17. "Now, Lord, show your strength. You have said,
18. "I am the Lord. I am slow to get angry. I am full of love. I forgive those who sin. I forgive those who refuse to obey. But I do not let guilty people go without punishing them. I punish the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren for the sin of their parents.'
19. "Lord, your love is great. So forgive the sin of these people. Forgive them just as you have done from the time they left Egypt until now."
20. The Lord replied, "I have forgiven them, just as you asked.
21. You can be sure that I live. You can be sure that my glory fills the whole earth.
22. "And you can be just as sure that these men will not see the land I promised to give them. They have seen my glory. They have seen the miraculous signs I did in Egypt. And they have seen what I did in the desert. But they did not obey me. And they have put me to the test ten times.
23. So not even one of them will ever see the land I promised with an oath to give to their people of long ago. No one who has made fun of me will ever see it.