Numbers 14:18 (KJV)

Passage

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.

Nearby Context

Numbers 14:16 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.

Numbers 14:17 And now, I beseech thee, let the power of my LORD be great, according as thou hast spoken, saying,

Numbers 14:18 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.

Numbers 14:19 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.

Numbers 14:20 And the LORD said, I have pardoned according to thy word:

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "mercy", "lord", "longsuffering", "great", "forgiving", "iniquity", "transgression", and "means". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "mercy" and "lord", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "And now I beseech thee let the..." into verse 19's "Pardon I beseech thee the iniquity of...", so "mercy" and "lord" belong inside that flow. In Numbers context, the local focus is covenant, worship, and faithfulness.

A plain takeaway is to answer the verse's own emphasis on "mercy" and "lord" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.