Numbers 14 19

Numbers 14:19 kjv

Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.

Numbers 14:19 nkjv

Pardon the iniquity of this people, I pray, according to the greatness of Your mercy, just as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now."

Numbers 14:19 niv

In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now."

Numbers 14:19 esv

Please pardon the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of your steadfast love, just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt until now."

Numbers 14:19 nlt

In keeping with your magnificent, unfailing love, please pardon the sins of this people, just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt."

Numbers 14 verses

Numbers 14 19 Meaning

Numbers 14:19 captures Moses' heartfelt plea to the Most High, asking for the forgiveness of the Israelite nation. This earnest request is grounded in God's immense mercy and faithfulness, specifically recalling His consistent pattern of pardon from the time Israel left Egypt up to their present rebellion. Moses' intercession highlights the tension between the severity of the people's sin and the boundless nature of divine grace.

Numbers 14 19 Context

Numbers 14:19 is a pivotal part of Moses' intercessory prayer following Israel's catastrophic rebellion at Kadesh-Barnea. After hearing the negative report from ten of the twelve spies about the Promised Land, the people refused to enter, wept, grumbled against the Most High and Moses, and even sought to appoint a new leader to take them back to Egypt. Their actions constituted a profound rejection of the Most High, His covenant, and His promise. In response, the Most High expressed His wrath, threatening to strike them down with pestilence and disinherit them, making a new nation from Moses (Num 14:11-12). Moses' prayer, which spans Numbers 14:13-19, is an impassioned argument for the Most High to relent. He first appeals to God's reputation among the nations (v. 13-16) and then, importantly, to the Most High's very character as previously revealed (v. 17-18). Verse 19 is the culmination of this plea, specifically requesting pardon based on that divine nature and historical precedent. Immediately following this prayer, the Most High responds, agreeing to pardon them in terms of not destroying the entire nation instantly, but instead imposing a judgment of forty years of wandering until the rebellious generation died in the wilderness (Num 14:20-35).

Numbers 14 19 Word analysis

• Pardon: (Hebrew: nasa' - נָשָׂא) Means to lift, bear, carry away. In the context of sin, it implies to bear the burden of guilt, and therefore, to take away or remove the guilt or sin itself. It denotes the act of forgiveness where the consequence of the offense is lifted.
• I pray: (Hebrew: anna - אָנָּא) An urgent, emphatic particle, meaning "Oh please!" or "I beg you!" It conveys the depth of Moses' earnestness and the desperation of his plea.
• the iniquity: (Hebrew: 'awon - עָוֹן) Refers to sin, guilt, or punishment for sin. It denotes moral crookedness, a deviation from the right path, often emphasizing the resulting guilt or the consequence of such an act. It signifies the gravity and culpability of Israel's rebellion.
• this people: A repeated phrase throughout the account (Num 14:1, 10, 11, 13, 19). In Moses' plea, it carries a weight, referring to the same rebellious, ungrateful group for whom he now intercedes, underscoring the magnitude of the requested grace for such an undeserving assembly.
• according to the greatness: (Hebrew: ke-gôdel - כְּגֹדֶל) Meaning "according to the magnitude" or "in proportion to the greatness of." This phrase indicates that the basis and measure of the requested forgiveness are solely the Most High's attributes, not any merit of the people.
• of Your mercy: (Hebrew: hasdekha - חַסְדֶּךָ) Refers to the Most High's covenant loyal love, steadfast love, faithfulness, or benevolent kindness. This attribute of God is often linked to His compassion and forgiveness. It signifies a persistent and undeserved outpouring of divine grace.
• just as: (Hebrew: ka'asher - כַּאֲשֶׁר) Means "just as" or "even as." This phrase establishes a direct comparison, indicating that Moses' request is rooted in a proven pattern of divine behavior. He is appealing to the Most High's consistency and track record.
• You have forgiven: (Hebrew: salakhta - סָלַחְתָּ) This verb (salach) is almost exclusively used in the Bible for the Most High's act of forgiving sin. It means to pardon or remit punishment, an act of pure divine grace. It highlights that the Most High has done this repeatedly in the past.
• from Egypt even until now: (Hebrew: mimitzrayim ve'ad hennah - מִמִּצְרַיִם וְעַד הֵנָּה) This sweeping historical span encompasses all the journey's past rebellions: at the Red Sea, Marah, Wilderness of Sin (manna/quail), Rephidim (water from rock), and especially the Golden Calf incident. It presents a chronological testament to both Israel's repeated sin and the Most High's enduring, persistent forgiveness and patience through every test.

Numbers 14 19 Words-group analysis

• Pardon, I pray, the iniquity of this people: This phrase captures the immediate, earnest, and direct nature of Moses' intercession. He does not sugarcoat their actions; he names their transgression as "iniquity," acknowledging its gravity. The personal appeal "I pray" underlines his burden for the nation.
• according to the greatness of Your mercy: This serves as the fundamental basis for Moses' plea. It places the request entirely on the Most High's character, emphasizing that the pardon is not to be proportional to Israel's worthiness (which is nil) but to the boundless depth and magnitude of God's covenantal love (hesed). It defines the measure of the desired forgiveness.
• just as You have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now: This is Moses' most compelling argument rooted in historical precedent. By reminding the Most High of His past actions, Moses appeals to the Most High's consistency and faithfulness. It implies, "You've done it before, repeatedly, despite their recurring failures, so do it again." This phrase is a bold yet accurate summary of Israel's journey so far – a pattern of divine grace patiently overcoming human rebellion.

Numbers 14 19 Bonus section

The appeal "from Egypt even until now" is rhetorically potent. Moses subtly implies that if the Most High, who revealed Himself as compassionate and merciful, were to abandon this generation now, it would contradict His very character and previous actions. It highlights the Most High's unceasing patience with Israel, foreshadowing His covenant faithfulness even when His people are unfaithful. This echoes the concept later taught by the apostle Paul in 2 Tim 2:13, "If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself." The severity of their sin here is also noteworthy, as it moves beyond murmuring about provision to a complete rejection of the Most High's authority and land promise, challenging the very core of the covenant. Despite this extreme provocation, the Most High, through Moses' intercession, ultimately pardons them in part, redirecting judgment rather than utterly annihilating them, thus affirming His "greatness of mercy" once more.

Numbers 14 19 Commentary

Numbers 14:19 stands as a profound testament to Moses' role as a faithful mediator and to the incredible depth of the Most High's compassion. Moses, deeply grieved by the people's hardened hearts and their outright rebellion against God's plan, steps into the breach, risking everything to intercede for those who have just sought to undermine him. His prayer is not based on Israel's merit, for they have none. Instead, he hinges his appeal entirely on God's revealed character – His great mercy and His proven history of pardoning the very same stubborn people time and again, from their liberation in Egypt through all their subsequent grumbling and faithlessness.

This verse emphasizes that forgiveness from the Most High is always an act of undeserved grace. It highlights that our hope for pardon lies not in our reform or resolution, but solely in the unchangeable, abounding nature of divine mercy. The continuous string of "from Egypt even until now" powerfully reminds us that the Most High's patience is longsuffering beyond human comprehension. Despite being provoked repeatedly, His desire is for restoration. Moses' example here is a powerful picture of what true intercession looks like – persistent, courageous, and resting solely on the Most High's character, even when confronted with overwhelming sin.

Practical Examples:

• A Believer acknowledging their own recurring failures (perhaps anger or fear) but approaching God not based on their "good intentions" to do better, but on the boundless measure of God's hesed.
• When praying for those caught in habitual sin, appealing to the Most High's proven record of long-suffering and His desire to extend grace even to the ungrateful.