King James Version

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.

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Hebrew

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יְהוָ֗הyehvahJehovahיְהֹוָהnoun, proper name — “Jehovah”H3068Jehovah, Jewish national name of GodJehovah, the Lord. Compare H3050 (יָהּ), H3069 (יְהֹוִה).אֶ֤רֶךְerekhlongאָרֵךְadjective, adjective, masculine, singular, construct — “long”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH750longlong(-suffering, -winged), patient, slow (to anger).אַפַּ֨יִם֙apayimfaceאַףnoun, common, masculine, dual, absolute — “face”, the ordinary formH639properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ireanger(-gry), [phrase] before, countenance, face, [phrase] forebearing, forehead, [phrase] (long-) suffering, nose, nostril, snout, [idiom] worthy, wrath.וְרַבveravand aboundרַבconjunction, adjective, adjective, masculine, singular, construct — “and abound”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH7227abundant (in quantity, size, age, number, rank, quality)(in) abound(-undance, -ant, -antly), captain, elder, enough, exceedingly, full, great(-ly, man, one), increase, long (enough, (time)), (do, have) many(-ifold, things, a time), (ship-)master, mighty, more, (too, very) much, multiply(-tude),…חֶ֔סֶדchesedkindnessחֵסֵדnoun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “kindness”, the ordinary formH2617kindness; by implication (towards God) piety; rarely (by opposition) reproof, or (subject.) beautyfavour, good deed(-liness, -ness), kindly, (loving-) kindness, merciful (kindness), mercy, pity, reproach, wicked thing.נֹשֵׂ֥אnoselift upנָשָׂאverb, qal, participle, absolute — “lift up”, a verb used as a describing wordH5375to lift, in a great variety of applications, literal and figurative, absolute and relativeaccept, advance, arise, (able to, (armor), suffer to) bear(-er, up), bring (forth), burn, carry (away), cast, contain, desire, ease, exact, exalt (self), extol, fetch, forgive, furnish, further, give, go on, help, high, hold up, honorable…עָוֺ֖ןaonfaultעָוֺןnoun, common, both genders, singular, absolute — “fault”, the ordinary formH5771perversity, i.e. (moral) evilfault, iniquity, mischeif, punishment (of iniquity), sin.וָפָ֑שַׁעvafashaand rebellionפֶּשַׁעconjunction, noun, common, masculine, singular, absolute — “and rebellion”, the ordinary formH6588a revolt (national, moral or religious)rebellion, sin, transgression, trespass.וְנַקֵּה֙venaqehand be blamelessנָקָהconjunction, verb, piel, infinitive absolute — “and be blameless”, the verb used for emphasisH5352to be (or make) clean (literally or figuratively); by implication (in an adverse sense) to be bare, i.e. extirpatedacquit [idiom] at all, [idiom] altogether, be blameless, cleanse, (be) clear(-ing), cut off, be desolate, be free, be (hold) guiltless, be (hold) innocent, [idiom] by no means, be quit, be (leave) unpunished, [idiom] utterly, [idiom] wholl…לֹ֣אlono , -r,לֹאparticle, negative — “no , -r,”H3808not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles[idiom] before, [phrase] or else, ere, [phrase] except, ig(-norant), much, less, nay, neither, never, no((-ne), -r, (-thing)), ([idiom] as though...,(can-), for) not (out of), of nought, otherwise, out of, [phrase] surely, [phrase] as trul…יְנַקֶּ֔הyenaqehbe blamelessנָקָהverb, piel, imperfect, 3rd person, masculine, singular — “be blameless”, an unfinished actionH5352to be (or make) clean (literally or figuratively); by implication (in an adverse sense) to be bare, i.e. extirpatedacquit [idiom] at all, [idiom] altogether, be blameless, cleanse, (be) clear(-ing), cut off, be desolate, be free, be (hold) guiltless, be (hold) innocent, [idiom] by no means, be quit, be (leave) unpunished, [idiom] utterly, [idiom] wholl…פֹּקֵ֞דpoqedchargeפָּקַדverb, qal, participle, absolute — “charge”, a verb used as a describing wordH6485to visit (with friendly or hostile intent); by analogy, to oversee, muster, charge, care for, miss, deposit, etc.appoint, [idiom] at all, avenge, bestow, (appoint to have the, give a) charge, commit, count, deliver to keep, be empty, enjoin, go see, hurt, do judgment, lack, lay up, look, make, [idiom] by any means, miss, number, officer, (make) overs…עֲוֺ֤ןaonfaultעָוֺןnoun, common, both genders, singular, construct — “fault”, the of-form, joined to the next wordH5771perversity, i.e. (moral) evilfault, iniquity, mischeif, punishment (of iniquity), sin.אָבוֹת֙avotfatherאָבnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “father”, the ordinary formH1father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote applicationchief, (fore-) father(-less), [idiom] patrimony, principal. Compare names in 'Abi-'.עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…בָּנִ֔יםbanimsonבֵּןnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “son”, the ordinary formH1121a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.)[phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, […עַלalaboveעַלpreposition — “above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…שִׁלֵּשִׁ֖יםshileshimthirdשִׁלֵּשׁnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “third”, the ordinary formH8029a descendant of the third degree, i.e. great grandchildthird (generation).וְעַלvealand aboveעַלconjunction, preposition — “and above”H5921above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applicationsabove, according to(-ly), after, (as) against, among, and, [idiom] as, at, because of, beside (the rest of), between, beyond the time, [idiom] both and, by (reason of), [idiom] had the charge of, concerning for, in (that), (forth, out) of,…רִבֵּעִֽיםribeimfourthרִבֵּעַnoun, common, masculine, plural, absolute — “fourth”, the ordinary formH7256a descendant of the fourth generation, i.e. great great grandchildfourth.

Jewish translation (JPS 1917)

The LORD is slow to anger, and plenteous in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.

Compare Public-Domain Translations

The King James Version remains the text of this page and the canonical URL.

American Standard Version (1901)

Jehovah is slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; and that will by no means clear the guilty , visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the third and upon the fourth generation.

Young’s Literal Translation

Jehovah [is] 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 [generation], and on a fourth; —

World English Bible

‘Yahweh is slow to anger, and abundant in loving kindness, forgiving iniquity and disobedience; and he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and on the fourth generation.’

Darby Translation

Jehovah is slow to anger, and abundant in goodness, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but by no means clearing [the guilty], visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, upon the third and fourth [generation].

Douay-Rheims

The Lord is patient and full of mercy, taking away iniquity and wickedness, and leaving no man clear, who visitest the sins of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.

Jewish Publication Society (1917)

Brenton’s Septuagint (1851), English

The Lord is long-suffering and merciful, and true, removing transgressions and iniquities and sins, and he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the sins of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation.

Septuagint (Brenton’s Greek, 1851)

Κύριος μακρόθυμος, καὶ πολυέλεος, καὶ ἀληθινὸς, ἀφαιρῶν ἀνομίας καὶ ἀδικίας καὶ ἁμαρτίας, καὶ καθαρισμῷ οὐ καθαριεῖ τὸν ἔνοχον, ἀποδιδοὺς ἁμαρτίας πατέρων ἐπὶ τέκνα ἕως τρίτης καὶ τετάρτης γενεᾶς.