Exodus 32:21

Exodus 32:21 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?
• New International Version (NIV)He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?”
• English Standard Version (ESV)And Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?"
• New King James Version (NKJV)And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?”

Context of Exodus 32:21

19When they came near the camp, Moses saw the calf and the dancing, and he burned with anger. He threw the stone tablets to the ground, smashing them at the foot of the mountain. 20He took the calf they had made and burned it. Then he ground it into powder, threw it into the water, and forced the people to drink it. Finally, he turned to Aaron and demanded, “What did these people do to you to make you bring such terrible sin upon them?” 22“Don’t get so upset, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know how evil these people are. 23They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.’

Exodus 32:21 word by word

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן מֶֽה־עָשָׂ֥ה לְךָ֖ הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּֽי־הֵבֵ֥אתָ עָלָ֖יו חֲטָאָ֥ה גְדֹלָֽה׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And Mosesמֹשֶׁהmôsheh · MosesH4872
• saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• unto Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
• What didעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• this peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
• unto thee, that thou hast broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
• so greatגָּדוֹלgâdôl gâdôl · great: largeH1419
• a sinחֲטָאָהchăţâ'âh · sinH2401

Cross-references for Exodus 32:21

• Genesis 20:9Then Abimelech called for Abraham. “What have you done to us?” he demanded. “What crime have I committed that deserves treatment like this, making me and my kingdom guilty of this great sin? No one should ever do what you have done!
• Genesis 26:10“How could you do this to us?” Abimelech exclaimed. “One of my people might easily have taken your wife and slept with her, and you would have made us guilty of great sin.”
• Deuteronomy 13:6“Suppose someone secretly entices you—even your brother, your son or daughter, your beloved wife, or your closest friend—and says, ‘Let us go worship other gods’—gods that neither you nor your ancestors have known.
• 1 Samuel 26:19But now let my lord the king listen to his servant. If the Lord has stirred you up against me, then let him accept my offering. But if this is simply a human scheme, then may those involved be cursed by the Lord. For they have driven me from my home, so I can no longer live among the Lord’s people, and they have said, ‘Go, worship pagan gods.’
• Joshua 7:19Then Joshua said to Achan, “My son, give glory to the Lord, the God of Israel, by telling the truth. Make your confession and tell me what you have done. Don’t hide it from me.”
• 1 Kings 14:16He will abandon Israel because Jeroboam sinned and made Israel sin along with him.”
• 1 Kings 21:22I am going to destroy your family as I did the family of Jeroboam son of Nebat and the family of Baasha son of Ahijah, for you have made me very angry and have led Israel into sin.’
• 2 Kings 21:9But the people refused to listen, and Manasseh led them to do even more evil than the pagan nations that the Lord had destroyed when the people of Israel entered the land.

Commentaries on Exodus 32:21

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 21What did this people unto thee - It seems if Aaron had been firm, this evil might have been prevented.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. 21-25Aaron denied responsibility, even though he made the molds and poured the gold (32:4). Aaron wanted Moses to believe it all just happened (32:24). He implied he had no choice because the people were so evil (32:22). Aaron did not fool Moses. Moses knew Aaron could have led the people, but instead, he allowed them to get completely out of control (32:25).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-351. when the people saw that Moses delayed--They supposed that he had lost his way in the darkness or perished in the fire. the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron--rather, "against" Aaron in a tumultuous manner, to compel him to do what they wished. The incidents related in this chapter disclose a state of popular sentiment and feeling among the Israelites that stands in singular contrast to the tone of profound and humble reverence they…Read the comment

Topics related to Exodus 32:21

• Falsehood
• Israel
• Reproof

In the dictionaries

• Aaron
• Moses
• Consume
• Corrupt
• Fashion
• Levite
• Mastery
• Naked
• Play
• Shout

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