Numbers 14:13-19 Meaning: Moses Pleads for God's Name
13Moses said to Yahweh, “Then the Egyptians will hear it; for you brought up this people in your might from among them.
14They will tell it to the inhabitants of this land. They have heard that you Yahweh are among 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.
15Now if you killed this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of you will speak, saying,
16‘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.’
17Now please let the power of the Lord be great, according as you have spoken, saying,
18‘Yahweh is slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, forgiving iniquity and disobedience; and he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation.’
19Please pardon the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of your loving kindness, and just as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”
13And Moses said unto the Lord, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)
14And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou Lord art among this people, that thou Lord art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
15Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,
16Because the Lord 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 beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,
18The 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.
19Pardon, 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.
13And Moses said unto Jehovah, Then the Egyptians will hear it; for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;
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.
13And Moses saith unto Jehovah, `Then have the Egyptians heard! for Thou hast brought up with Thy power this people out of their midst,
14and they have said it unto the inhabitant of this land, they have heard that Thou, Jehovah, art in the midst of this people, that eye to eye Thou art seen--O Jehovah, and Thy cloud is standing over them, --and in a pillar of cloud Thou art going before them by day, and in a pillar of fire by night.
15`And Thou hast put to death this people as one man, and the nations who have heard Thy fame have spoken, saying,
16From Jehovah's want of ability to bring in this people unto the land which He hath sworn to them--He doth slaughter them in the wilderness.
17`And now, let, I pray Thee, the power of my Lord be great, as Thou hast spoken, saying:
18Jehovah is slow to anger, and of great kindness; bearing away iniquity and transgression, and not entirely acquitting, charging iniquity of fathers on sons, on a third generation , and on a fourth; --
19forgive, I pray Thee, the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of Thy kindness, and as Thou hast borne with this people from Egypt, even until now.'
13And Moses said to Jehovah, Then the Egyptians will hear it; for in thy might thou broughtest up this people from the midst of them;
14and they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land, [who] have heard that thou, Jehovah, art in the midst of this people, that thou, Jehovah, lettest thyself be seen eye to eye, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, in a pillar of cloud by day, and in a pillar of fire by night;
15if thou now slayest this people as one man, then the nations that have heard thy fame will speak, saying,
16Because Jehovah was not able to bring this people into the land that he had sworn unto them, he has therefore slain them in the wilderness.
17And now, I beseech thee, let the power of the Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,
18Jehovah is slow to anger, and abundant in goodness, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but by no means clearing [the guilty], visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the third and fourth [generation].
19Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of thy loving-kindness, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.
Meaning in one sentence
In Numbers 14:13, 19, Moses intercedes for rebellious Israel by appealing to God's honor among the nations. See the heart of his prayer.
Context
The story so far: the Israelites have refused to enter Canaan because they were afraid of the people there. Their lack of trust angers God. He tells Moses He will destroy them and start a new nation from Moses. But Moses does not accept this offer. Instead, he stands between God and the people, as he did at Mount Sinai. He argues that if God destroys Israel in the wilderness, the surrounding nations will say the Lord was not strong enough to finish the journey. That would dishonor God's name. Moses then quotes God's own words from Exodus 34: Yahweh is slow to anger, full of steadfast love, forgiving sin, yet just. He asks for pardon based on who God is, not on what the people deserve.
Key Words
Three Hebrew words give this prayer its shape. First, “slow to anger” (erekh appayim) literally means “long of nostrils”, the image is of one who takes a long time to breathe out anger. God does not explode in rage. He gives space for repentance. Second, “lovingkindness” or “covenant loyalty” (chesed) is the loyal, stubborn love that keeps a promise even when the other person has broken it. Moses banks on this chesed. Third, the verb “forgive” or “bear” (nasa) means to lift up and carry away. Moses does not ask God to pretend the sin did not happen. He asks God to take it away, and that is exactly what a faithful God does. These words remind us that intercession is not about changing God's mind but leaning into the character He has already revealed.
How Christians Read This Verse
Christian readers across traditions have seen in Moses a model of intercession. Calvin (Reformed) said Moses stood “in the breach” to avert God's wrath. Matthew Henry (Presbyterian) noted that Moses pleaded God's honor among the nations and reminded God of His own mercy. Adam Clarke (Methodist) called Moses's arguments “pointed, cogent, and respectful,” showing a deep concern for God's glory. The Cambridge Bible (Anglican) highlights the problem: God must maintain justice and His honor. Each tradition agrees that Moses did not bargain or flatter. He prayed back to God what God had already said about Himself, a prayer that was bold, humble, and rooted in relationship.
A common misunderstanding
Some readers assume Moses is trying to manipulate God by appealing to His ego. In fact, Moses is not flattering God. He is reminding God of His own self-revelation at Sinai. The focus is not on what Moses wants but on who God is: slow to anger, forgiving, and just. Moses also cares about God's reputation among the nations. This is not ego; it is honor, the honor of God's name in a watching world. The prayer is a declaration of trust, not a negotiating tactic.
Living This Out
When you have failed, maybe you snapped at a coworker or broke a promise, the instinct can be to hide or argue your case. Moses shows a different path. He brings the problem directly to God and grounds his plea in God's character, not his own worthiness. This week, when you are aware of your sin, try praying Moses's prayer: “Lord, I have no claim on You but Your mercy. Forgive me, not because I am good, but because You are. Let Your kindness be seen in how You restore me. And help me live so that Your name is honored, not shamed, in my life.” Moses's intercession is a pattern for our own: honest about the problem, confident in God's mercy, and concerned for His reputation.
Main takeaway: Moses pleads for God's mercy by appealing to God's own character and the honor of His name among the nations.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
The people did a bad thing. They did not trust God. Moses asked God to forgive them, and God listened.
For ages 9, 12
Moses saw that God was about to punish the Israelites severely. Instead of just accepting it, he talked to God. He reminded God of His own promises, that He is slow to get angry and full of love. Moses was not trying to change God's mind; he was trusting that God is true to what He says. When we pray, we can do the same: remind God of His promises and ask for mercy, because that is who He is.
Questions People Ask
Why did Moses mention the Egyptians in his prayer?
Moses knew that if God destroyed Israel, the Egyptians would say He failed. Their report would spread to the Canaanites. The nations would conclude that the Lord was not strong enough to bring His people into the land. Moses was more concerned for God's reputation than for his own safety.
What does 'slow to anger' mean in the original Hebrew?
The phrase 'slow to anger' translates the Hebrew 'erekh appayim', which literally means 'long of nostrils'. It pictures someone who takes a long time before breathing out anger. It describes a God who holds back His wrath and gives room for repentance.
Did God fully forgive the Israelites after Moses prayed?
God did forgive the nation, He did not destroy them all at once. But He still held the rebellious generation accountable. They would not enter the Promised Land, and they wandered forty years in the wilderness. Forgiveness did not remove all consequences, but it preserved the people as a whole.
How does Moses' prayer here connect to Exodus 32 and 34?
Moses had interceded in a similar way after the golden calf (Exodus 32). In Exodus 34, God revealed His name to Moses: 'slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.' Here Moses quotes that revelation, showing he has stored God's own words in his heart and uses them as the basis for his plea.
Why does Moses quote God's own words back to Him?
Moses quotes God's words not to manipulate or remind God of something He forgot. He is grounding his prayer in rock-solid truth. When we pray Scripture back to God, we are aligning our requests with His revealed character. It is a way of saying 'I trust what You have said about Yourself.'
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