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Good News Translation

Exodus 32:12

Why should the Egyptians be able to say that you led your people out of Egypt, planning to kill them in the mountains and destroy them completely? Stop being angry; change your mind and do not bring this disaster on your people.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Falsehood;   Intercession;   Israel;   Prayer;   Scofield Reference Index - Bible Prayers;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Calf of Gold;   Judgments;   Prayer, Answers to;   Prayer, Intercessory;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Aaron;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Moses;   Prayer;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Evil;   Lamentations, Theology of;   Mediator, Mediation;   Prayer;   Spirituality;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Prayer;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Egypt;   Gilgal;   Moses;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Advocate;   Exodus, Book of;   Intercession;   Judgment Day;   Prayer;   Repentance of God;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Anger (Wrath) of God;   Calf, Golden;   Exodus;   Prayer;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Repentance;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Moses ;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Table;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Aaron;   Calf;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Moses;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Events of the Encampment;   Priesthood, the;   On to Canaan;   Moses, the Man of God;   Law of Moses, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Intercession;   Mediation;   Mischief;   Prayer;   Repentance;   Sacrifice;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Atheism;   Fasting and Fast-Days;   Hafá¹­arah;   Ḳiddush Ha-Shem;   Middot, Shelosh-'esreh;   Taḳḳanah;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Why should the Mitzrim speak, saying, 'He brought them forth for evil, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the surface of the eretz?' Turn from your fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against your people.
King James Version
Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
Lexham English Bible
Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent he brought them out to kill them in the mountains and wipe them from the face of the earth'? Turn from your fierce anger and relent concerning the disaster for your people.
New Century Version
Don't let the people of Egypt say, ‘The Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt for an evil purpose. He planned to kill them in the mountains and destroy them from the earth.' So stop being angry, and don't destroy your people.
New English Translation
Why should the Egyptians say, ‘For evil he led them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth'? Turn from your burning anger, and relent of this evil against your people.
Amplified Bible
"Why should the Egyptians say, 'With evil [intent] their God brought them out to kill them in the mountains and destroy them from the face of the earth'? Turn away from Your burning anger and change Your mind about harming Your people.
New American Standard Bible
"Why should the Egyptians talk, saying, 'With evil motives He brought them out, to kill them on the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth'? Turn from Your burning anger and relent of doing harm to Your people.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Wherefore shall the Egyptians speake, and say, He hath brought them out maliciously for to slay them in the mountaines, and to consume them from the earth? turne from thy fearce wrath, and change thy minde from this euill towarde thy people.
Legacy Standard Bible
Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, ‘With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from Your burning anger and relent concerning doing harm to Your people.
Contemporary English Version
If you do, the Egyptians will say that you brought your people out here into the mountains just to get rid of them. Please don't be angry with your people. Don't destroy them!
Complete Jewish Bible
Why let the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intentions that he led them out, to slaughter them in the hills and wipe them off the face of the earth'? Turn from your fierce anger! Relent! Don't bring such disaster on your people!
Darby Translation
Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, For misfortune he has brought them out, to slay them on the mountains, and to annihilate them from the face of the earth? Turn from the heat of thine anger, and repent of this evil against thy people!
Easy-to-Read Version
But if you destroy your people, the Egyptians will say, ‘God planned to do bad things to his people. That is why he led them out of Egypt. He wanted to kill them in the mountains. He wanted to wipe them off the earth.' So don't be angry with your people. Please change your mind! Don't destroy them.
English Standard Version
Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people.
George Lamsa Translation
Why should the Egyptians say, It was for their injury he did bring them out to slay them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth? Rest from thy fierce anger and be reconciled concerning the evil deed of thy people.
Christian Standard Bible®
Why should the Egyptians say, ‘He brought them out with an evil intent to kill them in the mountains and eliminate them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger and relent concerning this disaster planned for your people.
Literal Translation
Why should the Egyptians say, For evil He has caused them to go up, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them on the face of the earth? Turn from Your fierce anger and be moved to pity as to the evil to Your people.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Wherfore shulde the Egipcians speake, & saye: He hath brought the for their myschefe, to slaye them in the mountaynes, and to destroye the vtterly from the earth? O turne the from the fearcenesse of yi wrath, & be gracious ouer the wickednesse of thy people.
American Standard Version
Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, saying, For evil did he bring them forth, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
Bible in Basic English
Why let the Egyptians say, He took them out to an evil fate, to put them to death on the mountains, cutting them off from the earth? Let your wrath be turned away from them, and send not this evil on your people.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Wherfore should the Egyptians speake and say: For a mischiefe dyd he bryng them out, euen for to slay them in the mountaynes, & to consume them from the face of the earth? Turne from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this euyll [deuise] agaynst thy people.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, saying: For evil did He bring them forth, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from Thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against Thy people.
King James Version (1611)
Wherefore should the Egyptians speake and say, For mischiefe did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountaines, & to consume them from the face of the earth? Turne from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this euill against thy people.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Take heed lest at any time the Egyptians speak, saying, With evil intent he brought them out to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from off the earth; cease from thy wrathful anger, and be merciful to the sin of thy people,
English Revised Version
Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, saying, For evil did he bring them forth, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
Berean Standard Bible
Why should the Egyptians declare, 'He brought them out with evil intent, to kill them in the mountains and wipe them from the face of the earth'? Turn from Your fierce anger and relent from doing harm to Your people.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Y biseche, that Egipcians seie not, he ledde hem out felli, `that he schulde sle in the hillis, and to do awei fro erthe, thin ire ceesse, and be thou quemeful on the wickidnesse of thi puple.
Young's Literal Translation
why do the Egyptians speak, saying, For evil He brought them out to slay them among mountains, and to consume them from off the face of the ground? turn back from the heat of Thine anger, and repent of the evil against Thy people.
Update Bible Version
Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, For evil did he bring them forth, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from your fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against your people.
Webster's Bible Translation
Why should the Egyptians speak and say, For evil did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
World English Bible
Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, 'He brought them forth for evil, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the surface of the earth?' Turn from your fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against your people.
New King James Version
Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, "He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people.
New Living Translation
Why let the Egyptians say, ‘Their God rescued them with the evil intention of slaughtering them in the mountains and wiping them from the face of the earth'? Turn away from your fierce anger. Change your mind about this terrible disaster you have threatened against your people!
New Life Bible
Why should the Egyptians say, ‘He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and destroy them from the earth'? Turn from Your anger and change Your mind about destroying Your people.
New Revised Standard
Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from your fierce wrath; change your mind and do not bring disaster on your people.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Wherefore should the Egyptians speak saying - For mischief, hath he taken them forth to slay them among the mountains, and to make an end of them from off the face of the ground? Turn thou from the kindling of thine anger, and be grieved over the calamity to thy people,
Douay-Rheims Bible
Let not the Egyptians say, I beseech thee: He craftily brought them out, that he might kill them in the mountains, and destroy them from the earth: let thy anger cease, and be appeased upon the wickedness of thy people.
Revised Standard Version
Why should the Egyptians say, 'With evil intent did he bring them forth, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
"Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, 'With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth'? Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people.

Contextual Overview

7 The Lord said to Moses, "Hurry and go back down, because your people, whom you led out of Egypt, have sinned and rejected me. 8 They have already left the way that I commanded them to follow; they have made a bull-calf out of melted gold and have worshiped it and offered sacrifices to it. They are saying that this is their god, who led them out of Egypt. 9 I know how stubborn these people are. 10 Now, don't try to stop me. I am angry with them, and I am going to destroy them. Then I will make you and your descendants into a great nation." 11 But Moses pleaded with the Lord his God and said, " Lord , why should you be so angry with your people, whom you rescued from Egypt with great might and power? 12 Why should the Egyptians be able to say that you led your people out of Egypt, planning to kill them in the mountains and destroy them completely? Stop being angry; change your mind and do not bring this disaster on your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Remember the solemn promise you made to them to give them as many descendants as there are stars in the sky and to give their descendants all that land you promised would be their possession forever." 14 So the Lord changed his mind and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

should: Numbers 14:13-16, Deuteronomy 9:28, Deuteronomy 32:26, Deuteronomy 32:27, Joshua 7:9, Psalms 74:18, Psalms 79:9, Psalms 79:10, Ezekiel 20:9, Ezekiel 20:14, Ezekiel 20:22

Turn from: Deuteronomy 13:17, Joshua 7:26, Ezra 10:14, Psalms 78:38, Psalms 85:3

repent: Exodus 32:14, Genesis 6:6, Deuteronomy 32:36, Psalms 90:13, Psalms 106:45, Amos 7:3, Amos 7:6, Jonah 3:9, Zechariah 8:14

Reciprocal: Deuteronomy 6:15 - destroy 1 Samuel 12:22 - for his great 1 Kings 8:51 - thy people Job 23:4 - fill my mouth Psalms 115:2 - General Isaiah 63:11 - Where is he that brought Jeremiah 18:8 - I will Jeremiah 28:16 - I will Ezekiel 13:5 - have not Amos 7:2 - O Lord

Cross-References

Genesis 22:17
I promise that I will give you as many descendants as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the seashore. Your descendants will conquer their enemies.
Genesis 32:3
Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the country of Edom.
Genesis 32:4
He instructed them to say: "I, Jacob, your obedient servant, report to my master Esau that I have been staying with Laban and that I have delayed my return until now.
Genesis 32:6
When the messengers came back to Jacob, they said, "We went to your brother Esau, and he is already on his way to meet you. He has four hundred men with him."
Genesis 32:13
After spending the night there, Jacob chose from his livestock as a present for his brother Esau: 200 female goats and 20 males, 200 female sheep and 20 males, 30 milk camels with their young, 40 cows and 10 bulls, 20 female donkeys and 10 males.
Exodus 32:13
Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Remember the solemn promise you made to them to give them as many descendants as there are stars in the sky and to give their descendants all that land you promised would be their possession forever."
Numbers 23:19
God is not like people, who lie; He is not a human who changes his mind. Whatever he promises, he does; He speaks, and it is done.
1 Samuel 15:29
Israel's majestic God does not lie or change his mind. He is not a human being—he does not change his mind."
Matthew 24:35
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.
2 Timothy 2:13
If we are not faithful, he remains faithful, because he cannot be false to himself."

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Wherefore should the Egyptians speak and say,.... Those that remained, as the Targum of Jonathan, who were not drowned in the Red sea: a good man will be concerned for the honour and glory of God among the enemies of his people, that their mouths may not be opened to blaspheme the Lord and speak ill of his ways, see Joshua 7:9 and this is sometimes an argument with God himself, not to do that to his people they deserve, lest it should give occasion to the enemy to speak reproachfully, insult, and triumph, Deuteronomy 32:26

for mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth; that he brought them out of Egypt, not with a good but ill design; not to bring them into the land of Canaan, as they promised themselves, but to destroy them in the mountains; not to erect them into a great kingdom and nation, which should make a considerable figure in the world, but to cut them off from being a people at all: the mountains where they now were, were Sinai and Horeb, and there might be others thereabout, among which they were encamped: the Targum of Jonathan is,

"among the mountains of Tabor, and Hermon, and Sirion, and Sinai:''

turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people; not that there is any turning or shadow of turning with God, or any change of his mind, or any such passions and affections in him as here expressed; but this is said after the manner of men concerning him, when he alters the course of his dealings with men according to his unalterable will, and does not do the evil threatened by him, and which the sins of men deserve.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The faithfulness of Moses in the office that had been entrusted to him was now to be put to the test. It was to be made manifest whether he loved his own glory better than he loved the brethren who were under his charge; whether he would prefer that he should himself become the founder of a “great nation,” or that the Lord’s promise should be fulfilled in the whole people of Israel. This may have been especially needful for Moses, in consequence of his natural disposition. See Numbers 12:3; and compare Exodus 3:11. With this trial of Moses repeated in a very similar manner Numbers 14:11-23, may be compared the trial of Abraham Genesis 22:0 and of our Saviour Matthew 4:8-10.

Exodus 32:8

These be thy gods ... have brought - This is thy god, O Israel, who has brought ...

Exodus 32:10

Let me alone - But Moses did not let the Lord alone; he wrestled, as Jacob had done, until, like Jacob, he obtained the blessing Genesis 32:24-29.

Exodus 32:14

This states a fact which was not revealed to Moses until after his second intercession when he had come down from the mountain and witnessed the sin of the people Exodus 32:30-34. He was then assured that the Lord’s love to His ancient people would prevail God is said, in the language of Scripture, to “repent,” when His forgiving love is seen by man to blot out the letter of His judgments against sin (2 Samuel 24:16; Joel 2:13; Jonah 3:10, etc.); or when the sin of man seems to human sight to have disappointed the purposes of grace (Gen 6:6; 1 Samuel 15:35, etc.). The awakened conscience is said to “repent,” when, having felt its sin, it feels also the divine forgiveness: it is at this crisis that God, according to the language of Scripture, repents toward the sinner. Thus, the repentance of God made known in and through the One true Mediator reciprocates the repentance of the returning sinner, and reveals to him atonement.

Exodus 32:17-18

Moses does not tell Joshua of the divine communication that had been made to him respecting the apostasy of the people, but only corrects his impression by calling his attention to the kind of noise which they are making.

Exodus 32:19

Though Moses had been prepared by the revelation on the Mount, his righteous indignation was stirred up beyond control when the abomination was before his eyes.

Exodus 32:20

See Deuteronomy 9:21. What is related in this verse must have occupied some time and may have followed the rebuke of Aaron. The act was symbolic, of course. The idol was brought to nothing and the people were made to swallow their own sin (compare Micah 7:13-14).

Exodus 32:22

Aaron’s reference to the character of the people, and his manner of stating what he had done Exo. 5:24, are very characteristic of the deprecating language of a weak mind.

Exodus 32:23

Make us gods - Make us a god.

Exodus 32:25

Naked - Rather unruly, or “licentious”.

Shame among their enemies - Compare Psalms 44:13; Psalms 79:4; Deuteronomy 28:37.

Exodus 32:26-29

The tribe of Levi, Moses’ own tribe, now distinguished itself by immediately returning to its allegiance and obeying the call to fight on the side of Yahweh. We need not doubt that the 3,000 who were slain were those who persisted in resisting Moses. The spirit of the narrative forbids us to conceive that the act of the Levites was anything like an indiscriminate massacre. An amnesty had first been offered to all by the words: “Who is on the Lord’s side?” Those who were forward to draw the sword were directed not to spare their closest relations or friends; but this must plainly have been with an understood qualification as regards the conduct of those who were to be slain. Had it not been so, they who were on the Lord’s side would have had to destroy each other. We need not stumble at the bold, simple way in which the statement is made.

Exodus 32:29

Consecrate yourselves to day to the Lord ... - The margin contains the literal rendering. Our version gives the most probable meaning of the Hebrew, and is supported by the best authority. The Levites were to prove themselves in a special way the servants of Yahweh, in anticipation of their formal consecration as ministers of the sanctuary (compare Deuteronomy 10:8), by manifesting a self-sacrificing zeal in carrying out the divine command, even upon their nearest relatives.

Exodus 32:31

Returned unto the Lord - i. e. again he ascended the mountain.

Gods of gold - a god of gold.

Exodus 32:32

For a similar form of expression, in which the conclusion is left to be supplied by the mind of the reader, see Daniel 3:15; Luke 13:9; Luke 19:42; John 6:62; Romans 9:22. For the same thought, see Romans 9:3. It is for such as Moses and Paul to realize, and to dare to utter, their readiness to be wholly sacrificed for the sake of those whom God has entrusted to their love. This expresses the perfected idea of the whole burnt-offering.

Thy book - The figure is taken from the enrolment of the names of citizens. This is its first occurrence in the Scriptures. See the marginal references. and Isaiah 4:3; Daniel 12:1; Luke 10:20; Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5, etc.

Exodus 32:33, Exodus 32:34

Each offender was to suffer for his own sin. Compare Exodus 20:5; Ezekiel 18:4, Ezekiel 18:20. Moses was not to be taken at his word. He was to fulfill his appointed mission of leading on the people toward the land of promise.

Exodus 32:34

Mine Angel shall go before thee - See the marginal references and Genesis 12:7.

In the day when I visit ... - Compare Numbers 14:22-24. But though the Lord chastized the individuals, He did not take His blessing from the nation.


 
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