Numbers 14:13-24 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 14:11-19

Here is, I. The righteous sentence which God gave against Israel for their murmuring and unbelief, which, though afterwards mitigated, showed what was the desert of their sin and the demand of injured justice, and what would have been done if Moses had not interposed. When the glory of the Lord appeared in the tabernacle we may suppose that Moses took it for a call to him immediately to come and attend there, as before the tabernacle was erected he went up to the mount in a similar case, Exod.... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 14:20-35

We have here God's answer to the prayer of Moses, which sings both of mercy and judgment. It is given privately to Moses (Num. 14:20-25), and then directed to be made public to the people, Num. 14:26-35. The frequent repetitions of the same things in it speak these resolves to be unalterable. Let us see the particulars. I. The extremity of the sentence is receded from (Num. 14:20): ?I have pardoned, so as not to cut them all off at once, and disinherit them.? See the power of prayer, and the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 14:13

And Moses said unto the Lord ,.... In an abrupt manner, as the following words show, his mind being greatly disturbed and distressed by the above threatening: then the Egyptians shall hear it ; that the Lord had smitten the Israelites with the pestilence; the Targum of Jonathan interprets it of the children of the Egyptians who were suffocated in the sea: for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them ; they were once sojourners among them, and slaves unto them,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 14:14

And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land ,.... The land of Canaan, between which and Egypt there was an intercourse, though not by the way of the wilderness, being neighbours, and their original ancestors brethren, as Mizraim and Canaan were; or "they will say" F20 יאמרו "et dicent", Pagninus, Montanus, Drusius, &c.; , and that with joy, as the Targum of Jonathan adds; but what they would say does not appear so plain; either it was that the Israelites were killed... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 14:15

Now if thou shall kill all this people, as one man ,.... Suddenly, and at once, as might be done by a pestilence; and as 185,000 were smitten at once, and as thought by the same disease, by the Angel of the Lord in the camp of the Assyrians, in later times, 2 Kings 19:35 , then the nations which have heard the fame of thee ; the Egyptians, Canaanites, and others, as Aben Ezra observes; who had heard the report of the wonderful things done by him for Israel, and of the great favours... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 14:16

Because the Lord was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them ,.... That though he brought them out of Egypt, he was not able to bring them through the wilderness into Canaan; and that though he had wrought many signs and wonders for them, he could work no more, his power failed him, he had exhausted all his might, and could not perform the promise and oath he had made: therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness ; because he could not fulfil his word, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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, Psalm 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible 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... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 14:19

Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people , according unto the greatness of thy mercy ,.... Intimating, that though the sin of this people was great, the mercy of God to pardon was greater; and therefore he entreats that God would deal with them, not according to the greatness of their sins, and the strictness of justice, but according to the greatness of his mercy, who would, and does, abundantly pardon: and as thou hast forgiven this people from Egypt even until now ;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 14:20

And the Lord said, I have pardoned, according to thy word. So as not to kill them utterly as one man: which is an instance of his being plenteous in mercy, and ready to forgive; and of the virtue and efficacy of the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man, and of the great regard the Lord has to the prayers of a good man for others. The Jerusalem Targum is,"and the Word of the Lord said, lo, I have remitted and forgiven according to thy word;'which must be understood of Christ, the... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 14:11-19

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Numbers 14:20-35

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 14:13

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 14:14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 14:15

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 14:16

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 14:17

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 14:18

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 14:19

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 14:20

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