Numbers 14:20-24

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 14:20

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 14:21

But as truly as I live ,.... Which is the form of an oath, as the Targum; the Lord swears by his life, or by himself, because he could swear by no greater: all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord ; this is not the thing sworn unto or confirmed, but that by which the oath is made and confirmed; and the sense is, that as sure as the earth "had been" filled with the glory of the Lord, as it may be rendered, as it had been with the fame of what he had done in Egypt, and at... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 14:22

Because all those men which have seen my glory ,.... His glorious Majesty, or the emblem of it in the cloud, on the tabernacle, which had often appeared to them, and the glorious things done by him; the glory of his power, wisdom, goodness, faithfulness, and truth, displayed in bringing them out of Egypt, through the Red sea, and thus far in the wilderness, even to the borders of the land of Canaan; it should be rendered, not "because", but "that", for this is the thing sworn to, or the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 14:23

Surely they shall not see the land which I sware unto their fathers ,.... Not possess and enjoy the land of Canaan, which the Lord by an oath had promised their fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give it to their seed; and now he swears that these men, who had so often tempted him, and been disobedient to him, should not inherit it; so the Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem take it for an oath; see Hebrews 3:11 , neither shall any of them that provoked me see it ; that provoked him... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Numbers 14:24

But my servant Caleb ,.... Who was one of the spies, and brought a good and true report of the land; and so in that, as well as in other things, approved himself to be a faithful servant of the Lord, and who had stilled the people at the beginning of their murmur, and with Joshua had attempted to quiet them afterwards; and though Joshua is not here mentioned, because, as some say, he had no children, and therefore it could not be said of him that his seed should possess the land, as is said... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 14:20

I have pardoned - That is, They shall not be cut off as they deserve, because thou hast interceded for their lives. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 14:21

All the earth shall be filled, etc. - הארץ כל kol haarets , all This land, i. e., the land of Canaan which was only fulfilled to the letter when the preaching of Christ and his apostles was heard through all the cities and villages of Judea. It does not appear that the whole of the terraqueous globe is meant by this expression in any of the places where it occurs connected with this promise of the diffusion of the Divine light. See Psalm 72:19 ; Isaiah 40:5 ; Habakkuk 2:14 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 14:24

But my servant Caleb, etc. - Caleb had another spirit - not only a bold, generous, courageous, noble, and heroic spirit; but the Spirit and influence of the God of heaven thus raised him above human inquietudes and earthly fears, therefore be followed God fully; אחרי וימלא vaimalle acharai , literally, he filled after me: God showed him the way he was to take, and the line of conduct he was to pursue, and he filled up this line, and in all things followed the will of his Maker. He... read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Numbers 14:20

Verse 20 20.And the Lord said, I have pardoned, according to thy word. God signifies that tie pardons for His servant Moses’ sake, and makes, as it were, a present to him of those whom He had already devoted to destruction. Hence we gather how much the entreaties of the pious avail with God: as He is said, in Psalms 145:19, to “fulfil the desire of them that fear him.” He would, indeed, have done of His own accord what He granted to Moses; but, in order that we may be more earnest in prayer,... read more

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