Numbers 14:11-20

¹¹The Lord told Moses, “How long are these people going to reject me? How long are these people going to refuse to trust in me despite all the miracles I have done right in front of them?

¹²I'm going to make them sick with a disease and kill them. Then I will make you into a nation that's greater and strong than them.”

¹³But Moses told the Lord, “The Egyptians will find out about it! It was by your power that you led the Israelites out from among them.

¹⁴They will tell the people living in this country all about it. They've already heard that you, Lord, are with us Israelites, that you, Lord, are seen face to face, that your cloud stands guard over them, and that you lead them by a pillar of cloud during day and a pillar of fire at night.

¹⁵If you kill all these people in one go, the nations who have heard about you will say,

¹⁶‘The Lord killed these people in the desert because he wasn't able to take them to the country he promised to give them. He's killed them all in desert!’

¹⁷Now, Lord, please demonstrate the extent of your power just as you have said:

¹⁸The Lord is slow to become angry and is full of trustworthy love, forgiving sin and rebellion. However, he will not allow the guilty to go unpunished, bringing the consequences of the parents' sin on their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

¹⁹Please forgive the sin of these people since your trustworthy love is so great, in the same way that you have forgiven them from the time they left Egypt until now.”

²⁰“I have forgiven them as you asked,” the Lord replied.