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 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."
2Aaron answered them, "Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, 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 their earrings 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 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 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 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 then he proclaimed, "Tomorrow is to be a festival to the LORD."
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.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.
7Then the LORD said to Moses, "Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt.7The LORD told Moses, "Go down immediately, because your people whom you led out of Egypt have behaved 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 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.'"
9"I have seen these people," the LORD said to Moses, "and they are 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 may burn against them and that I may 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 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 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, '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 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, 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 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.'"
14Then the LORD relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.14So the LORD changed his mind about the calamity 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 hand, tablets which were written on both sides. They were written on one side and the other.
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, inscribed 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 told Moses, "The sound of war is coming from 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."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."
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 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.
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 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.
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 this people do to you that you brought such great sin upon them?"
22"Do not be angry, my lord," Aaron answered. "You know how prone these people are to evil.22Aaron said, "Sir, don't be angry. You know the people—that they're 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 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 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 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 running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock to 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 —
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.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.
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 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 that day about three thousand of the people died.28The descendants of Levi did just as Moses told them, and about 3,000 people died that day.
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."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 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 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 went back to the LORD and said, "Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold.31Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Please, LORD, this people committed a great sin by making 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 will, forgive their sin—but if not, blot me out of your book which you have written."
33The LORD replied to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of 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 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, 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 struck the people with a plague because of 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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Exodus 31
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