Biblical Hebrew Forum

[Todd Young <tbbyoung AT flash.net>]

"Harold R. Holmyard III" wrote:

> Dear Bill,
>      You suggested that many translations of Num 14:18 turn the words into
> "double-speak" by adding "the guilty" after "He will not leave unpunished."
> By "double-speak" I assume you mean that the verse would first say that God
> forgives sin and then would say that He punishes sin. If He forgives it,
> why does He punish it? If He forgives, why are the people still guilty?
> [BTW, it seems wrong to say that NF&F) does not mean "forgive" when that is
> a meaning found to be suitable by lexica at many verses.]
>      The solution of these versions to insert "guilty" probably arises from
> reading of Num 14:18 alongside Exod 20:5. There God divides people into two
> groups, those who love Him and those who hate Him. Numbers 14:18 utilizes
> this foundational passage in a condensed form, leaving the reader to supply
> the missing elements. God is not forgiving and punishing the same group of
> people simultaneously. He is forgiving those who love Him and punishing
> those who hate Him.
>
>                                                         Sincerely,
>                                                         Harold Holmyard
>

I must take exception to your theory. Just because sin is forgiven does not 
mean that
no punishment is due. When my 8 year old breaks a rule, he often says he is 
sorry and
asks me to forgive him. I will forgive, but his actions still warrant some 
form of
discipline. God disciplines those he loves. Forgiveness equals a lack of 
eternal
punishment, but not eliminate temporal discipline or consequences.

Todd Young
Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary
Fort Worth, TX

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