Bible Strands
Exodus 32:12
Why should the Egyptians declare, ‘He brought them out with evil intent, to kill them in the mountains and wipe them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce anger and relent from doing harm to Your people.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Moses addresses the LORD following the Israelites’ golden calf rebellion, pleading for mercy before judgment is carried out.
The words — לָ/מָּה֩ (la./Mah) means “why?” and בְּ/רָעָ֤ה (be./ra.'Ah) means “with evil,” framing Moses’ rhetorical question about how God’s reputation would be perceived.
The thread — The concern over Egyptian mockery runs through Numbers 14:13 and Deuteronomy 9:28, while Exodus 32:14 records the LORD’s response to this exact plea.
Why it lands — It requires the reader to weigh intercessory prayer against divine reputation and to recognize that God’s actions are measured by how they are interpreted by observers.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
Cross-references
- Numbers 14:13 But Moses said to the LORD, “The Egyptians will hear of it, for by Your strength You brought this people from among them.
- Deuteronomy 9:28 Otherwise, those in the land from which You brought us out will say, ‘Because the LORD was not able to bring them into the land He had promised them, and because He hated them, He has brought them out to kill them in the wilderness.’
- Exodus 32:14 So the LORD relented from the calamity He had threatened to bring on His people.
- Joshua 7:9 When the Canaanites and all who live in the land hear about this, they will surround us and wipe out our name from the earth. Then what will You do for Your great name?”
- Genesis 6:6 And the LORD regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.
- Deuteronomy 13:17 Nothing devoted to destruction shall cling to your hands, so that the LORD will turn from His fierce anger, grant you mercy, show you compassion, and multiply you as He swore to your fathers,
- Deuteronomy 32:26 I would have said that I would cut them to pieces and blot out their memory from mankind,
- Deuteronomy 32:36 For the LORD will vindicate His people and have compassion on His servants when He sees that their strength is gone and no one remains, slave or free.
- Joshua 7:26 And they heaped over Achan a large pile of rocks that remains to this day. So the LORD turned from His burning anger. Therefore that place is called the Valley of Achor to this day.
- Ezra 10:14 Let our leaders represent the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at an appointed time, together with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us.”