Numbers 14:18

18 [The] Lord (is) patient, and of much mercy, doing away wickedness and trespasses, and leaving no man unguilty, (or innocent,) which visitest the sins of (the) fathers into (the) sons into the third and fourth generation (and who visitest the sins of the fathers upon the children into the third and fourth generations),

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 He might not bring this people into the land for which he swore to give to them, therefore he killed them in (the) wilderness; (Because he could not bring these people into the land which he had sworn to give them, and so he killed all of them in this wilderness;)

17 therefore (let) the strength of the Lord be magnified, or made great, as thou hast sworn, (saying of thyself),

18 [The] Lord (is) patient, and of much mercy, doing away wickedness and trespasses, and leaving no man unguilty, (or innocent,) which visitest the sins of (the) fathers into (the) sons into the third and fourth generation (and who visitest the sins of the fathers upon the children into the third and fourth generations),

19 (so) I beseech thee, forgive thou the sin of this thy people, after the greatness of thy mercy, as thou were merciful to them going out of Egypt till to this place.

20 And the Lord said, I have forgiven to them, by thy word. (And the Lord said, I now forgive them, because of thy words.)