God’s Word Translation
Exodus 32:31
31So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “These people have committed such a serious sin! They made gods out of gold for themselves.
Exodus 32:31 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
- New International Version (NIV)So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold.
- English Standard Version (ESV)So Moses returned to the Lord and said, "Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have made for themselves a god of gold!
Context of Exodus 32:31
29Moses said, “Today you are ordained as the Lord’s priests. God gave you a blessing today because each of you fought with your own sons and brothers.” 30The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a serious sin. Now I will go up the mountain to the Lord. Maybe I will be able to make a payment for your sin and make peace with the Lord for your sin.” So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “These people have committed such a serious sin! They made gods out of gold for themselves. 32But will you forgive their sin? If not, please wipe me out of the book you have written.” 33The Lord answered Moses, “I will wipe out of my book whoever sins against me.
Read all of Exodus 32Exodus 32:31 word by word
וַיָּ֧שָׁב מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אָ֣נָּ֗א חָטָ֞א הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ חֲטָאָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֔ה וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י זָהָֽב׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
- returnedשׁוּבshûb · to return: returnH7725
- unto the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- and saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Ohאָֽנָּ֫א'ân'â 'ânnâh · Please!H577
- this peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- have sinnedחָטָאchâţâ' · to sinH2398
- a greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
- sinחֲטָאָהchăţâ'âh · sinH2401
- and have madeעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to makeH6213
- them godsאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- of goldזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
Cross-references for Exodus 32:31
- Exodus 34:28Moses was there with the Lord 40 days and 40 nights without food or water. He wrote on the tablets the words of the promise, the ten commandments.
- Deuteronomy 9:18Once again I threw myself down in front of the Lord. I went without food and water for 40 days and 40 nights because of the sin you committed. You did what the Lord considered evil and made him furious.
- Exodus 32:30The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a serious sin. Now I will go up the mountain to the Lord. Maybe I will be able to make a payment for your sin and make peace with the Lord for your sin.”
- Ezra 9:6and said, “I am ashamed, my God. I am embarrassed to look at you. Our sins have piled up over our heads, and our guilt is so overwhelming that it reaches heaven.
- Nehemiah 9:33But you were fair about everything that has happened to us. You have been faithful, but we have been wicked.
- Daniel 9:5We have sinned, done wrong, acted wickedly, rebelled, and turned away from your commandments and laws.
- Exodus 20:4Never make your own carved idols or statues that represent any creature in the sky, on the earth, or in the water.
Commentaries on Exodus 32:31
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 31Moses returned unto the Lord - Before he went down from the mountain God had acquainted him with the general defection of the people, whereupon he immediately, without knowing the extent of their crime, began to make intercession for them; and God, having given him a general assurance that they should not be cut off, hastened him to go down, and bring them off from their idolatry. Having descended, he finds matters much worse than he expected, and ordered…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. 30-35Verses 30-35 Moses calls it a great sin. The work of ministers is to show people the greatness of their sins. The great evil of sin appears in the price of pardon. Moses pleads with God for mercy; he came not to make excuses, but to make atonement. We are not to suppose that Moses means that he would be willing to perish for ever, for the people's sake. We are to love our neighbour as ourselves, and not more than ourselves. But having that mind which was…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 30-35This further intercession for the people may have been needed because of the new recognition Moses had of how serious the sin really was.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 30-3330-33. Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin--Moses labored to show the people the heinous nature of their sin, and to bring them to repentance. But not content with that, he hastened more earnestly to intercede for them.Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 32:31
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
God’s Word Translation — © 1995 God’s Word to the Nations Bible Society
Commentaries