Commentary on Harmony of the Law Volume 1 Complete John Calvin
HARMONY OF THE LAW · VOLUME 1
24. And the Lord did so: and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants' houses, and into all the land of Egypt: the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies
24. Et fecit Jehova sic: et venit examen insectorum grave in domum Pharaonis, et domum servorum ejus, et totam terram Aegypti: corrupta fuit terra propter examen insectorum.
25. And Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land.
25. Tunc vocavit Pharao Mosen et Aharon, et ait, Ite, sacrificate Deo vestro in hac terra.
26. And Moses said, It is not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians to the Lord our God: lo, shall we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, and will they not stone us?
26. Et dixit Moses, Non convenit facere sic: quia abominationem Aegypti sacrificaremus Jehovae Deo nostro. Ecce, si sacrificaremus abominationem Aegyptiorum coram oculos eorum, annon lapidarent nos?
27. We will go three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to the Lord our God, as he shall command us.
27. Viam trium dierum progrediemur in desertum, et sacrificabimus Jehovae Deo nostro, quemadmodum praecepit nobis.
20. And the Lord said unto Moses, Rise up early. As Pharaoh advances in daring rashness, so does God on the other hand proceed to restrain his impetuosity by opposing impediments. This is what the wicked at length obtain by long and multiplied contention, that having received many wounds they perish by various torments. With respect to the command that Moses should meet Pharaoh, when he shall go down in the morning to the riverside for his pleasure, it is uncertain whether God would have the tyrant encountered in public, because the palace was difficult of access; although it seems probable to me, that a place was chosen in which the proceeding would be more manifest, and where the voice of His messenger would be more clearly heard. Therefore, that nothing might be done secretly, Moses proclaims in open day, before the whole multitude, that judgment of God, which immediately afterwards took effect. But here no mention is made of the rod, as in the former plagues; because God sometimes makes use of external instruments, that we may know that all creatures are in His hand,