Nothing can be more beautiful and interesting, than these pleas of Moses. Reader! remark with me the arguments he makes use of; all which terminate in this one grand consideration; namely, the glory and honour of the LORD'S holy name. Every promise of GOD which is in CHRIST JESUS, is secured to his people in the pledge of his great name. Joshua 7:9. And GOD himself hath graciously condescended to add to this as an argument, the reproach of the enemy. See Deuteronomy 32:26-27. And that was not the smallest part of Moses' address that the LORD had before pardoned their idolatry, and wherefore not now? If the mercy, rejoicing against judgment, had brought no reflection upon the LORD'S perfections in former instances, wherefore should it now? See Exodus 32:11-12; Malachi 3:6.
Numbers 14:13-19
13 And Moses said unto the LORD, Then the Egyptians shall hear it, (for thou broughtest up this people in thy might from among them;)
14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.
15 Now if thou shalt kill all this people as one man, then the nations which have heard the fame of thee will speak, saying,
16 Because the LORD was not able to bring this people into the land which he sware unto them, therefore he hath slain them in the wilderness.
17 And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,
18 The 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.
19 Pardon, I beseech thee, the iniquity of this people according unto the greatness of thy mercy, and as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.