his eternal damnation, because that state would imply
both wickedness in himself and dishonor to God; but his
annihilation, or utter lose of this life, and that to come, and all
the happiness of both of them. Nor doth Moses simply desire this, but
only comparatively expresseth his singular zeal for God's glory, and
charity to his people; suggesting that the very thoughts of the
destruction of God's people, and the reproach and blasphemy which
would be cast upon God by means thereof, were so intolerable to him,
that he rather wished, if it were possible, that God would accept him
as a sacrifice in their stead, and by his utter destruction prevent so
great a mischief." *

* Vid. Pool in locum.

Could the learned and judicious Mr. Pool seriously believe that
inspired Moses prayed for annihilation! Or consider him as
entertaining a suspicion that a soul could cease to exist! Or could he
conceive him as deliberately asking of God to make him an expiatory
sacrifice! Or harboring a thought that the sin of his people might be
atoned by his being blotted out from among God's works!--Strange!

Mr. Henry considers Moses as praying to die with Israel, if they must
die in the wilderness.--"If they must be cut off, let me be cut off
with them--let not the land of promise be mine by survivorship. God
had told Moses, that if he would not interpose, he would make him a
great nation--No said Moses, I am so far from desiring to see my name
and family, built on the ruins of Israel, that I choose rather to die
with them." *

* Vid. Henry in loc.

If such is the spirit of this prayer, Moses does not appear resigned
to the divine order, but rather peevish and fretful at the
disappointment of his hope, which he had till then entertained. He had
expected to lead Israel to the land of promise; if not indulged, seems
not to have cared what became of himself or his family; and is thought
here to address his maker, offering distinguishing favors to him, as
Daniel did Belthazzar--"thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards
to another--I desire none of them for myself or mine--If Israel die in
the wilderness, let me die with them"--From angry Jonah such a reply
to the kind offers of a gracious God might not surprize us; but it was
not to have been expected from the meekest of mankind. DOCT. HUNTER,
in his biographical lectures, explodes this idea of Moses' asking to
be damned for the salvation of Israel, and shews the absurdity of that
cons