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 (A)But all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Then (B)the glory of the Lord appeared in the tent of meeting to all the sons of Israel.

Moses Pleads for the People

11 (C)And the Lord said to Moses, “How long will this people be disrespectful to Me? And how long will (D)they not [a]believe in Me, despite all the signs that I have performed in their midst? 12 I will strike them with [b](E)plague and dispossess them, and I (F)will make you into a nation greater and mightier than they.”

13 (G)But Moses said to the Lord, “Then the Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought this people up from their midst, 14 and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that You, Lord, are in the midst of this people, because (H)You, Lord, are seen eye to eye, while Your cloud stands over them; and You go before them in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night. 15 Now if You put this people to death [c]all at once, (I)then the nations who have heard of Your fame will [d]say, 16 ‘Since the Lord (J)could not bring this people into the land which He promised them by oath, He slaughtered them in the wilderness.’ 17 So now, please, let the power of the Lord be great, just as You have declared, saying, 18 (K)The Lord is slow to anger and abundant in mercy, forgiving wrongdoing and violation of His Law; but (L)He will by no means leave the guilty unpunished, (M)inflicting the [e]punishment of the fathers on the children [f]to the third and the fourth generations.’ 19 Please (N)forgive the guilt of this people in accordance with the greatness of Your mercy, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”

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Footnotes

  1. Numbers 14:11 Or trust in
  2. Numbers 14:12 Lit the plague
  3. Numbers 14:15 Lit as one man
  4. Numbers 14:15 Lit say, saying
  5. Numbers 14:18 I.e., punishment for the wrongdoing
  6. Numbers 14:18 Lit on