Numbers 14:18

_THE LORD IS LONGSUFFERING, AND OF GREAT MERCY, FORGIVING INIQUITY AND TRANSGRESSION, AND BY NO MEANS CLEARING THE GUILTY, VISITING THE INIQUITY OF THE FATHERS UPON THE CHILDREN UNTO THE THIRD AND FOURTH GENERATION._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

Since I have expounded the 18th verse elsewhere, (59) let my readers refer to that place....

11-19 Moses made humble intercession for Israel. Herein he was a type of Christ, who prayed for those that despitefully used him. The pardon of a nation's sin, is the turning away the nation's punishment; and for that Moses is here so earnest. Moses argued that, consistently with God's character, in his abundant mercies, he could forgive them....

Verse Numbers 14:18. _THE LORD IS LONGSUFFERING_] Exodus 34:6....

EXPOSITION THE REBELLION AT KADESH (continued) (Numbers 13:1, Numbers 14:1). NUMBERS 14:1 AND THE PEOPLE WEPT THAT NIGHT. As the spies repeated their dismal tidings, each to the leading men of his own tribe, and as the report was spread swiftly through the tents (cf. Deuteronomy 1:27) with ever-increasing exaggerations, the lamentation became universal. NUMBERS 14:2 Murmured against Moses

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 expressed seems to be, because they go along with the others in the passage referred to, and are no contradiction to the forgiving mercy of God in a way of justice; nor did Moses request to have the guilty cleared from punishment altogether, but that God would show mercy, at least to such a degree as not to cut off the whole nation, and leave no posterity to inherit the land; which is supposed in visiting the sin of the f...

CHAPTER 14 The Rebellion of the People, Moses' Intercession and the Divine Sentence _ 1. The rebellion (Numbers 14:1)_ 2. The intercession of Moses (Numbers 14:11) 3. The divine sentence (Numbers 14:26) 4. The presumption of the people and the defeat (Numbers 14:40) The words of unbelief of the ten spies yielded an awful harvest among the people. The camp was transformed into a camp of despair, weeping and crying during the night. Outspoken rebellion against Moses and Aaron was heard on all sides. Worse than that took place; they accused Jehovah of deception. Such is unbelief. They

NUMBERS 14:11 (JE). YAHWEH'S THREAT _TO_ DISINHERIT THE PEOPLE, AND MOSES-' INTERCESSION FOR THEM. This section is derived from JE, as appears from the exemption of Caleb only (Numbers 14:24) from the sentence of exclusion from Canaan pronounced on the existing generation. Moses here shows the same self-effacement as in Exodus 32:11 f. [The plea that Yahweh should do nothing which would damage His reputation among the heathen emphasizes a motive for the Divine action which is specially prominent in Ezekiel. A. S. P.]. NUMBERS 14:14. THEY WILL TELL IT: literally, they will say; but what will be said is not re

THE LORD. Jehovah. Quoted from Exodus 34:6; Exodus 20:5 with Exodus 34:7. MERCY. lovingkindness, or grace. INIQUITY. Hebrew. _'avah._ App-44. TRANSGRESSION. Hebrew. _pasha._ App-44. Some codices, with Samaritan Pentateuch, The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel and Septuagint, read "transgression and sin", as in Exodus 34:7....

THE LORD IS LONG SUFFERING, &C.— See Exodus 34:6. Moses urges the general benignity and mercy of God; and, upon the strength of this, intercedes for the people, though confessedly deserving that punishment which God had decreed for the guilty. His argument turns upon the consideration of the divine goodness: "Thou hast been merciful and long suffering hitherto towards this people, rebellious and ungrateful as they are; but, though they are unworthy, thy goodness is still the same: Wilt not thou, therefore, spare them this once; and add this one instance of thy patience to the many thousands that thou hast already given?" And, indeed, when all other grounds of expecting pardon fail the children of men, the boundless extent of the divine goodness is still a foundation of hope to the chiefest of sinners. Are they but humbled into a penitent disposition, they have no reason to sink into desp...