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Numbers 14:17

Old Testament Law (Torah) ASV (1901)

What does Numbers 14:17 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And now, I pray thee, let the power of the Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And now, I pray thee, let the power of the Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,
Numbers 14:17 — American Standard Version

Context — Numbers 14

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
14and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that thou Jehovah art in the midst of this people; for thou Jehovah art seen face to face, and thy cloud standeth over them, and thou goest before them, in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night.
15Now if thou shalt kill this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,
16Because Jehovah was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.
17And now, I pray thee, let the power of the Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,
18Jehovah is slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; and that will by no means clear [the guilty], visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.
19Pardon, I pray thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy lovingkindness, and according as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.
20And Jehovah said, I have pardoned according to thy word:
← Numbers 14:16Numbers 14:18 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And now, I beseech thee, let the power of Lord be great, etc.] That is, appear to be great; the power of God is great, not only mighty, but almighty; it knows no bounds, nothing is impossible with him, he can do whatever he pleases, (<19E705>Psalm 147:5); his power, and the greatness of it, had been seen in bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt, and through the Red sea, and in providing for them, protecting and defending them in the wilderness; and the request of Moses is, that it might appear greater and greater in bringing them into the land of promise; or else he means an exceeding great display of the grace and mercy of God in the forgiveness of the sins of the people; for as the…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“let the power of my Lord be great--be magnified.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“The syntax of these verses is singularly broken. As did Paul when deeply moved, so Moses presses his arguments one on the other without pausing to ascertain the grammatical finish of his expressions. He speaks here as if in momentary apprehension of an outbreak of God’s wrath, unless he could perhaps arrest it by crowding in every topic of deprecation and intercession that he could mention on the instant. return to 'Top of Page'”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Be great - That is appear to be great, discover its greatness: namely, the power of his grace and mercy, or the greatness of his mercy, in pardoning this and their other sins: for to this the following words manifestly restrain it, where the pardon of their sins is the only instance of this power both described in God's titles, Num 14:18, and prayed for by Moses Num 14:19, and granted by God in answer to him, Num 14:20. Nor is it strange that the pardon of sin, especially such great sins, is spoken of as an act of power in God, because undoubtedly it is an act of omnipotent and infinite goodness. Numbers 14:18”
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Tyndale Open Study Notes
Tyndale House Publishers · Tyndale Open Study Notes · Modern study notes
“14:17-18 Moses had used this same argument earlier when he sought pardon for Israel’s rebellion (Exod 32:10-14). Moses knew that God would not let the Israelites off without punishment (Deut 7:9-10).”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Mic 3:8; Mat 9:6, Mat 9:8 Numbers 14:18”
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Related study paths

Read Numbers 14 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification