| Holman Christian Standard Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, "Come, make us a god who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt--we don't know what has happened to him!" | 1When the people saw that Moses took a long time to come down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and told him, "Come here and make us a god who will go before us, because, as for this fellow Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what has become of him." |
| 2Then Aaron replied to them, "Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me." | 2Aaron told them, "Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me." |
| 3So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron. | 3All the people tore off the gold rings that were in their ears and brought them to him. |
| 4He took the gold from their hands, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf. Then they said, "Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!" | 4He took them from them and, using a tool, fashioned them into a molten calf. The people said, "This, Israel, is your god who brought you out of the land of Egypt." |
| 5When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; then he made an announcement: "There will be a festival to the LORD tomorrow." | 5When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of it, and then he proclaimed, "Tomorrow is to be a festival to the LORD." |
| 6Early the next morning they arose, offered burnt offerings, and presented fellowship offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink, then got up to play. | 6They got up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. Then the people sat down to eat and drink, and then they got up to play. |
| 7The LORD spoke to Moses: "Go down at once! For your people you brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly. | 7The LORD told Moses, "Go down immediately, because your people whom you led out of Egypt have behaved corruptly. |
| 8They have quickly turned from the way I commanded them; they have made for themselves an image of a calf. They have bowed down to it, sacrificed to it, and said, 'Israel, this is your God, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.'" | 8They have been quick to turn aside from the way I commanded them, and they have made for themselves a molten calf. They have bowed down to it in worship, they have offered sacrifices to it, and they have said, 'This, Israel, is your god who brought you out of the land of Egypt.'" |
| 9The LORD also said to Moses: "I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people. | 9Then the LORD told Moses, "I've seen these people and indeed they're obstinate. |
| 10Now leave Me alone, so that My anger can burn against them and I can destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation." | 10Now let me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may consume them, but I'll make a great nation of you." |
| 11But Moses interceded with the LORD his God: " LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a strong hand? | 11But Moses implored the LORD his God: "LORD, why are you angry with your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a show of force? |
| 12Why should the Egyptians say, 'He brought them out with an evil intent to kill them in the mountains and wipe them off the face of the earth? Turn from Your great anger and relent concerning this disaster planned for Your people. | 12Why should the Egyptians say, 'He brought them out with an evil intention to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth'? Turn from your anger and change your mind about the calamity against your people. |
| 13Remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel--You swore to them by Your very self and declared, 'I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and will give your offspring all this land that I have promised, and they will inherit it forever.'" | 13Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants to whom you swore by yourself as you told them, 'I'll increase the number of your descendants like the stars of the heavens, I'll give your descendants all of this land about which I have spoken, and they are to possess it forever.'" |
| 14So the LORD relented concerning the disaster He said He would bring on His people. | 14So the LORD changed his mind about the calamity he had said he would bring on his people. |
| 15Then Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides--inscribed front and back. | 15Then Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two Tablets of the Testimony in his hand, tablets which were written on both sides. They were written on one side and the other. |
| 16The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was God's writing, engraved on the tablets. | 16The tablets were the work of God and the writing was God's writing, inscribed on the tablets. |
| 17When Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is a sound of war in the camp." | 17When Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted, he told Moses, "The sound of war is coming from the camp." |
| 18But Moses replied: It's not the sound of a victory cry and not the sound of a cry of defeat; I hear the sound of singing! | 18Moses said, "It is not the sound of a victory shout, and it's not the sound of a shout of defeat, but it's the sound of singing that I hear." |
| 19As he approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses became enraged and threw the tablets out of his hands, smashing them at the base of the mountain. | 19As Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, he became angry. He threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the base of the mountain. |
| 20Then he took the calf they had made, burned it up, and ground it to powder. He scattered the powder over the surface of the water and forced the Israelites to drink the water. | 20He took the calf that they had made, burned it with fire, and ground it into powder. He scattered it on the water and made the Israelis drink it. |
| 21Then Moses asked Aaron, "What did these people do to you that you have led them into such a grave sin?"" | 21Then Moses asked Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you brought such great sin upon them?" |
| 22Don't be enraged, my lord," Aaron replied. "You yourself know that the people are intent on evil. | 22Aaron said, "Sir, don't be angry. You know the people—that they're intent on evil. |
| 23They said to me, 'Make us a god who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt--we don't know what has happened to him!' | 23They told me, 'Make a god for us who will go before us because, as for this fellow Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what has become of him.' |
| 24So I said to them, 'Whoever has gold, take it off,' and they gave it to me. When I threw it into the fire, out came this calf!" | 24So I told them, 'Whoever has gold ornaments, tear them off.' When they gave it to me, I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf." |
| 25Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them get out of control, resulting in weakness before their enemies. | 25When Moses saw that the people were out of control—since Aaron had let them get out of control, something that incited ridicule from their enemies — |
| 26And Moses stood at the camp's entrance and said, "Whoever is for the LORD, come to me." And all the Levites gathered around him. | 26he stood in the gate of the camp and called out: "Whoever is for the LORD come over to me," and all the sons of Levi gathered around him. |
| 27He told them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says, 'Every man fasten his sword to his side; go back and forth through the camp from entrance to entrance, and each of you kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.'" | 27He told them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says, 'Every man put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and each of you kill his brother and friend and neighbor.'" |
| 28The Levites did as Moses commanded, and about 3,000 men fell dead that day among the people. | 28The descendants of Levi did just as Moses told them, and about 3,000 people died that day. |
| 29Afterward Moses said, "Today you have been dedicated to the LORD, since each man went against his son and his brother. Therefore you have brought a blessing on yourselves today." | 29Moses said, "You have been ordained to serve the LORD today, and you have brought a blessing on yourselves today because every man opposed his son or brother." |
| 30The following day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a grave sin. Now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I will be able to atone for your sin." | 30The next day Moses told the people, "You committed a great sin, and now I'll go up to the LORD, and perhaps I can make atonement for your sin." |
| 31So Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Oh, these people have committed a grave sin; they have made a god of gold for themselves. | 31Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Please, LORD, this people committed a great sin by making a god of gold for themselves. |
| 32Now if You would only forgive their sin. But if not, please erase me from the book You have written." | 32Now, if you will, forgive their sin—but if not, blot me out of your book which you have written." |
| 33The LORD replied to Moses: "I will erase whoever has sinned against Me from My book. | 33The LORD told Moses, "Whoever sins against me, I'll blot him out of my book. |
| 34Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about; see, My angel will go before you. But on the day I settle accounts, I will hold them accountable for their sin." | 34Now, go, and lead the people where I told you, and now my angel will go before you, but on the day when I do punish, I'll punish them for their sin." |
| 35And the LORD inflicted a plague on the people for what they did with the calf Aaron had made. | 35Then the LORD sent a plague on the people because they made the calf (the one Aaron made). |
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