10 While the whole community threatened to stone them,(A) the glory of the Lord appeared to all the Israelites at the tent of meeting.

God’s Judgment of Israel’s Rebellion

11 The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people despise me? How long will they not trust in me despite all the signs I have performed among them?(B) 12 I will strike them with a plague and destroy them. Then I will make you into a greater and mightier nation than they are.”(C)

13 But Moses replied to the Lord, “The Egyptians will hear about it, for by your strength you brought up this people from them. 14 They will tell it to the inhabitants of this land.(D) They have heard that you, Lord, are among these people, how you, Lord, are seen face to face, how your cloud stands over them, and how you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and in a pillar of fire by night.(E) 15 If you kill this people with a single blow,[a](F) the nations that have heard of your fame(G) will declare, 16 ‘Since the Lord wasn’t able to bring this people into the land he swore to give them,(H) he has slaughtered them in the wilderness.’(I)

17 “So now, may my Lord’s power be magnified just as you have spoken: 18 The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in faithful love,(J) forgiving iniquity and rebellion.(K) But he will not leave the guilty unpunished,(L) bringing the consequences of the fathers’ iniquity on the children to the third and fourth generation.(M) 19 Please pardon the iniquity of this people, in keeping with the greatness of your faithful love,(N) just as you have forgiven them from Egypt until now.”

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Footnotes

  1. 14:15 Lit people as one man

10 But the entire congregation was talking about stoning them to death.

God Rebukes Unbelieving Israel

Suddenly, the glory of the Lord appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all of the Israelis. 11 “How long will this people keep on spurning me and refusing to trust me, despite all the miracles[a] that I’ve done among them?” the Lord asked Moses. 12 “That’s why I’m going to attack them with pestilence and disinherit them. Instead, I’ll make you a great nation—even mightier than they are!”

Moses Intercedes for Israel

13 But Moses responded to the Lord, “When Egypt hears that you’ve brought this people out from among them with a mighty demonstration of power,[b] 14 they’ll also proclaim to the inhabitants of this land that they’ve heard you’re among this people, Lord, whom they’ve seen face to face,[c] since your cloud stands guard over them. You’ve guided them with a pillar of cloud by day and with a pillar of fire by night. 15 But if you slaughter this people all at the same time,[d] then the nations who heard about your fame[e] will say, 16 ‘The Lord slaughtered this people in the wilderness because he wasn’t able to bring them to the land that he promised them.’

17 “Now, let the power of the Lord be magnified, just as you promised when you said, 18 ‘The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in faithful love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he won’t acquit the guilty. He recalls the iniquity of fathers to the third and fourth generation.’[f]

19 “Forgive, please, the iniquity of this people, according to your great, faithful love, in the same way that you’ve carried this people from Egypt to this place.”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 14:11 Or signs
  2. Numbers 14:13 The Heb. lacks demonstration of
  3. Numbers 14:14 Lit. seen eye to eye
  4. Numbers 14:15 Lit. as a man
  5. Numbers 14:15 Lit. report
  6. Numbers 14:18 The Heb. lacks generation