King James Version

What Does Numbers 14:19 Mean?

Numbers 14:19 in the King James Version says “Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven... — study this verse from Numbers chapter 14 with commentary, cross-references, and original Hebrew word analysis.

Pardon, 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. until: or, hitherto

Numbers 14:19 · KJV


Context

17

And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,

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.

19

Pardon, 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. until: or, hitherto

20

And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word:

21

But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.


Commentary

KJV Study Commentary
Moses grounds his plea for mercy in God's revealed character: 'longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression.' This appeal to divine attributes demonstrates that God's nature itself provides grounds for hope even after severe sin. God's mercy is not arbitrary but flows from His essential character.

KJV Study — Public Domain

Historical & Cultural Context

Moses' words echo God's self-revelation after the golden calf incident (Exodus 34:6-7), showing that past demonstrations of mercy create a foundation for present petitions. God's character remains constant; His past forgiveness becomes grounds for confidence in present appeals.

Reflection Questions

  1. Which attributes of God give you the greatest confidence when confessing sin?
  2. How does God's past mercy toward you affect your approach to Him in prayer?

Original Language Analysis

Hebrew · 14 words
סְלַֽח1 of 14

Pardon

H5545

to forgive

נָ֗א2 of 14
H4994

'i pray', 'now', or 'then'; added mostly to verbs (in the imperative or future), or to interjections, occasionally to an adverb or conjunction

לַֽעֲוֹ֛ן3 of 14

I beseech thee the iniquity

H5771

perversity, i.e., (moral) evil

לָעָ֣ם4 of 14

of this people

H5971

a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock

הַזֶּ֖ה5 of 14
H2088

the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that

כְּגֹ֣דֶל6 of 14

according unto the greatness

H1433

magnitude (literally or figuratively)

חַסְדֶּ֑ךָ7 of 14

of thy mercy

H2617

kindness; by implication (towards god) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beauty

וְכַֽאֲשֶׁ֤ר8 of 14
H834

who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc

נָשָׂ֙אתָה֙9 of 14

and as thou hast forgiven

H5375

to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relative

לָעָ֣ם10 of 14

of this people

H5971

a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock

הַזֶּ֔ה11 of 14
H2088

the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that

מִמִּצְרַ֖יִם12 of 14

from Egypt

H4714

mitsrajim, i.e., upper and lower egypt

וְעַד13 of 14
H5704

as far (or long, or much) as, whether of space (even unto) or time (during, while, until) or degree (equally with)

הֵֽנָּה׃14 of 14

even until now

H2008

hither or thither (but used both of place and time)


Study Guide

Historical Context

This verse is found in the book of Numbers. Understanding the historical and cultural background helps illuminate its meaning for the original audience and for us today.

Theological Significance

Numbers 14:19 contributes to our understanding of God's character and His relationship with humanity. Consider how this verse connects to the broader themes of Scripture.

Cross-References

Verses related to Numbers 14:19 from Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Places in This Verse

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