And the Lord was gracious to them
 To Israel, notwithstanding their apostasy from him, and the idolatry of the calves they were guilty of: 
 and had compassion on them;
 being in oppression and distress: 
 and had respect unto them;
 looked upon them with an eye of pity and mercy: 
 because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob;
 made so long ago he still remembered: 
 and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as
 yet;
 or suffered them to be carried captive into another land, as he afterwards did in the times of Hoshea.