And the Lord was gracious to them,.... To Israel, notwithstanding their apostasy from him, and the idolatry of the calves they were guilty of:
and had compassion on them; being in oppression and distress:
and had respect unto them; looked upon them with an eye of pity and mercy:
because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; made so long ago he still remembered:
and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet; or suffered them to be carried captive into another land, as he afterwards did in the times of Hoshea.
And the Lord was gracious to them,.... To Israel, notwithstanding their apostasy from him, and the idolatry of the calves they were guilty of:
and had compassion on them; being in oppression and distress:
and had respect unto them; looked upon them with an eye of pity and mercy:
because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; made so long ago he still remembered:
and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet; or suffered them to be carried captive into another land, as he afterwards did in the times of Hoshea.