Psalm 106 23

Psalm 106:23 kjv

Therefore he said that he would destroy them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach, to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.

Psalm 106:23 nkjv

Therefore He said that He would destroy them, Had not Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach, To turn away His wrath, lest He destroy them.

Psalm 106:23 niv

So he said he would destroy them? had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him to keep his wrath from destroying them.

Psalm 106:23 esv

Therefore he said he would destroy them ? had not Moses, his chosen one, stood in the breach before him, to turn away his wrath from destroying them.

Psalm 106:23 nlt

So he declared he would destroy them.
But Moses, his chosen one, stepped between the LORD and the people.
He begged him to turn from his anger and not destroy them.

Psalm 106 verses

Psalm 106 23 Meaning

Psalm 106:23 speaks to a pivotal moment in Israel's history when God's righteous anger against their rebellion was so great that He intended to destroy them. This verse highlights that only through the courageous intercession of Moses, His chosen servant, who stood symbolically "in the breach"—a gap in protection—was God's burning wrath averted, thereby sparing the nation from complete destruction. It underscores the powerful effect of a faithful intercessor on divine judgment.

Psalm 106 23 Context

Psalm 106 is a penitential psalm, a historical review of Israel's repeated sin and rebellion against God, despite His continuous faithfulness and deliverance. The psalmist confesses the nation's corporate sins, often contrasting them with the LORD's unfailing love. Verse 23 specifically refers to the foundational event of the golden calf at Mount Sinai (Exod 32), shortly after Israel had entered into a covenant with God. This act of idolatry was a profound breach of the very first commandment and thus an extreme provocation of divine wrath. The verse underscores God's justice in deserving to punish such flagrant disobedience, yet highlights His mercy and responsiveness to intercession. The entire psalm serves as a call for God to remember His covenant people and deliver them once more, acknowledging their historical failures and God's consistent patience.

Psalm 106 23 Word analysis

• Therefore (וַיֹּ֣אמֶר - wāyiّō’mer): "And he said." Connects this divine declaration directly to the preceding actions of Israel, namely their quick departure from God's way and worship of a molten image (Psa 106:19-22). It indicates a direct response and immediate consequence.
• he said (וַיֹּ֣אמֶר - wāyiّō’mer): This is God speaking. It conveys the authority and definiteness of His pronouncement of judgment. His word carries power.
• that he would destroy (לְהַשְׁמִידָ֑ם - ləhašmîḏām): From the root שָׁמַד (šāmāḏ), meaning to destroy, annihilate, exterminate. It implies complete obliteration. This highlights the severity of the planned judgment due to their egregious sin.
• them (ָ֑ם - ām): Referring to the Israelites, the very people God had just redeemed from Egypt and entered into a covenant with. Their rebellion was against their Benefactor.
• had not (ל֣וּלֵֽי - lûlê): "But for," "had it not been for." A strong adversative particle, introducing the indispensable condition that averted the judgment. It points to a singular intervention.
• Moses (מֹשֶׁה - Mōšeh): The chosen leader and mediator of the Old Covenant, unique in his direct relationship with God. His person and action are central to preventing destruction.
• his chosen (בְּחִיר֔וֹ - bəḥîrōw): From בָּחִיר (bāḥîr), meaning chosen, select, elect, pre-eminent. This emphasizes Moses' special status, divine appointment, and singular fitness for this intercessory role. He wasn't just any person; he was divinely appointed and prepared.
• stood before him (עֹמֵד֙ לְפָנָיו֙ - ‘ōmēḏ ləfānāw): עֹמֵד (‘ōmēḏ), "standing." This depicts a bold, active posture of resistance or petition, physically and spiritually positioned in a place of direct address to God. לְפָנָיו (ləfānāw), "before His face/presence." Moses dared to approach God directly in His anger.
• in the breach (בַּפֶּ֖רֶץ - bappereṣ): From פֶּרֶץ (pereṣ), meaning a break, gap, breach (often in a wall). It figuratively describes a vulnerability, a point where an enemy could break through and destroy. Here, it refers to the opening created by sin through which God's judgment would burst forth. Moses stood defensively, taking a stand to prevent the overflow of wrath. This imagery implies active and determined interposition.
• to turn away (לְהָשִׁ֥יב - ləhāsîḇ): From שׁוּב (šûḇ), "to turn, return, avert, revoke." Moses' purpose was to cause God to change His course of action regarding the judgment. It's a powerful demonstration of prayer altering a pre-announced divine decree, showing God's responsiveness to genuine intercession rather than being rigidly deterministic.
• his wrath (חֲרוֹנ֖וֹ - ḥărônnōw):` חָרוֹן (ḥārôn), "burning anger," intense indignation. This highlights the fierce intensity of God's holy response to sin. It's a just wrath, not arbitrary or uncontrolled.
• lest he should destroy them (לְבִלְתִּי־הַשְׁחִֽית׃ - ləḇiltî-hašḥîṯ): Literally "so that He should not cause destruction." This reiterates the impending doom and emphasizes the direct, successful outcome of Moses' intercession in preventing utter ruin.

Words-group Analysis:

• "Therefore he said that he would destroy them": This phrase highlights God's justice and the severe consequence of covenant unfaithfulness. It implies that destruction was a deserved and imminent outcome.
• "had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach": This is the critical turning point. It emphasizes the extraordinary nature of Moses' role and the divine election that enabled his successful intercession. "Standing in the breach" is an active, confrontational, yet supplicatory posture that directly confronts the pathway of divine wrath.
• "to turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them": This defines the purpose and effect of Moses' intercession. It underscores God's attribute of being responsive to prayer and merciful in relenting from deserved judgment. It wasn't that God's mind was changed, but that His just requirement was met through Moses' plea, allowing His mercy to be expressed.

Psalm 106 23 Bonus section

The phrase "standing in the breach" is found in only a few biblical texts, notably Ezekiel 22:30, where God laments not finding someone to stand in the breach for the land, resulting in its destruction. This makes Moses' action in Psalm 106:23 all the more significant as a singular, successful instance where such an intercessor was indeed found, averting disaster. The psalm's retelling of this historical event underlines its monumental importance in God's ongoing relationship with Israel. It showcases that even in the face of profound divine displeasure, true intercession, rooted in faith and divine election, can turn the tide of judgment, allowing God's compassion to prevail.

Psalm 106 23 Commentary

Psalm 106:23 offers a profound theological lesson on divine justice, human sin, the power of intercession, and God's sovereign mercy. Israel's quick lapse into idolatry at Sinai was not merely an isolated incident but a foundational example of their rebellious nature, deserving of absolute destruction from a holy God. Yet, the verse immediately introduces the indispensable factor that averted this annihilation: Moses.

Moses' action of "standing in the breach" is a powerful metaphor. The "breach" signifies the point of extreme vulnerability and the opening for God's justified wrath to pour out on a sinning people. By placing himself there, Moses did not just verbally plead; he metaphorically interposed his own person between the furious divine judgment and the deserving recipients. His act was a dangerous, selfless, and bold demonstration of identification with his sinning brethren while appealing to God's character and covenant promises (as elaborated in Exod 32:11-13).

This verse highlights God's holy anger against sin and His commitment to justice. Yet, it equally reveals His responsiveness and abundant mercy. God did not simply ignore His own declared intention; rather, He honored the plea of His "chosen" servant. Moses’ effectiveness was rooted not only in his personal righteousness but in his divinely appointed role as mediator. His prayer appealed to God's reputation among the nations and His faithfulness to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

In the broader biblical narrative, Moses standing in the breach foreshadows the ultimate intercessor: Jesus Christ. Where Moses temporarily held back God's wrath, Christ permanently absorbed it on the cross, bridging the ultimate breach between a holy God and sinful humanity through His sacrifice (Rom 5:8; Col 1:21-22). His intercession is not just a plea but an offering that satisfied divine justice, making reconciliation possible. The verse therefore serves as a testament to the essential role of intercessory prayer and points forward to the supreme Advocate who constantly intercedes for believers before the Father (Heb 7:25; 1 Jn 2:1).

Practical Usages:

• Emphasizes the profound impact of prayer and intercession.
• Reveals God's nature: both just in condemning sin and merciful in responding to appeals.
• Teaches about standing in solidarity with those who need spiritual protection or deliverance.
• Points to Christ as the one who ultimately stood in the breach for humanity.