The Meaning of Exodus 32:32 Explained

Exodus 32:32

KJV: Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin ; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

YLT: and now, if Thou takest away their sin -- and if not -- blot me, I pray thee, out of Thy book which Thou hast written.'

Darby: And now, if thou wilt forgive their sin ... but if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book that thou hast written.

ASV: Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin-; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Yet now, if thou wilt forgive  their sin  --; and if not, blot  me, I pray thee, out of thy book  which thou hast written. 

What does Exodus 32:32 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 32:25-35 - Moses Punishes Idolaters And Prays For The People
The heart of Moses was full of that wonderful new word, atonement. For many days Jehovah had been speaking to him about it. But he seemed to feel that on this occasion, the blood of goats and bulls could not avail to put away the black transgression of His people. Then there arose within him the noble resolve to which he gave expression, when he returned by the well-worn path to the summit of Sinai.
His voice was very broken as he commenced to plead. Mark that unfinished sentence, "If thou wilt forgive their sin-I." It was arrested by a burst of uncontrollable emotion. Can we finish it? "If thou wilt forgive, thou wilt act worthily of thyself and bind us to thee forever; but if not, and if the blood of beasts does not avail, let me be their atoning sacrifice, and blot me from thy book!" See Romans 9:1-3, r.v. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 32

1  The people in the absence of Moses, caused Aaron to make a calf
7  God informs Moses, who intercedes for Israel, and prevails
15  Moses comes down with the tablets
19  He breaks them
20  He destroys the calf
22  Aaron's excuse for himself
25  Moses causes the idolaters to be slain
30  He prays for the people

What do the individual words in Exodus 32:32 mean?

And yet now if You will forgive their sin but if not blot me I pray out of Your book which You have written
וְעַתָּ֖ה אִם־ תִּשָּׂ֣א חַטָּאתָ֑ם וְאִם־ אַ֕יִן מְחֵ֣נִי נָ֔א מִֽסִּפְרְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּתָֽבְתָּ

וְעַתָּ֖ה  And  yet  now 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
תִּשָּׂ֣א  You  will  forgive 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: נָשָׂא  
Sense: to lift, bear up, carry, take.
חַטָּאתָ֑ם  their  sin 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, third person masculine plural
Root: חַטָּאָה 
Sense: sin, sinful.
וְאִם־  but  if 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Conjunction
Root: אִם  
Sense: if.
מְחֵ֣נִי  blot  me 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular, first person common singular
Root: מָחָא 
Sense: to wipe, wipe out.
נָ֔א  I  pray 
Parse: Interjection
Root: נָא  
Sense: I (we) pray, now, please.
מִֽסִּפְרְךָ֖  out  of  Your  book 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: סֵפֶר 
Sense: book.
כָּתָֽבְתָּ  You  have  written 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: כָּתַב  
Sense: to write, record, enrol.