Exodus 32:32

32 And now, if you will only forgive their sin. . . . But if not, erase me out of the book you've written."

Exodus 32:32 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 32:32

Yet now, if thou will forgive their sin
Of thy free grace, good will, and pleasure; it will redound to thy glory, men will praise thy name on account of it; these people will have great reason to be thankful, and will lie under great obligations to thee, to fear, serve, and glorify thee; and in particular it will be regarded by me as the highest favour that can be asked or granted:

and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of the book which thou hast
written;
not the book of the law, as Jarchi, written with the finger of God, the name of Moses was not written there; nor the book of the just, as the Targum of Jonathan, the list and catalogue of good men, that belonged to the visible church, called in after time "the writing of the house of Israel", ( Ezekiel 13:9 ) but rather the book of life, either of this temporal life, and then it means no more than that he wished to die, even immediately by the hand of God, which seems to be countenanced by ( Numbers 11:15 ) or else of eternal life, and is no other than the book of life of the Lamb, or God's predestination or choice of men in Christ to everlasting life, which is particular, personal, sure, and certain; and Moses asks for this, not as a thing either desirable or possible, but to express his great affection for this people, and his great concern for the glory of God; and rather than either should suffer, he chose, if it was possible, to be deprived of that eternal happiness he hoped for, and should enjoy.

Exodus 32:32 In-Context

30 The next day Moses addressed the people: "You have sinned an enormous sin! But I am going to go up to God; maybe I'll be able to clear you of your sin."

31 Moses went back to God and said, "This is terrible. This people has sinned - it's an enormous sin! They made gods of gold for themselves.

32 And now, if you will only forgive their sin. . . . But if not, erase me out of the book you've written."

33 God said to Moses, "I'll only erase from my book those who sin against me.

34 For right now, you go and lead the people to where I told you. Look, my Angel is going ahead of you. On the day, though, when I settle accounts, their sins will certainly be part of the settlement."