Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Numbers 14:13
And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear [it], (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)
13 16. The thought of Jehovah destroying His own people raised a great problem. Jehovah must maintain justice, and yet He must also maintain His own honour among the surrounding nations. The same problem was felt by Ezekiel in regard to the punishment of the exile, but he solved it by the certainty of a glorious return of a purified people in the future (Eze 36:18-28; Eze 39:21-29).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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 Gods wrath, unless he could perhaps arrest it by crowding in every topic of deprecation and intercession that he could mention on the instant.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Num 14:13-19
Pardon, I beseech Thee, the iniquity of this people.
Moses expostulation
What book but the Bible has the courage to represent a man standing in this attitude before his God and addressing his Sovereign in such persuasive terms? This incident brings before us the vast subject of the collateral considerations which are always operating in human life. Things are not straight and simple, lying in rows of direct lines to be numbered off, checked off and done with. Lines bisect and intersect and thicken into great knots and tangle, and who can unravel or disentangle the great heap? Things bear relations which can only be detected by the imagination, which cannot be compassed by arithmetical numbers, but which force upon men a new science of calculation, and create a species of moral algebra, by which, through the medium and help of symbols, that is done which was impossible to common arithmetic. Moses was a great leader; he thought of Egypt: what will the enemy say? The enemy will put a false construction upon this. As if he had said, This will be turned against Heaven; the Egyptians do not care what becomes of the people, if they can laugh at the Providence which they superstitiously trusted; the verdict passed by the heathen will be:–God was not able to do what He promised, so He had recourse to the vulgar artifice of murder. The Lord in this way developed Moses. In reality, Moses was not anticipating the Divine purpose, but God was training the man by saying what He, the Lord, would do, and by the very exaggeration of His strength called up Moses to his noblest consciousness. We do this amongst ourselves. By using a species of language adapted to touch the innermost nerve and feeling of our hearers, we call those hearers to their best selves. If the Lord had spoken a hesitant language, or had fallen into what we may call a tone of despair, Moses himself might have been seduced into a kindred dejection; but the Lord said, I will smite, I will disinherit, I will make an end; and Moses became priest, intercessor, mighty pleader–the very purpose which God had in view–to keep the head right, the leading man in tune with His purposes. So Moses said, Pardon; the Lord said, Smite; and Moses said, Pardon–that is the true smiting. The Lord meant it; the Lord taught Moses that prayer which Moses seemed to invent himself. The Lord trains us, sometimes, by shocking our sensibilities; and by the very denunciation of His judgments He drives us to tenderer prayer. (J. Parker, D. D.)
The intercession of Moses for the doomed nation
I. The petition which he presented.
II. The pleas by which he urged his petition.
1. The honour of the Divine name amongst the heathen.
(1) The relations of God with Israel and His doings for Israel were well known amongst neighbouring nations.
(2) If God should destroy Israel at a stroke, that also would be known amongst these nations.
(3) The interpretation of such destruction by the nations would be such as would reflect on the honour of God. They would conclude that His resources were exhausted; that His power had failed to sustain and lead Israel onward: and thus His glory would be tarnished.
(4) That this might not be the case Moses entreats the Lord not to disinherit the rebellious people.
2. The Divine character as revealed to Moses.
3. The truth of the Divine word.
4. The forgiveness which God had already bestowed.
Conclusion: From this intercession of Moses let us learn–
1. How to plead with God for ourselves.
2. How to plead with God for others, and especially for His people. (W. Jones.)
Gods pardoning grace in the past an encouragement to seek for the same in the present
I. God is as able and as willing to forgive now as ever he has been.
II. Man is now, as much as ever he has been, the object of Gods compassion.
III. Gods purpose with regard to the human race is now what it ever has been. (David Lloyd.)
The power of intercession
The intercession of Christians, who are already formed, is the leaven which is to leaven the whole earth with Christianity. It is one of the destined instruments, in the hand of God, for hastening the glory of the latter days. Take the world at large, and the doctrine of intercession, as an engine of mighty power, is derided as one of the reveries of fanaticism. This is a subject on which the men of the world are in a deep slumber; but there are watchmen who never hold their peace day nor night, and to them God addresses these remarkable words: Ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence, and give Him no rest till He establish and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth. (T. Chalmers.)
The mercy of God
(Num 14:18):–
I. What we are to understand by the mercy of god. It is His goodness to them that are in misery, or liable to it. Thus the mercy of God is usually, in Scripture, set forth to us by the affection of pity and compassion; which is an affection that causeth a sensible commotion in us, upon the apprehension of some great evil that lies upon another, or hangs over him. Hence it is that God is said, in Scripture, to be grieved and afflicted for the miseries of men. But though God is pleased in this manner to set forth His mercy and tenderness towards us, yet we must take heed how we clothe the Divine nature with the infirmities of human passions. When God is said to pity us, we must take away the imperfection of His passion, the commotion and disturbance of it, and not imagine any such thing in God; but we are to conceive that the mercy and compassion of God, without producing the disquiet, do produce the effects of the most sensible pity.
II. That this perfection belongs to God. I will only produce some of those many texts of Scripture which attribute this perfection to God. The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious (Exo 34:6). The Lord thy God is a merciful God (Deu 4:31). The Lord your God is gracious and merciful (2Ch 34:9). Ready to pardon, gracious and merciful (Neh 9:17). All the paths of the Lord are mercy (Psa 25:10). Unto Thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy (Psa 62:12). Merciful and gracious (Psa 103:8). With the Lord there is mercy (Psa 130:7). And so (Jer 3:12; Joe 2:13; Jon 4:2; Luk 6:36), Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. The Scripture speaks of this as most natural to Him. In 2Co 1:3, He is called the Father of mercies.
III. The degree of it. A God of great mercy. Scripture speaks of it as if God was wholly taken up with it, as if it was His constant employment, so that, in comparison of it, He doth hardly display any other excellency; All the paths of the Lord are mercy (Psa 25:10); as if, in this world, God had a design to advance His mercy above His other attributes. The mercy of God is now in the throne; this is the day of mercy; and God doth display it, many times, with a seeming dishonour to His other attributes, His justice, and holiness, and truth.
1. Preventing mercy. Does not that man owe more to his physician who prevents his sickness, than he who, after the languishing, the pains of several months, is at length cured by him?
2. Forbearing mercy. And this is the patience of God, which consists in the deferring or moderating of our deserved punishment. Hence it is that slow to anger, and of great mercy, do so often go together.
3. Comforting mercy (2Co 1:3).
4. His relieving mercy, in supplying those that are in want, and delivering those that are in trouble.
5. Pardoning mercy. And here the greatness and fulness of Gods mercy appears, because our sins are great (Psa 78:38). And the multitude of Gods mercies because our sins are many (Psa 51:1).
Uses–
1. We ought with thankfulness to acknowledge and admire the great mercy of God to us.
2. The great mercy of God to us should stir up in us shame and sorrow for sin. The judgments of God may break us; but the consideration of Gods mercy should rather melt us into tears (Luk 7:47).
3. Let us imitate the merciful nature of God.
4. If the mercy of God be so great, this may comfort us against despair.
5. By way of caution against the presumptuous sinner. If there be any that encourage themselves in sin, upon the hopes of His mercy; let such know that God is just, as well as merciful. (Abp. Tillotson.)
Long-suffering of God
We may safely assert that Jeremy Taylor is none the less vigorous for illustrating the long-suffering of God by the Rabbinical story that the archangel Michael, being Gods messenger of vengeance, had but one wing, that he might labour in his flight, while Gabriel had two wings, that he might fly swiftly when bringing the message of peace. (J. Pilkington.)
Great mercy
Gods mercy is so great that it forgives great sins to great sinners after great lengths of time, and then gives great favours and great privileges, and raises us up to great enjoyments in the great heaven of the great God. As John Bunyan well says, It must be great mercy or no mercy, for little mercy will never serve my turn. (C. H. Spurgeon.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Then, i.e. in case thou dost utterly destroy them.
Thou broughtest up this people, whereby thou didst get great honour to thyself, which now thou wilt certainly lose.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
And Moses said unto the Lord,…. In an abrupt manner, as the following words show, his mind being greatly disturbed and distressed by the above threatening,
then the Egyptians shall hear [it]; that the Lord had smitten the Israelites with the pestilence; the Targum of Jonathan interprets it of the children of the Egyptians who were suffocated in the sea:
for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them; they were once sojourners among them, and slaves unto them, and they were delivered from them by the mighty hand of the Lord upon the Egyptians, destroying their firstborn; and therefore when they shall hear that the Israelites were all destroyed at once by a pestilence in the wilderness, it will be a pleasure to them, as follows.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Verses 13-19:
Moses’ reply demonstrated the spirit of humility. He did not entertain any personal ambition. His primary concern was for the reputation of Jehovah among the heathen. He feared that if God destroyed the people of Israel, the Egyptians would mock Him, by spreading the word that Jehovah brought the people into the wilderness in order to kill them; that even though He brought them out of Egypt He was unable to bring them into the Land He had promised them.
Moses then reminded God of His own nature, of mercy and compassion and forgiveness. He referred to God’s own words, spoken a few months earlier at Sinai, see Ex 20:5, 6; 34:6, 7.
This is an example of prevailing intercession, for God’s child to follow today.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
13. Then the Egyptians shall hear it. Moses here, according to his custom, stands “in the breach” of the wall, as it is said in Psa 106:23, to sustain and avert the anger of God, which else would burst forth, since through his intercession it came to pass that the fire was speedily extinguished, and the people were not consumed. In order to support his request., he only objects that God’s holy namo would be the sport of the wicked, if the people should perish altogether I have endeavored to reduce to their proper meaning the words which translators variously render. First, he says, “The Egyptians shall hear, whereas it is a thing sufficiently notorious, and testified by miracles, that this people was rescued from among them by thy might. The same report will also obtain currency among; the nations of Canaan, who have already heard that thou: art the protector of this people, and have undertaken the charge of governing them. If, therefore, they should altogether perish, all the nations which have heard of thy fame will east the blame on thee, and will think that thy power is broken down in the midst of its course, so that thou could not carry through to the end the work thou hadst undertaken.” The substance amounts to this, that because God had manifested by clear and evident signs that He was the deliverer of this people, He would be exposed to the reproach of the wicked, unless He should preserve in safety those whom He had once redeemed. For nothing else would occur to the minds of the heathen nations, except that God was unable to maintain His blessing, however desirous He might be to do so. And assuredly this is no ordinary effect of God’s goodness, so to connect the glory of His name with our salvation, that whatever is adverse to us brings with it reproach upon Him, because the mouth of the wicked will be open to blaspheme. And this will in fact turn to our advantage, if on our part, without dissimulation, and in zealous sincerity, we beseech God to uphold His own glory in saving us; for many boldly plead the name of God in their own behalf, although they are unaffected by any real care or love for it. Moreover, because the more illustrious God’s exercise of His power has been, the more insolently are the ungodly disposed to blaspheme, if it has appeared to fail; we must always entreat of Him that He should not desert the work of His hands which He has begun in us. To this effect are the words, “They have heard that thou art seen face to face;” for, if the people’s safety were not maintained, the failure would have been imputed to none but God, who had put. forth the power of His hand to preserve them. In fine, since their astonishing exodus had been a testimony of God’s favor, so, if he had suffered the people to perish in the desert, all would have considered it a sign of His weakness, inasmuch as it was not probable that He should not accomplish what tie desired, unless He were unable to do so.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(13, 14) And Moses said unto the Lord . . . There is considerable difficulty as to the correct rendering of these verses. They may be rendered in accordance with the Authorised Version, or they may be rendered as follows:And Moses said unto the LORD, The Egyptians have both heard that thou hast brought up this people from among them by thy might, and they have also told (it) to the inhabitants of this land (i.e., the land of Canaan, as in Num. 14:3); they (i.e., the Egyptians and the Canaanites) have heard that thou LORD art in the midst of this people, for thou LORD art seen face to face, and thy cloud standeth over them, and thou goest before them, &c. &c. Reference may be made to the following passages in illustration of the argument by which Moses enforced his intercessory prayer on behalf of Israel:Deu. 32:26-27; Jos. 7:9; Isa. 48:9; Isa. 48:11; Eze. 36:22-23.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. The Egyptians shall hear They who had felt the judgments of Jehovah in terrible national judgments on account of Israel will gladly hear of his downfall, and spread the news abroad among all the nations, especially among the Canaanites, who “faint” because of their terror of the Hebrews. Jos 2:9. The arguments of Moses in this intercession are exactly such as man would use with man. This implies that Moses conceived of God as personal, and possessing reason and sensibilities corresponding to those faculties in the human race, who are created in his image. The philosophic conception of God of which deism boasts affords no motive to believing and importunate prayer.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Moses Successfully Intercedes For Them ( Num 14:13-19 ).
Num 14:13-14
‘And Moses said to Yahweh, “Then the Egyptians will hear it, for you brought up this people in your might from among them, and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you Yahweh are in the midst of this people, for you Yahweh are seen face to face, and your cloud stands over them, and you go before them, in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night.” ’
However, Moses resorted to a similar argument to the one that he had used at the incident of the molten calf (Exo 32:12). Let Yahweh consider that when the Egyptians heard what He had done they would crowingly declare to the Canaanites ‘what Yahweh had done’. Here was a fierce God indeed, they would jeer. He had done the same to these people as He had previously done to the Egyptians.
So Moses asked Him, had they not heard about how Yahweh was in the midst of His people, and was seen by them face to face when His glory was revealed as it now was? And how His cloud was over them day and night, and that Yahweh went before them in cloud and fire? Would they not therefore mock all the more if these same people were destroyed? So much for His faithfulness and protection, they would say. He was not to be trusted.
Num 14:15
“ Now if you shall kill this people as one man, then the nations which have heard your fame will speak, saying, ‘Because Yahweh was not able to bring this people into the land which he swore to them, therefore he has slain them in the wilderness.’ ”
And if Yahweh slew them all the observers would declare that with all His extravagant actions and claims He had been unable to do what He had set out to do, bring these people safely into Canaan, even though He had sworn that He would do so. And they would suggest that that was surely why He had slain them in the wilderness, because He had had to face up to His own inadequacy. So it was Yahweh’s reputation in the world that was at stake here, not just a matter of the deserving of the children of Israel.
Num 14:17-18
“ And now, I pray you, let the power of the Lord be great, according as you have spoken, saying, Yahweh is slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation.”
Having called on Him to consider what people would think, he then turned to a second argument, the compassionate nature of Yahweh as declared by Himself. Let Him now reveal how great His power was by revealing that compassion. Those who are truly great are great enough to show compassion. And who was greater than Yahweh? Had not Yahweh previously declared that He was slow to anger and abundant in covenant love (chesed)? That He forgave iniquity and transgression, although by no means clearing those who remained in their guilt by failing to repent? (see Exo 34:6-7). On the guilty He brought His judgment even to the third and fourth generation, because they continued obstinate in the face of His mercy. But on those who repented He showed mercy, ‘forgiving iniquity and transgression’. Let Him now reveal this by forgiving these people for their iniquity and transgression.
Num 14:19
“ Pardon, I pray you, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of your lovingkindness, and according as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”
So for His honour’s sake, and for his reputation’s sake, and for the sake of the truth about His nature, Moses prayed that He would pardon this people’s iniquity in accordance with His great covenant love, just as He had continually forgiven them from the time when they left Egypt up to this point. Let Him reveal Himself as the unchanging One, and the One Who forgives.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Nothing can be more beautiful and interesting, than these pleas of Moses. Reader! remark with me the arguments he makes use of; all which terminate in this one grand consideration; namely, the glory and honour of the LORD’S holy name. Every promise of GOD which is in CHRIST JESUS, is secured to his people in the pledge of his great name. Jos 7:9 . And GOD himself hath graciously condescended to add to this as an argument, the reproach of the enemy. See Deu 32:26-27 . And that was not the smallest part of Moses’ address that the LORD had before pardoned their idolatry, and wherefore not now? If the mercy, rejoicing against judgment, had brought no reflection upon the LORD’S perfections in former instances, wherefore should it now? See Exo 32:11-12 ; Mal 3:6 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Num 14:13 And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear [it], (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)
Ver. 13. Then the Egyptians shall hear it. ] And they will soon make comedies out of the Church’s tragedies.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
from among. Figure of speech Pleonasm (App-6). = “out of the midst of”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Pardon by Moses Intercession
Num 14:13-25
Moses was free from selfish ambition. His one thought was for the glory of God. When for a moment the suggestion presented itself to his mind that his own seed should take the place of this rebellious race he instantly dismissed it. It was not to be entertained for a moment, lest the Egyptians make capital of it. He had no desire to be the ancestor of a great nation, if it would tarnish the divine honor. He would rather be consigned to oblivion himself than that one jewel in the glorious galaxy of Gods glory should be bedimmed.
There were three arguments in his intercession: Gods reputation, Gods consistency with Himself and Gods mercy. Methinks I hear the voice of the Supreme Mediator these pleadings! His prayer was heard, but the generation that believed not could not enter the land. You may escape Egypt and yet miss Canaan. See Heb 3:12-19.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
And Moses said unto the Lord: From this verse to Num 14:19, inclusive, we have the words of the earnest intercession of Moses: they need no explanation; they are full of simplicity and energy.
Then the: Exo 32:12, Deu 9:26-28, Deu 32:27, Jos 7:8, Jos 7:9, Psa 106:23, Eze 20:9, Eze 20:14
Reciprocal: Gen 32:25 – that he Num 11:2 – prayed Num 12:13 – General 1Sa 12:22 – for his great 2Sa 7:23 – went 1Ki 8:51 – thy people Job 23:4 – fill my mouth Job 42:10 – when Psa 99:6 – they called Psa 106:8 – he saved Isa 63:11 – Where is he that brought Jer 15:1 – Moses Jam 5:16 – The effectual
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Moses’ intercession for the people 14:13-19
Moses interceded again, much as he had done at Sinai (cf. Exo 32:11-13). Moses based his appeal on God’s reputation among the Egyptians (Num 14:13-14) and the other nations (Num 14:15-16). He also cited God’s promise that He would be patient (Num 14:17-18) and His past loyal love to Israel (Num 14:19). Moses’ words proved effective (Num 14:20).