Exodus 32:12

Exodus 32:12 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)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.
• New International Version (NIV)Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people.
• English Standard Version (ESV)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.
• New King James Version (NKJV)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.

Context of Exodus 32:12

10I am very angry with them and I will destroy them. Do not try to stop me. I will make your descendants into a great nation, instead of them.’ 11But Moses asked the Lord his God to be kind. He said, ‘Lord, please do not be so angry with your own people! You used your great power and authority to bring them safely out of Egypt. If you destroy them, the Egyptians will say, “God led the Israelites out of our land so that he could completely destroy them. He wanted to kill them in the mountains.” So please stop being angry. Change your mind. Please do not bring this great trouble on your own people. 13Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who are our ancestors. Remember the serious promise that you made to them. You said, “I will give you many descendants. They will be as many as the stars in the sky. I have also promised to give this whole land to them. It will belong to them as their home for ever.” ’ 14Then the Lord changed his mind. He did not bring the great trouble on his people as he had said he would.

Exodus 32:12 word by word

לָמָּה֩ יֹאמְר֨וּ מִצְרַ֜יִם לֵאמֹ֗ר בְּרָעָ֤ה הֽוֹצִיאָם֙ לַהֲרֹ֤ג אֹתָם֙ בֶּֽהָרִ֔ים וּ֨לְכַלֹּתָ֔ם מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה שׁ֚וּב מֵחֲר֣וֹן אַפֶּ֔ךָ וְהִנָּחֵ֥ם עַל־הָרָעָ֖ה לְעַמֶּֽךָ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Wherefore should the Egyptiansמִצְרַ֫יִםmitsrayim · EgyptH4714
• speakאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• For mischiefרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: evilH7451
• did he bringיָצָאyâtsâ' · to come out: sendH3318
• them out, to slayהָרַגhârag · to killH2026
• them in the mountainsהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
• and to consumeכָּלָהkâlâh · to end: destroyH3615
• them from the faceפָּנֶהpânîym · face: surfaceH6440
• of the earthאֲדָמָה'ădâmâh · land: planetH127
• Turnשׁוּבshûb · to return: turn backH7725
• from thy fierceחָרוֹןchârôn chârôn · burning angerH2740
• wrathאַף'aph · face: angerH639
• and repentנָחַםnâcham · to be sorry: relentH5162
• of this evilרָעָהra‛ râ‛âh · distress: harmH7451
• against thy peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971

Cross-references for Exodus 32:12

• Numbers 14:13Moses said to the Lord, ‘Please do not do that! You used your great power to bring these people out of Egypt. If you destroy them, the Egyptians will hear about it.
• Deuteronomy 9:28If you destroy your people, the Egyptians will say, “The Lord could not take them into the land that he promised to give to them. Instead, he took them into the desert so that he could kill them there. He did this because he hated them!”
• Deuteronomy 32:26I wanted to remove my people completely, so that nobody would ever remember them.
• Joshua 7:9The Canaanites and the other tribes who live in this land will hear about what has happened. They will come to attack us and they will completely destroy us all. If that happens, nobody will ever respect your great name again!’
• Psalms 74:18Lord, think about your enemies. They are always laughing at you. Foolish people are insulting your name.
• Psalms 79:9God, help us! You are the one who can save us. Rescue us, so that people will respect your great name. Forgive our sins, so that people know you are good.
• Ezekiel 20:9But I did not want the people of other nations to insult my name. I had promised Israel's people that I would bring them out of Egypt. The nations near where the Israelites were living knew this.
• Deuteronomy 13:17You must not keep any of the valuable things for yourselves. They have been given to the Lord. If you destroy the whole town, the Lord will stop being angry. He will be kind to you and he will forgive you. He will cause you to grow into a big nation, as he promised your ancestors.
• Joshua 7:26They put a big heap of stones over him. They are still there today. That is why the place is still called ‘Trouble Valley’. Then the Lord was not angry with his people any more.
• Ezra 10:14So please let our officers decide what to do on behalf of us all. People who have married foreign wives should come here on certain days. People from each town should come on the right day, together with the leaders and judges from that town. In this way, we can make things right. Then our God will not be angry with us any longer.’
• Psalms 78:38But God was kind to them, and he forgave them for their sins. He did not destroy them. Many times he was patient, and he did not become angry with them.
• Psalms 85:3You stopped being so angry with them. You did not punish them any more.
• Exodus 32:14Then the Lord changed his mind. He did not bring the great trouble on his people as he had said he would.
• Genesis 6:6The Lord was sorry that he had made humans and put them on the earth. He became very upset.
• Deuteronomy 32:36At that time, the Lord will bring justice for his people. He will forgive his servants. He will rescue them when he sees that they are weak, and very few of them remain, as slaves or free people.
• Psalms 90:13Lord, return to help us! How long will you be angry with us? Please be kind to us, your servants!

Commentaries on Exodus 32:12

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7-35Verses 7-35 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…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 7-14Verses 7-14 God says to Moses, that the Israelites had corrupted themselves. Sin is the corruption of the sinner, and it is a self-corruption; every man is tempted when he is drawn aside of his own lust. They had turned aside out of the way. Sin is a departing from the way of duty into a by-path. They soon forgot God's works. He sees what they cannot discover, nor is any wickedness of the world hid from him. We could not bear to see the thousandth part of…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 11-13If there was a test, Moses passed it. He refused to take God's place (32:11). He knew God is just and faithful and would not save people just to destroy them (32:12). He declined the offer to become the father of a great nation because it would mean God violating promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (32:13). Moses understood who God truly is.Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 7-147-14. the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down--Intelligence of the idolatrous scene enacted at the foot of the mount was communicated to Moses in language borrowed from human passions and feelings, and the judgment of a justly offended God was pronounced in terms of just indignation against the gross violation of the so recently promulgated laws.Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 32:12

• Falsehood
• Intercession
• Israel
• Prayer

In the dictionaries

• Consume
• Corrupt
• Fashion
• Levite
• Mastery
• Naked
• Play
• Prayer
• Shout
• Sing

Commentaries on Exodus 32

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Calvin’s Commentaries
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings