Exodus 32:14
New International Version
Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

New Living Translation
So the LORD changed his mind about the terrible disaster he had threatened to bring on his people.

English Standard Version
And the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.

Berean Standard Bible
So the LORD relented from the calamity He had threatened to bring on His people.

King James Bible
And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

New King James Version
So the LORD relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.

New American Standard Bible
So the LORD relented of the harm which He said He would do to His people.

NASB 1995
So the LORD changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.

NASB 1977
So the LORD changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.

Legacy Standard Bible
So Yahweh relented concerning the harm which He said He would do to His people.

Amplified Bible
So the LORD changed His mind about the harm which He had said He would do to His people.

Christian Standard Bible
So the LORD relented concerning the disaster he had said he would bring on his people.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
So the LORD relented concerning the disaster He said He would bring on His people.

American Standard Version
And Jehovah repented of the evil which he said he would do unto his people.

Contemporary English Version
So even though the LORD had threatened to destroy the people, he changed his mind and let them live.

English Revised Version
And the LORD repented of the evil which he said he would do unto his people.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
So the LORD reconsidered his threat to destroy his people.

Good News Translation
So the LORD changed his mind and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

International Standard Version
So the LORD changed his mind about the calamity he had said he would bring on his people.

Majority Standard Bible
So the LORD relented from the calamity He had threatened to bring on His people.

NET Bible
Then the LORD relented over the evil that he had said he would do to his people.

New Heart English Bible
The LORD changed his mind about the disaster which he said he would do to his people.

Webster's Bible Translation
And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do to his people.

World English Bible
So Yahweh turned away from the evil which he said he would do to his people.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and YHWH relents from the evil which He has spoken of doing to His people.

Young's Literal Translation
and Jehovah repenteth of the evil which He hath spoken of doing to His people.

Smith's Literal Translation
And Jehovah repented concerning the evil which he spake to do to his people.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the Lord was appeased from doing the evil which he had spoken against his people.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And the Lord was appeased from doing the evil which he had spoken against his people.

New American Bible
So the LORD changed his mind about the punishment he had threatened to inflict on his people.

New Revised Standard Version
And the LORD changed his mind about the disaster that he planned to bring on his people.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And the LORD was reconciled concerning the evil which he had purposed to do to his people.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
Remember Abraham and Isaac and Israel your Servants, for you swore to them by yourself and you said to them, ‘I shall multiply your seed as the stars that are in Heaven and all the land which I said I shall give to your seed and they shall inherit it to eternity.’
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And the LORD repented of the evil which He said He would do unto His people.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And the Lord was prevailed upon to preserve his people.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Moses Informed of Israel's Sin
13Remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to whom You swore by Your very self when You declared, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give your descendants all this land that I have promised, and it shall be their inheritance forever.’ ” 14So the LORD relented from the calamity He had threatened to bring on His people.

Cross References
Jonah 3:10
When God saw their actions—that they had turned from their evil ways—He relented from the disaster He had threatened to bring upon them.

Numbers 14:20
“I have pardoned them as you requested,” the LORD replied.

Jeremiah 18:7-10
At any time I might announce that a nation or kingdom will be uprooted, torn down, and destroyed. / But if that nation I warned turns from its evil, then I will relent of the disaster I had planned to bring. / And if at another time I announce that I will build up and establish a nation or kingdom, ...

2 Chronicles 7:14
and if My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

Psalm 106:45
And He remembered His covenant with them, and relented by the abundance of His loving devotion.

Amos 7:3
So the LORD relented from this plan. “It will not happen,” He said.

Amos 7:6
So the LORD relented from this plan. “It will not happen either,” said the Lord GOD.

Genesis 6:6
And the LORD regretted that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

Genesis 18:32
Finally, Abraham said, “May the Lord not be angry, but let me speak once more. Suppose ten are found there?” And He answered, “On account of the ten, I will not destroy it.”

1 Samuel 15:11
“I regret that I have made Saul king, for he has turned away from following Me and has not carried out My instructions.” And Samuel was distressed and cried out to the LORD all that night.

2 Samuel 24:16
But when the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD relented from the calamity and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand now!” At that time the angel of the LORD was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.

Isaiah 38:1-5
In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz came to him and said, “This is what the LORD says: ‘Put your house in order, for you are about to die; you will not recover.’” / Then Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, / saying, “Please, O LORD, remember how I have walked before You faithfully and with wholehearted devotion; I have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. ...

Joel 2:13
So rend your hearts and not your garments, and return to the LORD your God. For He is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. And He relents from sending disaster.

Joel 2:14
Who knows? He may turn and relent and leave a blessing behind Him—grain and drink offerings for the LORD your God.

Matthew 3:8
Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance.


Treasury of Scripture

And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do to his people.

Deuteronomy 32:26
I said, I would scatter them into corners, I would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men:

2 Samuel 24:16
And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the LORD repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.

1 Chronicles 21:15
And God sent an angel unto Jerusalem to destroy it: and as he was destroying, the LORD beheld, and he repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed, It is enough, stay now thine hand. And the angel of the LORD stood by the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite.

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Exodus 32
1. The people in the absence of Moses, caused Aaron to make a calf
7. God informs Moses, who intercedes for Israel, and prevails
15. Moses comes down with the tablets
19. He breaks them
20. He destroys the calf
22. Aaron's excuse for himself
25. Moses causes the idolaters to be slain
30. He prays for the people














So the LORD
The phrase "the LORD" refers to Yahweh, the covenant name of God revealed to Moses at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14). This name signifies God's eternal, self-existent nature and His faithfulness to His promises. In the context of Exodus 32, it emphasizes the personal relationship between God and Israel, His chosen people. The use of "the LORD" here underscores His sovereign authority and His intimate involvement in the lives of His people.

relented
The Hebrew word used here is "נָחַם" (nacham), which can mean to be sorry, to console oneself, or to change one's mind. In this context, it indicates a divine change of intention in response to Moses' intercession. This does not imply a change in God's character or His ultimate will, but rather His responsiveness to human actions and prayers. It highlights the dynamic relationship between God and humanity, where God, in His sovereignty, allows His plans to be influenced by the faithful petitions of His servants.

from the calamity
The term "calamity" refers to the disaster or judgment that God had intended to bring upon the Israelites for their sin of idolatry with the golden calf. The Hebrew word "רָעָה" (ra'ah) can mean evil, distress, or disaster. This highlights the seriousness of Israel's sin and the just consequences that were to follow. However, it also sets the stage for understanding God's mercy and willingness to forgive when there is genuine repentance and intercession.

He had threatened
This phrase indicates the conditional nature of God's pronouncements of judgment. The Hebrew root "דָּבַר" (dabar) means to speak or declare. God's threats of judgment are not arbitrary but are based on His righteous standards. They serve as warnings intended to lead His people to repentance. The fact that God "threatened" rather than immediately executed judgment shows His patience and desire for His people to turn back to Him.

to bring on His people
"His people" refers to the Israelites, whom God had chosen as His own possession (Exodus 19:5-6). This covenant relationship is central to understanding the narrative of the Old Testament. Despite their repeated failures, God remains committed to His people, demonstrating both His justice and His mercy. The phrase underscores the special status of Israel and the profound implications of their covenant with God. It also foreshadows the ultimate fulfillment of God's promises through Jesus Christ, who brings salvation to all who believe.

Verse 14. - The Lord repented of the evil. Changes of purpose are, of course, attributed to God by an "economy," or accommodation of the truth to human modes of speech and conception. "God is not a man that he should repent." He "knows the end from the beginning." When he threatened to destroy Israel, he knew that he would spare; but, as he communicated to Moses, first, his anger, and then, at a later period, his intention to spare, he is said to have "repented." The expression is an anthropomorphic one, like so many others, on which we have already commented. (See the comment on Exodus 2:24, 25; 3:7, 8; 31:17; etc.)

CHAPTER 32:15-19

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
So the LORD
יְהוָ֑ה (Yah·weh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3068: LORD -- the proper name of the God of Israel

relented
וַיִּנָּ֖חֶם (way·yin·nā·ḥem)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5162: To sigh, breathe strongly, to be sorry, to pity, console, rue, to avenge

from
עַל־ (‘al-)
Preposition
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

the calamity
הָ֣רָעָ֔ה (hā·rā·‘āh)
Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil

He had threatened
דִּבֶּ֖ר (dib·ber)
Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1696: To arrange, to speak, to subdue

to bring
לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת (la·‘ă·śō·wṯ)
Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6213: To do, make

on His people.
לְעַמּֽוֹ׃ (lə·‘am·mōw)
Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock


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OT Law: Exodus 32:14 Yahweh repented of the evil which he (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 32:13
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