Exodus 32:14

Verse

Berean Standard Bible

So the LORD relented from the calamity He had threatened to bring on His people.

American Standard Version (1901)

And Jehovah repented of the evil which he said he would do unto his people.

Bible in Basic English

So the Lord let himself be turned from his purpose of sending punishment on his people.

Douay-Rheims 1899

And the Lord was appeased from doing the evil which he had spoken against his people.

Free Bible Version

The Lord changed his mind over the disaster he threatened to cause his people.

Geneva Bible 1599

Then the Lord changed his minde from the euil, which he threatned to do vnto his people.

King James (Authorized) Version

And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

One Unity Resource Bible

Adonai changed his mind concerning the disaster which he planned for his people.

Translation for Translators

So Yahweh changed his mind. He did not do to his people the terrible thing that he said he would do.

Unlocked Literal Bible

Then Yahweh relented from the punishment that he had said he would inflict on his people.

Noah Webster Bible

And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do to his people.

World English Bible

So Yahweh turned away from the evil which he said he would do to his people.

Young's Literal Translation

and Jehovah repenteth of the evil which He hath spoken of doing to His people.

Context

The Golden Calf

¹³Remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to whom You swore by Your very self when You declared, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give your descendants all this land that I have promised, and it shall be their inheritance forever.’”¹⁴So the LORD relented from the calamity He had threatened to bring on His people.

Summary

In this verse, God relents from bringing disaster upon the Israelites after Moses intercedes on their behalf. It showcases the compassionate and merciful nature of God, who responds to genuine repentance and prayer. Despite the people's grievous sin of idolatry, God shows His willingness to forgive and show mercy when His people turn back to Him. This verse highlights the importance of prayer, repentance, and the role of intercessors in seeking God's forgiveness and favor.

Commentary

Adam Clarke
John Gill
Tyndale

Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

And the Lord repented of the evil - This is spoken merely after the manner of men who, having formed a purpose, permit themselves to be diverted from it by strong and forcible reasons, and so change their minds relative to their former intentions.

John Gill Bible Commentary

And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people. He did not do what he threatened to do, and seemed to have in his thoughts and designs, but did what Moses desired he would, Exo 32:12 not that any of God's thoughts or the determinations of his mind are alterable; for the thoughts of his heart are to all generations; but he changes the outward dispensations of his providence, or his methods of acting with men, which he has been taking or threatened to take; and this being similar to what they do when they repent of anything, who alter their course, hence repentance is ascribed to God, though, properly speaking, it does not belong to him, see Jer 18:8. Aben Ezra thinks that the above prayer of Moses, which was so prevalent with God, does not stand in its proper place, but should come after Exo 32:31 for, to what purpose, says he, should Moses say to the Israelites, Exo 32:30 "peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin": if he was appeased by his prayer before? "peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin": if he was appeased by his prayer before? Exodus 32:15 exo 32:15 exo 32:15 exo 32:15And Moses turned, and went down from the mount,.... He turned himself from God, with whom he had been conversing forty days; his back was to the ascent of the mount, and he turned himself in order to go down; or "he looked" (g), as a man considers what is to be done, as Aben Ezra observes, and he saw that he was obliged to go down in haste: and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand; or hands, as in Exo 32:19 for they were, perhaps, as much as he could carry in both hands, being of stone, as in Exo 31:18 on which was written the law, the "testimony" of the will of God with respect to what was to be done or not done: the letters were written on both their sides, on the one side and on the other were they written; some think that the engraving of the letters was such, that it went through the stones, and in a miraculous manner the letters and lines were in a regular order, and might be read on the other sides; to which Jarchi seems to incline, saying, the letters might be read, and it was a work of wonders; others think that the letters were written both within and without, like Ezekiel's book of woes; that the same that was within side was written without, that so, when held up, they might be read by those that stood before and those that stood behind; but rather so it was that the whole was written within, some of the commands on the right, and some on the left, and so the tables might be clapped together as a book is folded. (g) "et aspexit", Pagninus.