[The prohibition, " Let me alone," operated on his mind rather as an encouragement to intercede ; because it seemed to say, If you intercede for them, my hands are tied; and I can- not execute upon them my threatened vengeance. He fell down instantly before God, and urged in their behalf every plea which was suited to the occasion.
He reminded God of his relation to them. Though God had appeared to disclaim them in that he had called them Moses' people, Moses pleaded, that God himself had brought them out of Egypt, and had signally marked them as his peculiar people. He reminded God also of his promise to their fathers, which, if they were utterly destroyed, would be violated. As for having another nation raised up from his loins, he did not desire that honour: all he wanted was, to avert from this offending people the judgments they had merited. He further expressed his concern to God respecting his honour among the heathen. Lord, what will the Egyptians say? What opinion will they form of thee? Will they not represent thee either as weak, and in- capable of carrying this people to the promised land; or as cruel, and bringing them out hither on purpose to slay them? Lord, if thou regardest not them, have regard for thine own honour, and spare the people for thy great name's sake.]
After reproving their iniquity, he returned again unto the Lord, to renew, more fervently than ever, his intercession for them —
[He confesses humbly the greatness of their sin; well know- ing, that for the obtaining of mercy, nothing is so efficacious as humiliation before God. He then implores pardon for them, if pardon can be extended to so rebellious a people. But, if some atonement must be made, and if some signal mark of his dis- pleasure must be given, then he entreats that the judgment may fall on him, and not on them. He desires to be excluded from Canaan, and, as far as relates to this life, to be blotted out of the list of God's peculiar people, in their stead: that so the enormity of their sin, and God's abhorrence of it, might be made manifest, and yet the transgressors themselves be living monuments of God's mercy c.
What a bright pattern is here of zeal for God, and compassion for men ! And how desirable is such an union of them, as will keep us from palliating sin on the one hand, or hating and despising the sinner on the other.]
How far this intercession prevailed will be found in,
III. The reply of God —
c It were absurd to think that he proposed to subject himself to eternal misery for them : for this would be more than even Christ himself has done for us.