Pardon the iniquity of this people …: Finally, Moses reaches the point of his long appeal to God, which began in verse 13. He pleads for forgiveness on behalf of his people. The Hebrew verb for Pardon differs from the one rendered forgiven, which is the same verb translated “forgiving” in verse 18 (see the comments there). These two Hebrew verbs are very similar in meaning, so Good News Translation translates them the same way, saying “forgive” and “forgiven.” However, if the target language has several words for forgiveness, this would be the place to use them. For iniquity see verse 18; for this people, see verse 11.

I pray thee renders the Hebrew particle naʾ again (see verse 17). Here it may be rendered “please” (Contemporary English Version, New Living Translation), perhaps strengthened by a vocative expression (so Good News Translation with “LORD”).

According to the greatness of thy steadfast love: See verse 18. New Living Translation says “In keeping with your magnificent, unfailing love.”

And according as thou hast forgiven this people, from Egypt even until now means God kept forgiving his people from the time they left Egypt until the present time. New Living Translation says “just as you have forgiven them ever since they left Egypt.”

Quoted with permission from de Regt, Lénart J. and Wendland, Ernst R. A Handbook on Numbers. (UBS Helps for Translators). Miami: UBS, 2016. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .