11 Yahweh said to Mosheh, “How long will this people group spurn me for? How long will they refuse to believe in me for, despite all the miracles that I’ve done among them? 12 I’ll strike them with a plague and destroy them. I’m make you into a nation that’s greater and more powerful than them.”

13 But Mosheh disagreed with Yahweh, “Then Egypt will hear about how you used your power to bring these people out from among them, 14 and they’ll report to the inhabitants of Kanaan, because those inhabitants have heard that you, Yahweh, are right here in the middle of us Israeli people, and how your cloud rests on us, and how you lead us with that pillar of cloud that becomes a pillar of fire at night. 15 If you exterminate all the Israelis, those nations who’ve heard about your fame will say, 16 ‘That Yahweh couldn’t take those people into the land that he promised them, so he slaughtered them in the wilderness.’ 17 So may the power of my master be great, just as you’ve previously said, 18 ‘Yahweh is slow to anger and quick to show loyal commitment, forgiving disobedience and rebellion. Yet he doesn’t leave the guilty unpunished, bringing the consequences of the father’s disobedience onto the next three generations.’ 19 Please forgive this people for their disobedience, applying your incredible loyal commitment like how you did when you brought these people from Egypt all the way to here.”

20 “I’ve forgiven as per your request,” Yahweh replied, 21 “however, as surely as I live and as all the land is filled with Yahweh’s light, 22 and despite them all seeing my power and the miracles that I did both in Egypt and in the wilderness, they’ve now tested me many times and haven’t done what I told them, 23 so there’s no way that they’ll enter the land that I promised to their ancestors. All those who despised me won’t get to enter it. 24 However, my servant Kalev (Caleb) has a different spirit with him, and he wholeheartedly followed me, so I’ll take him into the land that he explored, and his descendants will inherit it.[ref] 25 The Amalekites and Kanaanites live in the valleys. Tomorrow, you all must turn and set off towards the wilderness via the route to the Red Sea.