Numbers 14:18 (YLT)

Passage

Jehovah <FI>is<Fi> slow to anger, and of great kindness; bearing away iniquity and transgression, and not entirely acquitting, charging iniquity of fathers on sons, on a third <FI>generation<Fi> , and on a fourth; --

Nearby Context

Numbers 14:16 From Jehovah's want of ability to bring in this people unto the land which He hath sworn to them--He doth slaughter them in the wilderness.

Numbers 14:17 `And now, let, I pray Thee, the power of my Lord be great, as Thou hast spoken, saying:

Numbers 14:18 Jehovah <FI>is<Fi> slow to anger, and of great kindness; bearing away iniquity and transgression, and not entirely acquitting, charging iniquity of fathers on sons, on a third <FI>generation<Fi> , and on a fourth; --

Numbers 14:19 forgive, I pray Thee, the iniquity of this people, according to the greatness of Thy kindness, and as Thou hast borne with this people from Egypt, even until now.'

Numbers 14:20 And Jehovah saith, `I have forgiven, according to thy word;

Study Lenses

The verse centers on "jehovah", "slow", "anger", "great", "kindness", "bearing", "away", and "iniquity". It is saying that the verse draws attention to "jehovah" and "slow", so its meaning should be read from those terms before moving to application.

The nearby context moves from verse 17's "And now let I pray Thee the..." into verse 19's "forgive I pray Thee the iniquity of...", so "jehovah" and "slow" 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 "jehovah" and "slow" with trust shaped by these words, not by a vague optimism outside the passage.