Numbers 14:17

17 And now, therefore, let the power of the Lord be great in the way that you promised when you spoke, saying,

Numbers 14:17 Meaning and Commentary

Numbers 14:17

And now, I beseech thee, let the power of Lord be great
That is, appear to be great; the power of God is great, not only mighty, but almighty; it knows no bounds, nothing is impossible with him, he can do whatever he pleases, ( Psalms 147:5 ) ; his power, and the greatness of it, had been seen in bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt, and through the Red sea, and in providing for them, protecting and defending them in the wilderness; and the request of Moses is, that it might appear greater and greater in bringing them into the land of promise; or else he means an exceeding great display of the grace and mercy of God in the forgiveness of the sins of the people; for as the power of God is seen in his forbearance and longsuffering with the wicked, ( Romans 9:22 ) ; much more in the forgiveness of the sins of men, there being more power and virtue in grace to pardon, than there is in sin to damn; and as it is an indication of strength in men, and of their power over themselves, when they can rule their own spirits, keep under their passions, and restrain their wrath, and show a forgiving temper, ( Proverbs 16:32 ) ; so it is an instance of the power of God to overcome his wrath and anger stirred up by the sins of men; and, notwithstanding their provocations, freely to forgive: pardon of sin is an act of power, as well as of grace and mercy, see ( Matthew 9:6 ) ; and this sense agrees with what follows. The first letter in the word for "great" is larger than usual, that it might be taken notice of; and to signify the exceeding greatness of the power of God, Moses desired might be displayed in this case: and the letter numerically signifies ten, and has been thought to respect the ten times that Israel tempted the Lord, ( Numbers 14:22 ) ; and to suggest, that though they had so done, yet the grace and mercy of God should ten times exceed the ingratitude of the people F21:

according as thou hast spoken, saying;
as in ( Exodus 34:6 Exodus 34:7 ) ; and is as follows.


FOOTNOTES:

F21 Baal Hatturim in loc. & Buxtorf. Tiberias, c. 14. p. 38.

Numbers 14:17 In-Context

15 Now if you kill this people all at one time, then the nations who have heard about you will say,
16 "It is because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land he swore to give them that he has slaughtered them in the wilderness.'
17 And now, therefore, let the power of the Lord be great in the way that you promised when you spoke, saying,
18 "The Lord is slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the parents upon the children to the third and the fourth generation.'
19 Forgive the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have pardoned this people, from Egypt even until now."
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.