Amplified Bible
Exodus 32:26
26then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side, come to me!” And all the sons of Levi [the priestly tribe] gathered together to him.
Exodus 32:26 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord’s side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
- New International Version (NIV)So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him.
- English Standard Version (ESV)then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, "Who is on the Lord's side? Come to me." And all the sons of Levi gathered around him.
- New King James Version (NKJV)then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side—come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.
Context of Exodus 32:26
24I said to them, ‘Let whoever has gold [jewelry], take it off.’ So they gave it to me; then I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.” 25Now when Moses saw that the people were out of control—for Aaron had let them get out of control to the point of being an object of mockery among their enemies— then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side, come to me!” And all the sons of Levi [the priestly tribe] gathered together to him. 27He said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Every man strap his sword on his thigh and go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and every man kill his brother, and every man his friend, and every man his neighbor [all who continue pagan worship].’ ” 28So the sons of Levi did as Moses instructed, and about three thousand men of the people [of Israel] were killed that day.
Read all of Exodus 32Exodus 32:26 word by word
וַיַּעֲמֹ֤ד מֹשֶׁה֙ בְּשַׁ֣עַר הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מִ֥י לַיהוָ֖ה אֵלָ֑י וַיֵּאָסְפ֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו כָּל־בְּנֵ֥י לֵוִֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- stoodעָמַד‛âmad · to stand: standH5975
- in the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
- of the campמַחֲנֶהmachăneh · campH4264
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- on the Lord’sיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- unto me. And all the sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- of Leviלֵוִיlêvîy · LeviH3878
- gatheredאָסַף'âsaph · to gatherH622
Cross-references for Exodus 32:26
- Joshua 5:13Now when Joshua was by Jericho, he looked up, and behold, a man was standing opposite him with his drawn sword in his hand, and Joshua went to him and said to him, “Are you for us or for our adversaries?”
- 2 Samuel 20:11Now one of Joab’s young men stood by him and said, “Whoever favors Joab and is for David, let him follow Joab!”
- 2 Kings 9:32Then Jehu raised his face toward the window and said, “Who is on my side? Who?” And two or three officials looked down at him.
- Matthew 12:30He who is not with Me [once and for all on My side] is against Me; and he who does not [unequivocally] gather with Me scatters.
Commentaries on Exodus 32:26
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 26Who is on the Lord's side? - That is, Who among you is free from this transgression? And all the sons of Levi, etc. - It seems they had no part in this idolatrous business.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7-35Verses 7-35 The faithfulness of Moses in the office that had been entrusted to him was now to be put to the test. It was to be made manifest whether he loved his own glory better than he loved the brethren who were under his charge; whether he would prefer that he should himself become the founder of a “great nation,” or that the Lord‘s promise should be fulfilled in the whole people of Israel. This may have been especially needful for Moses, in…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 21-29Verses 21-29 Never did any wise man make a more frivolous and foolish excuse than that of Aaron. We must never be drawn into sin by any thing man can say or do to us; for men can but tempt us to sin, they cannot force us. The approach of Moses turned the dancing into trembling. They were exposed to shame by their sin. The course Moses took to roll away this reproach, was, not by concealing the sin, or putting any false colour upon it, but by punishing it…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 26-29Moses had asked God to spare the people, but now he called on those who followed the Lord to kill those who had sinned. The Levites (32:26) were willing to confront the sin that Aaron had let loose. Although Moses commanded them to kill everyone (32:27), the number 3,000 (32:28) makes it clear that the words each of you had a restricted meaning. The reference to his son and his brother suggests that as Aaron had led in the idolatry, many of the Levites…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 26-2826-28. Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said--The camp is supposed to have been protected by a rampart after the attack of the Amalekites. Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me--The zeal and courage of Moses was astonishing, considering he opposed an intoxicated mob. The people were separated into two divisions, and those who were the boldest and most obstinate in vindicating their idolatry were put to death, while the rest, who withdrew…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 32:26
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 32
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
Amplified Bible — © 2015 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, CA 90631
Commentaries