Numbers 14:18-19

18 '¹The LORD is slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; but ²He will by no means clear the guilty, ³visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generations.'

19 "⁴Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness, just as You also have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now."

Numbers 14:18-19 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO NUMBERS 14

This chapter treats or the murmurings of the children of Israel upon the evil report of the spies, which greatly distressed Moses and Aaron, Nu 14:1-5; and of the endeavours of Joshua and Caleb to quiet the minds of the people with a good account of the land, and of the easy conquest of it, but to no purpose, Nu 14:6-10; and of the Lord's threatening to destroy the people with the pestilence, Nu 14:11,12; and of the intercession of Moses for them, which so far succeeded as to prevent their immediate destruction, Nu 14:13-20; nevertheless they are assured again and again, in the strongest terms, that none of them but Joshua and Caleb should enter into the land, but their carcasses should fall in the wilderness, even all the murmurers of twenty years old and upwards, Nu 14:21-35; and the ten men that brought the evil report of the good land died of a plague immediately, but the other two lived, Nu 14:36-38; and the body of the people that attempted to go up the mountain and enter the land were smitten and discomfited by their enemies, after they had with concern heard what the Lord threatened them with, Nu 14:39-45.

Cross References

• 1. Exodus 20:6; Exodus 34:6, 7; Deuteronomy 5:10; Deuteronomy 7:9; Psalms 103:8; Psalms 145:8; Jonah 4:2
• 2. Exodus 20:5; Deuteronomy 5:9; Deuteronomy 7:10
• 3. Exodus 34:7
• 4. Exodus 32:32; Exodus 34:9

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "on"