deliberating. Hitherto God has been introduced simply as commanding; now when he approaches the most excellent of all his deeds, he enters into consultation. God certainly might here command by his bare word what he wished to be done. But he chose to give this tribute to the excellency of man—that he would, in a manner, enter into consultation concerning his creation. This is the highest honor with which he has dignified us. Moses uses this language in order to draw our attention to this. For God