Numbers 14:20 — Word Study
WLCוַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֔ה סָלַ֖חְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ׃
BSAI have pardoned themçâlach■ [completely, totally, forgiven, shown mercy to] as you requesteddâbâr [according to, in response to, asked, petitioned] the LORDYᵉhôvâh [Yehovah, The covenant Name of God] repliedʼâmar▸ [said, spoke]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֣אמֶר | and he said | Verb, Qal, sequential imperfect third person masculine singular |
| יְהוָ֔ה | Yahweh | Noun proper |
| סָלַ֖חְתִּי | I have forgiven [them] | Verb, Qal, perfect first person common singular |
| כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ׃ | according to word your | Preposition, noun common masculine singular construct, suffix |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | “I have pardoned them as you requested,” the LORD replied. |
| KJV | And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word: |
| ASV | And Jehovah said, I have pardoned according to thy word: |
| YLT | And Jehovah saith, 'I have forgiven, according to thy word; |
| WEB | Yahweh said, “I have pardoned according to your word; |
| BBE | And the Lord said, I have had mercy, as you say: |
The translations agree on the concept of forgiveness, with variations in specific wording.
The sentence is straightforward, with a main clause followed by the subject, clearly indicating the speaker and the action.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
subjectיהוה
verbאָמַר
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Numbers 14:20
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — God's Response to Moses' Intercessiongenerated
Numbers 14:20 captures a moment where Moses pleads for the forgiveness of the Israelites after their rebellion. The LORD responds affirmatively, indicating His willingness to pardon them as requested. This exchange emphasizes the relationship between divine mercy and human intercession, highlighting the role of Moses as a mediator for the people.
Cross References
The Key Word — סָלַחְתִּי, sa.Lach.tigenerated
The verb סָלַח (sa.lach) means to forgive or pardon. It is a perfect form, indicating a completed action, specifically in the first person singular, which shows that the speaker, the LORD, has actively chosen to forgive.
This word carries a significant weight in the context of God's character, as it reflects His mercy and willingness to absolve the sins of His people. The act of forgiveness here is not just a legal dismissal but an expression of divine compassion.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
The verse is rendered as pardoned in the Berean Standard Bible, forgiven in the KJV, and shown mercy to in the ASV.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb is וַיֹּ֣אמֶר (vai.Yo.mer), and He said, which governs the sentence. The subject is the LORD, and the action of forgiving is expressed through the verb סָלַ֖חְתִּי (sa.Lach.ti).
The sentence structure reflects a straightforward declaration: the LORD states His action of forgiveness in response to Moses' request, emphasizing the direct relationship between the plea and the divine response.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
In the Septuagint, the Hebrew verb סָלַח is rendered as ἵλεως (hileōs), which conveys the idea of mercy or being gracious. This choice highlights the compassionate aspect of God's forgiveness.
The Greek term suggests a broader understanding of mercy that encompasses not just forgiveness but also a relational aspect of God's character towards His people.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Numbers 14:20 shows the LORD responding to Moses' request for forgiveness for the Israelites. This highlights God's readiness to pardon those who seek His mercy.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
It means that God chose to forgive the Israelites for their wrongdoing, demonstrating His mercy.
Moses interceded for the Israelites to appeal to God's mercy and to prevent their destruction.
This verse illustrates God's willingness to forgive and His compassion towards His people, even when they have sinned.
We can learn the importance of prayer and intercession for others, showing concern for their relationship with God.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- In what areas of my life do I need to seek God's forgiveness?
- How can I be an intercessor for others in my community?
- What does this verse teach me about God's mercy?
- How can I reflect God's forgiveness in my relationships?
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Numbers 14:20 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleAnd the Lord said, I have pardoned, according to thy word. So as not to kill them utterly as one man: which is an instance of his being plenteous in mercy, and ready to forgive; and of the virtue and
Read John Gill on Numbers 14 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThe 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.
Read Robert Jamieson on Numbers 14 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleSo far as not utterly to destroy them, as I threatened, , and thou didst fear, and beg the prevention of it, .
Read Matthew Poole on Numbers 14 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsNumbers 14:20 And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word:Ver. 20. I have pardoned them,] viz., So as not utterly, and at once, to extirpate them. I will be "as a moth" unto them, and not as a devouring lion.
Read John Trapp on Numbers 14 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(20) I have pardoned according to thy word.—The holiness and justice of the Lord required that punishment should overtake the transgressors, as it had been foretold in Exodus 32:34. Nevertheless the prayer of Moses was heard and answered, and the people were not wholly exterminated. (21, 22, 23) But as truly as I live . . . —The three verses may be rendered as follows:—Nevertheless, as truly as I live, and all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord, none of those men who have seen my glory and my signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and (who) tempted me these ten times, and hearkened not unto my voice, shall see the land which I sware unto their fathers, &c. Some…
Read Charles John Ellicott on Numbers 14 →AdamClarkeAdam Clarke's Commentary on the BibleVerse 20. I have pardoned] That is, They shall not be cut off as they deserve, because thou hast interceded for their lives.
Read AdamClarke on Numbers 14 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges11–24. Jehovah threatened to destroy Israel; Moses by his intercession obtained their pardon, but the present generation, with the exception of Caleb, were not allowed to enter Canaan.
Read Cambridge on Numbers 14 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible20. I have pardoned — The Hebrew language has only two tenses, the past and the future.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Numbers 14 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
“I have pardoned them as you requested,” the LORD replied.
Yahweh said, “I have pardoned according to your word;
“I have pardoned them as you requested,” the LORD replied.
Then the Lord said, “I have forgiven them as you asked.
Tyndale line
And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word:
And Jehovah said, I have pardoned according to thy word:
And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word:
And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word:
And the Lord said, I haue forgiuen it, according to thy request.
Strictly literal
And Jehovah said, I have pardoned according to thy word.
And Jehovah saith, 'I have forgiven, according to thy word;
And YHWH says, “I have forgiven according to your word,
And the Lord said, I have pardoned according to thy word.
Yahweh said, “I have pardoned them in keeping with your request,
From the Latin
And the Lord said: I have forgiven according to thy word.
Simplified
“I have forgiven them as you asked,” the Lord replied.
And the Lord said, I have had mercy, as you say:
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text reads: וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֔ה סָלַ֖חְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ׃. The Septuagint matches all four words, indicating a consistent translation. The Samaritan Pentateuch differs slightly with the word דבריך (your word), but the essential meaning remains intact.
וַיֹּ֣אמֶר יְהוָ֔ה סָלַ֖חְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶֽךָ׃
4 of the 4 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
ויאמר יהוה סלחתי כדבריך
1 word differs from the Masoretic Text: דבריך (word)
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Numbers 14:20
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
אָמַר (amar) is a Hebrew verb meaning 'to say' or 'to utter,' with a broad range of uses including to promise, command, or even boast. It appears in various forms, such as in the Qal (to say), Niphal (to be told), and Hiphil (to avow). The entries highlight its versatility in both spoken and internal contexts, though no specific verse is noted.
אָמַר 5287 vb. utter, say
Qal
Say
Say in the heart (= think)
Promise
Command (esp. late)
Niph. be said, told
Hiph. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
Hithp. act proudly, boast
base
H559 אָמַר utter, say .. Say
. Say in the heart (= think)
. Promise
. Command (esp. late)
. be said, told
. avow, avouch (lit. cause to declare)
. act proudly, boast
559 'amar aw-mar'
a primitive root; to say (used with great
latitude):--answer, appoint, avouch, bid, boast self, call,
certify, challenge, charge, + (at the, give) command(-ment),
commune, consider, declare, demand, X desire, determine, X
expressly, X indeed, X intend, name, X plainly, promise,
publish, report, require, say, speak (against, of), X still, X
suppose, talk, tell, term, X that is, X think, use (speech),
utter, X verily, X yet.
אָמַר (a.mar) — to say.
1) to say, speak, utter
1a) (Qal) to say, to answer, to say in one's heart, to think, to command, to promise, to intend
1b) (Niphal) to be told, to be said, to be called
1c) (Hithpael) to boast, to act proudly
1d) (Hiphil) to avow, to avouch
Aramaic equivalent: a.mar (אֲמַר "to say" H0560)
Conj | V-Qal-ConsecImperf-3ms — Verb · Qal · sequential imperfect third person masculine singularHc/Vqw3ms
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) is the proper name of the God of Israel, often rendered as Jehovah or the Lord. It signifies the self-existent or eternal nature of God. The name is closely associated with the revelation to Moses in Exodus 3:12-15 and is used in conjunction with other terms to denote sacred places. Some scholars suggest it derives from a root meaning 'to bring into being.'
יהוה c. 6823 i.e. יַהְוֶה n.pr.dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel—(1. MT יְהֹוָה 6518 (Qr אֲדֹנָי), or יֱהֹוִה 305 (Qr אֱלֹהִים) 2. Many recent scholars explain יַהְוֶה as Hiph. of הוה (= היה) the one bringing into being, life-giver)
יהוה is not used by E in Gn, but is given Ex 3:12-15 as the name of the God who revealed Himself to Moses at Horeb
יהוה is used with אלהים and suffixes, especially in D
the phrase † אֲנִי יהוה is noteworthy
יהוה is also used with several predicates, to form sacred names of holy places of Yahweh
base
H3068 יהוה i.e. יַהְוֶה n. pr. dei Yahweh, the proper name of the God of Israel
3068 Yhovah yeh-ho-vaw'
from 1961; (the) self-Existent or Eternal; Jehovah, Jewish
national name of God:--Jehovah, the Lord. Compare 3050, 3069.
see HEBREW for 01961
see HEBREW for 03050
see HEBREW for 03069
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — LORD.
Jehovah = "the existing One"
1) the proper name of the one true God
1a) unpronounced except with the vowel pointings of a.do.na (אֲדֹנָי "Lord" H0136)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — The Lord.
Another name of ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
יְהֹוָה (ye.ho.vah) — (Jerusalem of) the Lord.
Combined with ye.ru.sha.laim (יְרוּשָׁלִַ֫ם, יְרוּשְׁלֵם "Jerusalem" H3389)
N-proper — Noun properHNpt
סָלַח (sa.lach) is a Hebrew verb meaning to forgive or pardon. It is a primitive root with forms in both the Qal and Niphal stems, indicating the act of forgiving and the state of being forgiven, respectively. The term appears in contexts related to forgiveness, including legal or ritual settings.
[סָלַח] vb. forgive, pardon
Qal forgive, pardon
Niph. term.techn. in code of P, it shall be forgiven him
base
H5545 סָלַח forgive, pardon
5545 calach saw-lakh'
a primitive root; to forgive:--forgive, pardon, spare.
סָלַח (sa.lach) — to forgive.
1) to forgive, pardon
1a) (Qal) to forgive, pardon
1b) (Niphal) to be forgiven
V-Qal-Perf-1cs — Verb · Qal · perfect first person common singularHVqp1cs
דָּבָר (dabar) means 'word' or 'speech' and encompasses a range of meanings including discourse, saying, and matter. It can refer to anything spoken or a topic of discussion, extending to concepts like business or affairs. The entries consistently highlight its use in various contexts, but do not indicate any significant disagreement among lexicographers.
דָּבָר 1439 n.m. speech, word
sg. speech, discourse, saying, word, as the sum of that which is spoken
sg. saying, utterance, sentence, as a section of a discourse
sg. a word, words
sg. matter, affair, thing about which one speaks
base
H1697 דָּבָר speech, word . sg. speech, discourse, saying, word, as the sum of that which is spoken
. sg. saying, utterance, sentence, as a section of a discourse
. sg. a word, words
. sg. matter, affair, thing about which one speaks
1697 dabar daw-baw'
from 1696; a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or
thing; adverbially, a cause:--act, advice, affair, answer, X
any such (thing), because of, book, business, care, case,
cause, certain rate, + chronicles, commandment, X
commune(-ication), + concern(-ing), + confer, counsel, +
dearth, decree, deed, X disease, due, duty, effect, +
eloquent, errand, (evil favoured-)ness, + glory, + harm, hurt,
+ iniquity, + judgment, language, + lying, manner, matter,
message, (no) thing, oracle, X ought, X parts, + pertaining, +
please, portion, + power, promise, provision, purpose,
question, rate, reason, report, request, X (as hast) said,
sake, saying, sentence, + sign, + so, some (uncleanness),
somewhat to say, + song, speech, X spoken, talk, task, + that,
X there done, thing (concerning), thought, + thus, tidings,
what(-soever), + wherewith, which, word, work.
see HEBREW for 01696
דָּבָר (da.var) — word.
: word/speech/command
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: speaking.
: speaking
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: thing.
: thing/matter
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: promised.
: promised/duty
1) speech, word, speaking, thing
1a) speech
1b) saying, utterance
1c) word, words
1d) business, occupation, acts, matter, case, something, manner (by extension)
דָּבָר (da.var) — word: deed.
: deed
Prep | N-ms | Suff — Preposition · noun common masculine singular construct · suffixHR/Ncmsc/Sp2ms