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Now therefore leave me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them, and that I may consume them; and I will make of you a great nation.”
Exodus 32:10 · World English Bible
Parallel translations
  • KJV Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
  • BSB Now leave Me alone, so that My anger may burn against them and consume them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”
  • NKJV Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation.”
  • NASB So now leave Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation.”
  • NLT Now leave me alone so my fierce anger can blaze against them, and I will destroy them. Then I will make you, Moses, into a great nation.”

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Quick answer

God proposes to consume Israel and make a great nation from Moses instead. The offer tests Moses and sets the stage for his intercession.

Overview

God's words, 'leave me alone,' paradoxically invite Moses to plead rather than dismiss him. The proposal to start over with Moses echoes God's earlier promise to Abraham, yet Moses refuses personal advancement at Israel's expense. His response models selfless intercession, pointing forward to Christ who pleads for His people.

Cross-references & the web

Cross-references · 14

  • Deut 9:14Leave me alone, that I may destroy them, and blot out their name from under the sky; and I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.”
  • Num 14:12I will strike them with the pestilence, and disinherit them, and will make of you a nation greater and mightier than they.”
  • Deut 9:19For I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure with which Yahweh was angry against you to destroy you. But Yahweh listened to me that time also.
  • Num 16:45–48“Get away from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment!” They fell on their faces.
  • Exod 22:24and my wrath will grow hot, and I will kill you with the sword; and your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.
  • Num 16:22They fell on their faces, and said, “God, the God of the spirits of all flesh, shall one man sin, and will you be angry with all the congregation?”
  • Num 14:19–20Please pardon the iniquity of this people according to the greatness of your loving kindness, and according as you have forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now.”
  • Exod 32:19As soon as he came near to the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. Then Moses’ anger grew hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mountain.
  • Exod 32:11Moses begged Yahweh his God, and said, “Yahweh, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, that you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
  • Jer 14:11Yahweh said to me, “Don’t pray for this people for their good.
  • Jer 15:1Then Yahweh said to me, “Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind would not be toward this people. Cast them out of my sight, and let them go out!
  • Gen 18:32–33He said, “Oh don’t let the Lord be angry, and I will speak just once more. What if ten are found there?” He said, “I will not destroy it for the ten’s sake.”
  • Gen 32:26–28The man said, “Let me go, for the day breaks.” Jacob said, “I won’t let you go, unless you bless me.”
  • Jas 5:16Confess your offenses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The insistent prayer of a righteous person is powerfully effective.

Themes, concepts, people & topics

Topics (4)

Resources, by level

Commentaries & study tools

  • VideoBibleProject — Exodus videosBibleProject · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Free animated overview and word-study videos for this book.

  • VideoWatch teaching on Exodus 32:10YouTube · Lay · Free

    Sermons and teaching on this passage from across YouTube.

  • CommentaryEnduring Word — verse-by-verseDavid Guzik · Lay · Free · evangelical

    Clear, readable, conservative exposition — the best free place to start on any passage.

  • CommentaryClassic commentaries for this verseBibleHub (20+ works) · Pastoral · Free

    Matthew Henry, Barnes, Gill, the Pulpit Commentary, Ellicott, Cambridge, and more — stacked on one page for this exact verse.

  • CommentaryMatthew Henry on ExodusMatthew Henry · Pastoral · Free · evangelical

    The beloved Puritan exposition of this whole book — warm, devotional, and verse by verse (free, CCEL).

  • ReferenceInterlinear, lexicon & Strong'sBlue Letter Bible · Seminary · Free

    Hebrew/Greek interlinear, word definitions, and cross-references for this verse.

Christ at the center

The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.

How Exodus 32:10 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.

Original language

Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.