And that will by no means clear the guilty— There is nothing for the guilty in the Hebrew: and Houbigant well observes, that the connective particle being placed before this clause, and none before the next, visiting the iniquity, &c. it is plain, that this former part of the sentence refers to the latter. The exact meaning of the Hebrew, according to him, is, qui erit impunis, non impune abibit; as much as to say, "if they shall neglect my laws that their crimes may be unrestrained and unpunished, I will not suffer them to pass unpunished; but will visit the iniquity of the fathers," &c. The verb נקה nake, signifies, to free from guilt, obligation, or punishment; and in this sense the Hebrew might literally be rendered, and who, by freeing from guilt, will not free from guilt; i.e. according to the Hebrew idiom, will not by any means free from guilt; will not suffer iniquity to pass unpunished. Or we may read it, but he will by no means clear, when he visits the iniquity, &c.
REFLECTIONS.—Moses is now, at the Divine command, gone up to meet God, and he condescends to manifest his glory, and proclaims those adorable perfections, which are not only the hope of Israel, but of all the ends of the earth. May we seriously consider this glorious character, and be duly affected with the proclamation before us!
The Lord, the Lord God, the Self-existent, and the Almighty, whose power is able to the uttermost to save or to destroy; and good as he is great, delighting in the darling attribute of mercy. Merciful and gracious: full of such bowels of compassion, as even earthly fathers never knew; end freely dispensing his grace, yea, making the most transcendent displays of it to the most undeserving. Long-suffering: though our provocations be numberless, and our sins repeated and aggravated, yet his patience is not tired, nor his offers of pardon withheld. Abundant in goodness and truth: like a mighty river are the streams of his grace, ever flowing, and overflowing; and in his promises, pledging his word, yea, his oath, for his fulfilment of his most extensive engagements of mercy: Yea, keeping mercy for thousands, inexhaustible the source, and endless the current: the greatness of the number who share it, does not in the least diminish the fulness of mercy in him; and it runs parallel with the days of eternity. Forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin: so that we may never be afraid to return, even after our longest or deepest falls, since He is the same yesterday, to-day, and for every and saves to the uttermost. But remember withal, he is as just as he is merciful; as incapable of clearing the impenitent, as of rejecting those who return to him; and, therefore, He executes vengeance on his enemies, visiting their iniquity upon children's children. How then should we fear, how should we love this great and gracious and holy Lord God!