Moses’ Love for His People

1 For you know, and know well, the sacred scriptures, dear friends, and you have searched into the oracles of God. So we write these things to remind you. 2 When Moses went up into the mountain and had spent forty days and forty nights in fasting and self-humbling, God said to him; “Moses, Moses, come down quickly from here, for My people whom you led out of the land of Egypt have committed iniquity: they have quickly turned aside from the way which you commanded them: they have made cast images for themselves.” 3 And the Lord said to him; “I have spoken to you once and twice, saying, I have seen this people, and look, it is stiff-necked. Let Me destroy them completely, and I will blot out their name from under heaven, and I will make of you a nation great and wonderful and far more numerous than this one.” 4 And Moses said; “No, not so, Lord! Forgive this people their sin, or blot me also out of the book of the living.”⁠a 5 What mighty love! What unsurpassable perfection! The servant is bold with his Master; he asks forgiveness for the multitude, or demands that he himself also be blotted out with them.