Exo 32:12 | NETfull | STEP | Why should the Egyptians say, ‘For evil he led them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger, and relent of this evil against your people.

Exodus 32:12

12 Why ^{▼▼ The question is rhetorical; it really forms an affirmation that is used here as a reason for the request (see GKC 474 #150.e).} should the Egyptians say, ^{▼▼ Heb “speak, saying.” This is redundant in English and has been simplified in the translation.} ‘For evil ^{▼▼ The word “evil” means any kind of life-threatening or fatal calamity. “Evil” is that which hinders life, interrupts life, causes pain to life, or destroys it. The Egyptians would conclude that such a God would have no good intent in taking his people to the desert if now he destroyed them.} he led them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy ^{▼▼ The form is a Piel infinitive construct from כָּלָה (kalah, “to complete, finish”) but in this stem, “bring to an end, destroy.” As a purpose infinitive this expresses what the Egyptians would have thought of God’s motive.} them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger, and relent ^{▼▼ The verb “repent, relent” when used of God is certainly an anthropomorphism. It expresses the deep pain that one would have over a situation. Earlier God repented that he had made humans (Gen 6:6). Here Moses is asking God to repent/relent over the judgment he was about to bring, meaning that he should be moved by such compassion that there would be no judgment like that. J. P. Hyatt observes that the Bible uses so many anthropomorphisms because the Israelites conceived of God as a dynamic and living person in a vital relationship with people, responding to their needs and attitudes and actions (Exodus [NCBC], 307). See H. V. D. Parunak, “A Semantic Survey of NHM,” Bib 56 (1975): 512-32.} of this evil against your people.