Exodus 32:10

32:10 So now, leave me alone ¹  so that my anger can burn against them and I can destroy them, and I will make from you a great nation.”

Numbers 16:21

16:21 “Separate yourselves ²  from among this community, ³  that I may consume them in an instant.”

Numbers 16:45

16:45 “Get away from this community, so that I can consume them in an instant!” But they threw themselves down with their faces to the ground. ⁴ 

Deuteronomy 9:8

9:8 At Horeb you provoked him and he was angry enough with you to destroy you.

Deuteronomy 9:14

9:14 Stand aside ⁵  and I will destroy them, obliterating their very name from memory, ⁶  and I will make you into a stronger and more numerous nation than they are.”

¹ tn The imperative, from the word “to rest” (נוּחַ, nuakh), has the sense of “leave me alone, let me be.” It is a directive for Moses not to intercede for the people. B. S. Childs (Exodus [OTL], 567) reflects the Jewish interpretation that there is a profound paradox in God’s words. He vows the severest punishment but then suddenly conditions it on Moses’ agreement. “Let me alone that I may consume them” is the statement, but the effect is that he has left the door open for intercession. He allows himself to be persuaded – that is what a mediator is for. God could have slammed the door (as when Moses wanted to go into the promised land). Moreover, by alluding to the promise to Abraham God gave Moses the strongest reason to intercede.

² tn The verb is הִבָּדְלוּ (hibbadÿlu), the Niphal imperative of בָּדַל (badal). This is the same word that was just used when Moses reminded the Levites that they had been separated from the community to serve the Lord.

³ sn The group of people siding with Korah is meant, and not the entire community of the people of Israel. They are an assembly of rebels, their “community” consisting in their common plot.

⁴ tn Heb “they fell on their faces.”

⁵ tn Heb “leave me alone.”

⁶ tn Heb “from under heaven.”