Romans 9:17

As from those who made the calf, he reasons, some were saved and others punished, when God alone knew who was worthy of salvation and who of punishment: so, although there were many others who were wicked, only Pharaoh was subjected to the wrath of …

Then he solves the above problem as it refers to rejection of the wicked, when he says for the Scripture says. First, he quotes an authority; second, he draws the conclusion, at therefore he has mercy on whom he wills. He says, therefore: it has …

God's sovereignty, manifested in the ruin of sinners, is here discovered in the instance of Pharaoh; it is quoted from Exod. ix. Observe, (1.) What God did with Pharaoh. He raised him up, brought him into the world, made him famous, gave him the kingdom and power,--set him up as a beacon upon a hill, as the mark of all his plagues (compare Exod. ix.

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens

For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh,.... אמר קרא, "The Scripture saith", is a Talmudic (l) way of speaking, used when any point is proved from Scripture; and is of the same signification with אמר רחמנא, "the merciful God says"; and so the sense of it here is, God said to Pharaoh; the testimony here cited, stands in Exo 9:16; where it is read thus, "for this cause have I raised thee up", העמדתיך, or "made thee stand", "for to show in thee my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth"; and is produced by the apostle in proof of the other branch of predestination, called reprobation, and to vindicate it from the charge of unrighteousness: in which may be observed, that the act of raising up of Pharaoh is God's act, even for this same purpose have I raised thee up; which may be understood in every sense that is put upon that phrase, unless that which some Jewish (m) writers have annexed to it, namely, that God raised Pharaoh from the dead; otherwise, I say, all the rest may well enough be thought to be comprised in it; as that God ordained and appointed him from eternity, by certain means to this end; that he made him to exist in time, or brought him into being; that he raised him to the throne, promoted him to that high honour and dignity; that he preserved him, and did not cut him off as yet; that he strengthened and hardened his heart, irritated, provoked, and stirred him up against his people Israel; and suffered him to go all the lengths he did, in his obstinacy and rebellion: all which was done, that I might shew my power in thee; his superior power to him, his almighty power in destroying him and his host in the Red sea, when the Israelites were saved: and the ultimate end which God had in view in this was, that my name might be declared throughout all the earth; that he himself might be glorified, and that the glory of his perfections, part […]

For the Scripture saith - Exo 9:16. That is, God saith to Pharaoh in the Scriptures; Gal 3:8, Gal 3:22. This passage is designed to illustrate the doctrine that God shows mercy according to his sovereign pleasure by a reference to one of the most extraordinary cases of hardness of heart which has ever occurred.

This is of all objects, where God is concerned, the highest and most important; in itself the most worthy, and in its results the most beneficent" [HODGE].

quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — odd-straight-quotes

For the Scripture saith unto Pharaoh - Instead of showing the Israelites mercy he might justly have suffered them to have gone on in sin, till he should have signalized his wisdom and justice in their destruction; as appears from what God in his word declares concerning his dealings with Pharaoh and the Egyptians, Exo 9:15, Exo 9:16: For now, saith the Lord, I had stretched forth my hand, (in the plague of boils and blains), and I had smitten thee and thy people with the pestilence; and thou hadst (by this plague) been cut off from the earth; (as thy cattle were by the murrain); but in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up - I have restored thee to health by removing the boils and blains, and by respiting thy deserved destruction to a longer day, that I may, in thy instance, give such a demonstration of my power in thy final overthrow, that all mankind may learn that I am God, the righteous Judge of all the earth, the avenger of wickedness. See this translation of the original vindicated in my notes on Exo 9:15 (note), Exo 9:16 (note); and, about the hardening of Pharaoh, see the notes on those places where the words occur in the same book.