Commentary on Harmony of the Law Volume 1 Complete John Calvin
HARMONY OF THE LAW · VOLUME 1
9. When Pharaoh shall speak unto you, saying, Shew a miracle for you: then thou shalt say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast it before Pharaoh, and it shall become a serpent.
9. Si loquutus fuerit ad vos Pharao, dicendo, Statuite vobis prodigium: tunc dices ad Aharon, Tolle virgam tuam, et projice coram Pharaone, et fiet in serpentem.
10. And Moses and Aaron went in unto Pharaoh, and they did so as the Lord had commanded: and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh, and before his servants, and it became a serpent.
10. Venit ergo Moses et Aharon ad Pharaonem, et ita fecerunt ut praeceperat Iehova. Et projecit Aharon virgam suam coram Pharaone et coram servis ejus, et fuit in serpentem.
11. Then Pharaoh also called the wise men and the sorcerers: now the magicians of Egypt, they also did in like manner with their enchantments.
11. Tunc vocavit etiam Pharao sapientes et incantatores, et fecerunt etiam ipsi magi Aegyptiorum hoc modo suis incantationibus.
12. For they cast down every man his rod, and they became serpents: but Aaron's rod swallowed up their rods.
12. Projecerunt enim singuli virgas suas, quae fuerunt in dracones. Devoravit tamen virga Aharon virgas illorum.
13. And he hardened Pharaoh's heart, that he hearkened not unto them; as the Lord had said.
13. Et obduravit cor Pharaonis, neque audivit illos, sicuti loquutus erat Jehova.
8. And the Lord spake. No wonder that Moses often repeats the same thing, because he wrote for persons of rude and dull minds. But it behooves us, lest we should be disgusted by his simple and popular style, diligently to examine how little we are inclined to be acute and earnest in our consideration of the works of God. No doubt there is here related what we have already heard respecting the change of the rod into a serpent, except that he now tells us that the miracle which had before been performed in the wilderness of Midian, and afterwards in Egypt, in the sight of the people, was likewise performed once more before Pharaoh. Moreover, we gather from hence that at the request of Pharaoh the servants of God had proved