Exodus 32:14

14 placatusque est Dominus ne faceret malum quod locutus fuerat adversus populum suum

Exodus 32:14 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 32:14

And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do
unto his people.
] He did not do what he threatened to do, and seemed to have in his thoughts and designs, but did what Moses desired he would, ( Exodus 32:12 ) not that any of God's thoughts or the determinations of his mind are alterable; for the thoughts of his heart are to all generations; but he changes the outward dispensations of his providence, or his methods of acting with men, which he has been taking or threatened to take; and this being similar to what they do when they repent of anything, who alter their course, hence repentance is ascribed to God, though, properly speaking, it does not belong to him, see ( Jeremiah 18:8 ) . Aben Ezra thinks that the above prayer of Moses, which was so prevalent with God, does not stand in its proper place, but should come after ( Exodus 32:31 ) for, to what purpose, says he, should Moses say to the Israelites, ( Exodus 32:30 ) "peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin": if he was appeased by his prayer before?

Exodus 32:14 In-Context

12 ne quaeso dicant Aegyptii callide eduxit eos ut interficeret in montibus et deleret e terra quiescat ira tua et esto placabilis super nequitia populi tui

13 recordare Abraham Isaac et Israhel servorum tuorum quibus iurasti per temet ipsum dicens multiplicabo semen vestrum sicut stellas caeli et universam terram hanc de qua locutus sum dabo semini vestro et possidebitis eam semper

14 placatusque est Dominus ne faceret malum quod locutus fuerat adversus populum suum

15 et reversus est Moses de monte portans duas tabulas testimonii manu scriptas ex utraque parte

16 et factas opere Dei scriptura quoque Dei erat sculpta in tabulis