Exodus 32

(Deuteronomy 9:7–29; Acts 7:39–43)

1Now when the peopleH5971 sawH7200 thatH3588 MosesH4872 was delayedH954 in coming downH3381 fromH4480 the mountainH2022, theyH5971 gatheredH6950 aroundH5921 AaronH175 and saidH559, “ComeH6965, makeH6213 us godsH430 whoH834 will goH1980 before usH6440. As forH3588 thisH2088 MosesH4872 whoH834 brought us upH5927 out of the landH776 of EgyptH4714, we do notH3808 knowH3045 whatH4100 has happenedH1961 to him!”1

2So AaronH175 toldH559 themH413, “Take offH6561 the goldH2091 earringsH5141 thatH834 are onH241 your wivesH802 and sonsH1121 and daughtersH1323, and bring themH935 to meH413.”

3Then allH3605 the peopleH5971 took offH6561 their goldH2091 earringsH5141 and brought themH935 toH413 AaronH175. 4He tookH3947 the gold from their handsH3027, andH6696 with an engraving toolH2747 he fashionedH6213 itH853 into a moltenH4541 calfH5695. And they saidH559, “TheseH428, O IsraelH3478, are your godsH430, whoH834 brought you upH5927 out of the landH776 of EgyptH4714!”

5When AaronH175 saw thisH7200, he builtH1129 an altarH4196 beforeH6440 the calf and proclaimedH7121H175H559: “TomorrowH4279 shall be a feastH2282 to the LORDH3068.”

6So the next dayH4283 they aroseH7925, offeredH5927 burnt offeringsH5930, and presentedH5066 peace offeringsH8002. And the peopleH5971 sat downH3427 to eatH398 and drinkH8354 and got upH6965 to indulge in revelryH6711.2

7Then the LORDH3068 saidH1696 toH413 MosesH4872, “Go down at onceH1980H3381, forH3588 your peopleH5971, whomH834 you brought upH5927 out of the landH776 of EgyptH4714, have corrupted themselvesH7843. 8How quickly they haveH4118 turned asideH5493 fromH4480 the wayH1870 thatH834 I commanded themH6680! They have madeH6213 for themselves a moltenH4541 calfH5695 and have bowed downH7812 to it. They have sacrificedH2076 to it and saidH559, ‘TheseH428, O IsraelH3478, are your godsH430, whoH834 brought you upH5927 out of the landH776 of EgyptH4714.’”

9The LORDH3068 also saidH559 toH413 MosesH4872, “I have seenH7200 thisH2088 peopleH5971, and theyH1931 are indeedH2009 a stiff-neckedH7186H6203 peopleH5971. 10NowH6258 leave Me aloneH5117, so that My angerH639 may burnH2734 against them and consume themH3615. Then I will makeH6213 youH853 into a greatH1419 nationH1471.”

11But MosesH4872 sought the favorH2470H6440 of the LORDH3068 his GodH430, sayingH559, “O LORDH3068, whyH4100 does Your angerH639 burnH2734 against Your peopleH5971, whomH834 You broughtH3318 out of the landH776 of EgyptH4714 with greatH1419 powerH3581 and a mightyH2389 handH3027? 12WhyH4100 should the Egyptians declareH559H4713, ‘He brought them outH3318 with evil intentH7451, to killH2026 themH853 in the mountainsH2022 and wipe themH3615 fromH5921 the faceH6440 of the earthH127’? TurnH7725 from Your fierceH2740 angerH639 and relentH5162 from doingH5921 harmH7451 to Your peopleH5971. 13RememberH2142 Your servantsH5650 AbrahamH85, IsaacH3327, and IsraelH3478, to whomH834 You sworeH7650 by Your very self when You declaredH1696H413, ‘I will make your descendantsH2233 as numerousH7235 as the starsH3556 in the skyH8064, and I will giveH5414 your descendantsH2233 allH3605 thisH2063 landH776 thatH834 I have promisedH559, and it shall be their inheritanceH5157 foreverH5769.’”

14So the LORDH3068 relentedH5162 fromH5921 the calamityH7451 He had threatenedH1696 to bringH6213 on His peopleH5971.

15Then MosesH4872 turnedH6437 and went downH3381 the mountainH2022 with the twoH8147 tabletsH3871 of the TestimonyH5715 in his handsH3027H3871. They were inscribedH3789 on bothH8147 sidesH5676, frontH2088 and backH2088. 16The tabletsH3871 were the workH4639 of GodH430H1992, and the writingH4385 was the writingH4385 of GodH430H1931, engravedH2801 onH5921 the tabletsH3871.

17When JoshuaH3091 heardH8085 the soundH6963 of the peopleH5971 shoutingH7452, he saidH559 toH413 MosesH4872, “The soundH6963 of warH4421 is in the campH4264.”

18But Moses repliedH559:

19

AsH834 Moses approachedH7126H413 the campH4264 and sawH7200 the calfH5695 and the dancingH4246, heH4872 burnedH2734 with angerH639 and threwH7993 the tabletsH3871 out of his handsH3027, shatteringH7665 themH853 at the base ofH8478 the mountainH2022. 20Then he tookH3947 the calfH5695 they had madeH6213, burned itH8313 in the fireH784, groundH2912 it toH5704 powderH1854, and scatteredH2219 the powder overH5921 the faceH6440 of the waterH4325. Then he forcedH1121 the IsraelitesH3478 to drinkH8248 itH853.

21“WhatH4100 did thisH2088 peopleH5971 doH6213 to you,” MosesH4872H413 askedH559 AaronH175, “thatH3588 you have led themH935 intoH5921 so greatH1419 a sinH2401?”

22“Do notH408 be enragedH2734H639, my lordH113,” AaronH175 repliedH559. “YouH859 yourself knowH3045 that the peopleH5971H3588 are intent on evilH7451H1931. 23They toldH559 me, ‘MakeH6213 us godsH430 whoH834 will goH1980 before usH6440. As forH3588 thisH2088 MosesH4872 whoH834 brought us upH5927 out of the landH776 of EgyptH4714, we do notH3808 knowH3045 whatH4100 has happenedH1961 to him!’

24So I saidH559 to them, ‘WhoeverH4310 has goldH2091, let him take it offH6561,’ and they gave itH5414 to me. And when I threw itH7993 into the fireH784, out cameH3318 thisH2088 calfH5695!”

25MosesH4872 sawH7200 that the peopleH5971 were out of controlH6544H1931H3588, forH3588 AaronH175 had let them run wildH6544 and become a laughingstockH81033 to their enemiesH6965. 26So MosesH4872 stoodH5975 at the entranceH8179 to the campH4264 and saidH559, “WhoeverH4310 is for the LORDH3068, come to meH413.”

And allH3605 the LevitesH1121H3878 gatheredH622 around himH413.

27He toldH559 them, “This is whatH3541 the LORDH3068, the GodH430 of IsraelH3478, saysH559: ‘Each of you menH376 is to fastenH7760 his swordH2719 toH5921 his sideH3409, go back and forthH5674H7725 through the campH4264 from gateH8179 to gateH8179, and slayH2026 his brotherH251H376, his friendH7453H376, and his neighborH7138.’”

28The LevitesH1121H3878 didH6213 as MosesH4872 commandedH1697, and thatH1931 dayH3117 about threeH7969 thousandH505 ofH4480 the peopleH5971 fell deadH5307.

29Afterward, MosesH4872 saidH559, “TodayH3117 you have been ordainedH43904 for serviceH3027 to the LORDH3068, sinceH3588 each manH376 went against his sonH1121 and his brotherH251; so the LORD has bestowedH5414 a blessingH1293 on youH5921 this dayH3117.”

30

The next dayH4283 MosesH4872 saidH559 toH413 the peopleH5971, “YouH859 have committedH2398 a greatH1419 sinH2401. NowH6258 I will go upH5927 toH413 the LORDH3068; perhapsH194 I can make atonementH3722 forH1157 your sinH2403.”

31So MosesH4872 returnedH7725 toH413 the LORDH3068 and saidH559, “OhH577, what a greatH1419 sinH2401 theseH2088 peopleH5971 have committedH2398! They have madeH6213 godsH430 of goldH2091 for themselves. 32Yet nowH6258, ifH518 You would only forgiveH5375 their sinH2403.... But ifH518 notH369, pleaseH4994 blot meH4229 out of the bookH5612 thatH834 You have writtenH3789.”

33The LORDH3068 repliedH559 toH413 MosesH4872, “WhoeverH4310 has sinnedH2398 against Me, I will blot outH4229 of My bookH5612. 34NowH6258 goH1980, leadH5148 the peopleH5971 toH413 the place I describedH1696. BeholdH2009, My angelH4397 shall goH1980 before youH6440. But on the dayH3117 I settle accountsH6485, I will punish themH6485H5921 for their sinH2403.”

35And the LORDH3068 sent a plagueH5062 on the peopleH5971 because ofH5921 whatH834 they had doneH6213 with the calfH5695 thatH834 AaronH175 had madeH6213.