Exodus 32
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1When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, "Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him."1When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, "Come, make gods for us 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!"
2Aaron answered them, "Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me."2Aaron 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."
3So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron.3So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron.
4He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, "These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt."4He took the gold from them, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf. Then they said, "Israel, these are your gods, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!"
5When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, "Tomorrow there will be a festival to the LORD."5When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of it and made an announcement: "There will be a festival to the LORD tomorrow."
6So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterward they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.6Early the next morning they arose, offered burnt offerings, and presented fellowship offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to party.
7Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.7The LORD spoke to Moses: "Go down at once! For your people you brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly.
8They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, 'These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.'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, these are your gods, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.'"
9"I have seen these people," the LORD said to Moses, "and they are a stiff-necked people.9The LORD also said to Moses: "I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people.
10Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation."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."
11But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God. "LORD," he said, "why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?11But Moses sought the favor of 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?
12Why should the Egyptians say, 'It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth'? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people.12Why should the Egyptians say, 'He brought them out with an evil intent to kill them in the mountains and eliminate them from the face of the earth'? Turn from your fierce anger and relent concerning this disaster planned for your people.
13Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: 'I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.'"13Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel--you swore to them by yourself 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.'"
14Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.14So the LORD relented concerning the disaster he had said he would bring on his people.
15Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back.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.
16The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.16The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was God's writing, engraved on the tablets.
17When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, "There is the sound of war in the camp."17When Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is a sound of war in the camp."
18Moses replied: "It is not the sound of victory, it is not the sound of defeat; it is the sound of singing that I hear."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!
19When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.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.
20And he took the calf the people had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it.20He 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.
21He said to Aaron, "What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?"21Then Moses asked Aaron, "What did these people do to you that you have led them into such a grave sin?"
22"Do not be angry, my lord," Aaron answered. "You know how prone these people are to evil.22"Don't be enraged, my lord," Aaron replied. "You yourself know that the people are intent on evil.
23They said to me, 'Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don't know what has happened to him.'23They said to me, 'Make gods for us 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!'
24So I told them, 'Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.' Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!"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!"
25Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to their enemies.25Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them get out of control, making them a laughingstock to their enemies.
26So 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.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.
27Then he said to them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.'"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.'"
28The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died.28The Levites did as Moses commanded, and about three thousand men fell dead that day among the people.
29Then Moses said, "You have been set apart to the LORD today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this 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."
30The next day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin."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."
31So Moses went back to the LORD and said, "Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold.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.
32But now, please forgive their sin--but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written."32Now if you would only forgive their sin. But if not, please erase me from the book you have written."
33The LORD replied to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book.33The LORD replied to Moses: "Whoever has sinned against me I will erase from my book.
34Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin."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."
35And the LORD struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.35And the LORD inflicted a plague on the people for what they did with the calf Aaron had made.
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The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.
Exodus 31
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