Numbers 14:17

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

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.

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FOOTNOTES:

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

Numbers 14:17 In-Context

15 that thou hast slain so great a multitude as (if they be just) one man, and (then they shall) say,

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.