it is not so fit, that the Lord should be said to invocate his owne name, as for Moses to doe it.
But the Latine translation, upon the which this opinion is grounded, doth evidently crosse the originall, where vers. 5. the name Moses is not found; neither is it put in the second person in the Hebrew, but onelyonly in the participle, notzer, reserving, pokedh, visiting, and so in the rest: the word karah, also signifieth not alwayes to invocate, but to crie, call or proclaime: as Oleaster translateth, elamavit, he cried out.
2. Some thinke that God first said these words, and proclaimed his titles, and names, and then, Moses statim sermonem assumpsit, did presently take up the the same forme of speech, Lippom. And thus he would reconcile the Hebrew text, and the Latine translation. The like he alleageth out of the new Testament: that whereas one Evangelist, after the parable rehearsed of the husbandmen, that killed the heire, and Christ demanded the question, what will the Lord of the vineyard doe to those husbandmen? one hath, They said unto him, he will come and destroy those husbandmen: as though these words should be uttered by the standers by, Matth. 21.41. yet both Mark. chap. 12.9. and Luk. 20.16. these words are rehearsed as uttered by Christ himselfe. Lippoman giveth this solution: that after the Jewes had made answer in that manner to our Saviours demand, Dominus mox sermonem reassumpsit; the Lord presently reassumeth that speech; and so he thinketh it is here, that first the Lord spake these words, and then Moses.
But this instance is nothing like. 1. For the text may beare it in the Evangelists, that those words were uttered first by the Jewes, and afterward by our Saviour: but here the text will not beare it, that Moses uttered these words: for it is said vers. 6. The Lord passed by and cried; He then that passed by Moses, the same thus cried. 2. Neither yet doe the two Evangelists directly say, that those words were spoken by Christ, but onelyonly set downe the question with the answer in generall: so that it must be supplied out of the other Evangelist, by whom that answer was made.
3. The Hebrewes doe thinke, that these names were proclaimed by the Lord, giving unto Moses a forme of prayer and invocation, how to call upon him in the day of their affliction; which use they retaine to this day, to invocate God in this manner. As our Saviour taught his disciples to pray, Our father which art, &c.
4. But as it cannot be denied, that the Saints in their prayers gave unto God these names of merciemercy, as Moses did, Numb. 14.18. yet the Lords speciall intendment is to performe here unto Moses, that which he had promised, that his glorie should passe by him, and that he would before him proclaime the name of the Lord, both which are fulfilled in this place, Oleaster. And this reason Burgensis urgeth against Lyranus: that the Lord himselfe, and not Moses, must be understood to have proclaimed these names; that it may appeare how mindfull the Lord was of his promise unto Moses. So also Tostatus.
5. And it is not to be doubted, but that the Lord did shew unto Moses his back-parts, and brought to effect all the rest before mentioned, chap. 33. But that the Scripture for brevitie sake omitteth many things: yet by these things here mentioned, we are to understand, that God, who is most true and just in his promises, did accomplish all the rest, Tostat. quast. 5.
QUEST. IX. Why the name Iehovah is doubled.
Vers. 6. IEhovah, Iehovah, strong. 1. Ferus by these three words, Iehovah, Iehovah, …el, strong, understandeth the blessed Trinitie. So also before him, Cyril observeth, because it is said, Iehovah proclaimed by name Iehovah, that the Father appeared in the Son,Cont. Julian. lib. 9. and hence proveth the divers persons of the Father and the Son. So also Pelargus, Osiander, Marbach.
2. Tostatus thus argueth against these collections. 1. That these names are not peculiar unto God, as el elohim, which are ascribed sometimes to Angels, and sometime to men; and therefore the Trinitie cannot well be concluded out of such names, as are not peculiar unto God. 2. If the thrice repeating of the same name should betoken the Trinitie, than when it is but twice used, it would as well prove a dualitie: and if it be foure times iterated, there might also by the like reason be inferred a quaternitie.
3. Therefore, although such collections are not much to bee misliked, yet the Trinitie would out of more pregnant places be proved: this doubling of the name Iehovah, was rather, solenuis testificatio infinita bonitatis, &c. a most solemne testification of the goodnesse of God, Gallas. And it served to move Moses more earnestly to reverence and attention, Iunius, Oleast. It may also signifie that God will be no longer unknowne unto men, Pelargus.