Numbers 14:18

18 The Lord is slow to anger and rich in faithful love,^[a] forgiving wrongdoing and rebellion.^[b] But He will not leave [the guilty] unpunished,^[c] bringing the consequences of the fathers' wrongdoing on the children to the third and fourth generation.^[d]

Numbers 14:18 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 14:18

The Lord [is] longsuffering
Towards all men, and especially towards his own people:

and of great mercy,
being abundant in goodness, and keeping mercy for thousands:

forgiving iniquity and transgression,
all sorts of sin:

and by no means clearing [the guilty], visiting the iniquity of the
fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth [generation];
which may seem to make against the plea of Moses for mercy and forgiveness; but the reason of these words being expressed seems to be, because they go along with the others in the passage referred to, and are no contradiction to the forgiving mercy of God in a way of justice; nor did Moses request to have the guilty cleared from punishment altogether, but that God would show mercy, at least to such a degree as not to cut off the whole nation, and leave no posterity to inherit the land; which is supposed in visiting the sin of the fathers to the third or fourth generation.

Numbers 14:18 In-Context

16 'Since the Lord wasn't able to bring this people into the land He swore to [give] them, He has slaughtered them in the wilderness.'

17 "So now, may My Lord's power be magnified just as You have spoken:

18 The Lord is slow to anger and rich in faithful love, forgiving wrongdoing and rebellion. But He will not leave [the guilty] unpunished, bringing the consequences of the fathers' wrongdoing on the children to the third and fourth generation.

19 Please pardon the wrongdoing of this people in keeping with the greatness of Your faithful love, just as You have forgiven them from Egypt until now."

20 The Lord responded, "I have pardoned [them] as you requested.

Footnotes

• [a]. Ps 86:5; Jl 2:13
• [b]. Ezr 9:13; Ps 78:38; 85:2; 103:3,10; Isa 43:25; 44:22
• [c]. Pr 11:21; Jr 25:29; Nah 1:3
• [d]. Ex 20:5; 34:6-7