It seems surprizing that the whole train of expositors should consider this good man as imprecating evil on himself for the good of others, when it is obvious that others could not have been benefited by it.  For though expositors differ respecting the magnitude of the evil, they seem to agree that he did wish evil to himself, and pray that he might suffer for his people!  We have seen no expositor who is an exception.

But let us attend to the prayer. Oh! this people have sinned a great sin; yet now, if thou will, forgive their sin; and if not, blot me, I prey thee, out of thy book.

We know the occasion.  Israel had fallen into idolatry while Moses was on the mount—­had made an idol, and bowed in adoration before it.  God told Moses what they had done—­threatened to destroy them—­excused Moses from praying for them, which had before been his duty, and promised to reward his faithfulness among so perverse a people, if he would now “hold his peace, and let God alone to destroy them.”  But Moses preferred the good of Israel to the aggrandisement of his own family, earnestly commended them to the divine mercy, and obtained the forgiveness of their sin—­“The Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto them.”  But he gave at that time no intimation of his merciful purpose toward them.

When Moses came down and found the congregation holding a feast to their idol, he was filled with grief and indignation; and took measures immediately to punish their sin and bring them to repentance.  He first destroyed their idol and then about three thousands of the idolaters, by the sword of Levi, who at his call, ranged themselves on the Lord’s side.  The next day, fearing that God would exterminate the nation, agreeably to his threatening, Moses gathered the tribes, set their sin before them, and told them that he would return to the divine presence and plead for them, though he knew not that God would hear him.  “Ye have sinned a great sin; and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. And Moses returned unto the Lord and said, Oh! this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.  Yet, now, if thou wilt, forgive their sin; and if not blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.”

Moses meaning, while praying for Israel, is obvious; but the petition offered up for himself is not equally so—­blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book.

Four different constructions have been put on the is prayer—­Some consider Moses as imprecating damnation on himself, for the good of his people—­Some as praying for annihilation, that they might find mercy—­Some as asking God that he might die with them, if they should die in the wilderness—­Others, that his name might be blotted out of the page of history, and his memory perish, should Israel be destroyed and not reach the promised land.

“Blot me” (saith Mr. Cruden) “out of thy book of life—­out of the catalogue, or number of those that shall be saved—­wherein Moses does not express what he thought might be done, but rather wisheth, if it were possible, that God would accept of him as a sacrifice in their stead, and by his destruction and annihilation, prevent so great a mischief to them.” *