15. If you kill these people, every last one of them, the nations who heard about you will say,
16. ‘The Lord wasn’t able to bring these people to the land that he solemnly promised to give them. So he slaughtered them in the desert.’
17. Now let my master’s power be as great as you declared when you said,
18. ‘The Lord is very patient and absolutely loyal, forgiving wrongs and disloyalty. Yet he doesn’t forgo all punishment, disciplining the grandchildren and great-grandchildren for their ancestors’ wrongs.’
19. Please forgive the wrongs of these people because of your absolute loyalty, just as you’ve forgiven these people from their time in Egypt until now."
20. Then the Lord said, "I will forgive as you requested.