Exodus 32 10

Exodus 32:10 kjv

Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.

Exodus 32:10 nkjv

Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation."

Exodus 32:10 niv

Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation."

Exodus 32:10 esv

Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you."

Exodus 32:10 nlt

Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation."

Exodus 32 verses

Exodus 32 10 Meaning

Exodus 32:10 records God's expression of righteous anger against the Israelites after they worshipped the golden calf, revealing His intention to justly consume the rebellious nation and, at the same time, offering to make a new, great nation through Moses. This verse sets the stage for Moses' crucial intercession on behalf of the people.

Exodus 32 10 Context

Exodus 32:10 occurs immediately after the Israelite nation commits profound idolatry at the base of Mount Sinai, a mere few weeks after directly hearing God's voice give them the Ten Commandments, including the strict prohibition against making idols. While Moses was on the mountain receiving the Law, the people, grown impatient, compelled Aaron to make a golden calf, declaring it to be the god who brought them out of Egypt. This act represented a radical departure from their newly formed covenant with Yahweh and a reversion to the visible, tangible deities of Egypt. God immediately became aware of their transgression and expressed His severe anger to Moses, presenting the proposition in verse 10 as both a just reaction to their heinous sin and a test of Moses' leadership, faith, and devotion to his people. It's the moment God considers dissolving the current covenant with rebellious Israel and initiating a new lineage of promise through Moses.

Exodus 32 10 Word analysis

• Now therefore: Connects God's statement to the preceding narrative of Israel's grave sin (vv. 7-9). It signals a logical consequence or a proposed course of action stemming from the immediate circumstances.
• let me alone: Hebrew: harpu mimmennî (הֶרֶף מִמֶּנִּי). Literally "cease from me," "let go of me." This powerful imperative implies that Moses was either already beginning to intercede or that God knew Moses' character and anticipated his immediate urge to plead on behalf of the people. It underscores the intimacy of Moses' relationship with God, suggesting Moses had significant influence or position before the Almighty. It's an invitation for Moses not to interfere, paradoxically opening the door for his intercession.
• that my wrath: Hebrew: w’yichar appi (וַיִּחַר אַפִּי). Ap (אף) literally means "nose" or "nostril," and is a common Hebrew idiom for anger, signifying the flaring of nostrils or heated breath during intense displeasure. It denotes a righteous, divine indignation against sin, not an uncontrolled emotion but a holy response to covenant betrayal and idolatry.
• may wax hot against them: Emphasizes the intensity and consuming nature of divine wrath. God's anger is holy and just, a direct consequence of Israel's corporate rebellion. This indicates an active and targeted judgment, reflecting God's absolute holiness.
• and that I may consume them: Hebrew: w’akkallem (וַאֲכַלֵּם). From kālâ (כָּלָה), meaning "to complete," "finish," "destroy," or "annihilate completely." This speaks to a total eradication, signaling the severity of their offense—an absolute end to the current nation. This strong declaration shows the full weight of the violated covenant and the gravity of their sin.
• and I will make of thee a great nation: Hebrew: w’e’eśeh ôtkhā l’gôy gādôl (וְאֶעֱשֶׂה אוֹתְךָ לְגּוֹי גָּדוֹל). This phrase directly echoes the promise God made to Abraham in Gen 12:2 ("I will make of you a great nation"). It represents a new, unblemished beginning through Moses, testing Moses' personal ambition against his devotion to his kinsmen. This offer highlights the seriousness of God's displeasure with the current generation while maintaining His commitment to His ultimate redemptive plan, just through a different, potentially righteous, lineage. It shifts the entire lineage and promise from Abraham's descendants (collectively) to a new lineage tracing through Moses, but it depends on Moses' choice.

Exodus 32 10 Bonus section

• The specific mention "let me alone" paradoxically serves as an invitation for Moses to intercede, demonstrating God's foreknowledge of Moses' character and His divine design for the mediator's role in this crisis. It shows that God seeks a responsive relationship with His human instruments.
• The severity of God's wrath underscores the absolute incompatibility of true worship with any form of idolatry, serving as a timeless polemic against all false gods and religious syncretism. This confrontation sets Israel apart from the surrounding polytheistic nations.
• This passage prefigures the unique intercessory role of Jesus Christ, who perfectly stands between God's righteous wrath and humanity's sin, not merely to deflect judgment but to absorb it, ensuring both justice and ultimate reconciliation (Heb 7:25). Moses’ role here is a powerful type for Christ's ultimate mediation.
• The fact that God offers to restart a "great nation" through Moses highlights the faithfulness of God's overarching redemptive plan despite human rebellion; His purposes will always prevail, even if the lineage or pathway must be adjusted due to sin.

Exodus 32 10 Commentary

Exodus 32:10 encapsulates the profound tension between God's holy justice and His covenantal mercy. His declaration of intent to "consume them" reflects the gravity of Israel's sin of idolatry, a direct and public breach of the very covenant they had just affirmed. This idolatry was not merely a spiritual error but an act of high treason against their divine King, risking the very existence of the chosen nation. Yet, within this fierce pronouncement, God presents Moses with an offer to bypass the current generation and restart the covenant people through him, reminiscent of God's covenant with Abraham. This proposal serves multiple purposes: it demonstrates the absolute certainty of divine judgment for sin, underscores the personal nature of God's wrath against idolatry, and most crucially, functions as a severe test for Moses. It probes Moses' character, his allegiance—whether he cares more for his personal legacy (founding a new nation) or for the salvation and spiritual future of the people God entrusted to him. This verse thus stands as a critical juncture, paving the way for one of the most powerful examples of intercessory prayer in the Old Testament, where Moses becomes a mediating figure for the very nation God had threatened to destroy.