Exodus 32
1 When the people realized how long Moses was taking before he came back down the mountain, they went together to see Aaron. They told him, “Get up! Make some gods for us who can lead us because this man Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt—we don't know what's happened to him!”
And the people see that Moses is delaying to come down from the mount, and the people assemble against Aaron, and say unto him, 'Rise, make for us gods who go before us, for this Moses — the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt — we have not known what hath happened to him.'
2 “Bring to me the gold earrings that your wives, sons, and daughters are wearing,” Aaron replied.
And Aaron saith unto them, 'Break off the rings of gold which [are] in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring in unto me;'
3 So everyone took off the gold earrings they were wearing and brought them to Aaron.
and all the people themselves break off the rings of gold which [are] in their ears, and bring in unto Aaron,
4 He took what they gave him and using a molding tool cast an idol in the shape of a bull calf. They shouted out, “Israel, these are the gods that brought you out of the land of Egypt.”
and he receiveth from their hand, and doth fashion it with a graving tool, and doth make it a molten calf, and they say, 'These thy gods, O Israel, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.'
5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the golden calf and shouted out, “Tomorrow will be a festival to honor the Lord!”
And Aaron seeth, and buildeth an altar before it, and Aaron calleth, and saith, 'A festival to Jehovah — to-morrow;'
6 Early the next day they sacrificed burnt offerings and presented peace offerings. Then they sat down to celebrate with eating and drinking. Then they got up to dance, and it became like an orgy.
and they rise early on the morrow, and cause burnt-offerings to ascend, and bring nigh peace-offerings; and the people sit down to eat and to drink, and rise up to play.
7 Then the Lord told Moses, “Get back down, because your people that you brought out of Egypt are acting immorally.
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Go, descend, for thy people whom thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt hath done corruptly,
8 They have been so quick to abandon the way I ordered them to follow. They have made a metal bull calf idol for themselves, bowing before it in worship and offering sacrifices to it. They're saying, ‘These are the gods that brought you out of the land of Egypt.’”
they have turned aside hastily from the way that I have commanded them; they have made for themselves a molten calf, and bow themselves to it, and sacrifice to it, and say, These thy gods, O Israel, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.'
9 “I know what these people are like,” the Lord continued saying to Moses. “They are so rebellious!
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'I have seen this people, and lo, it [is] a stiff-necked people;
10 Now leave me! I am angry with them—let me finish them off! I will make you into a great nation.”
and now, let Me alone, and My anger doth burn against them, and I consume them, and I make thee become a great nation.'
11 But Moses pleaded with the Lord his God, saying, “Why are you angry with the people you brought out of the land of Egypt with tremendous power and great strength?
And Moses appeaseth the face of Jehovah his God, and saith, 'Why, O Jehovah, doth Thine anger burn against Thy people, whom Thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a strong hand?
12 Why should the Egyptians be able to say, ‘He brought them out with the evil purpose of killing them in the mountains, wiping them off the face of the earth’? Turn from your fierce anger. Please change your mind over the threat against your people.
why do the Egyptians speak, saying, For evil He brought them out to slay them among mountains, and to consume them from off the face of the ground? turn back from the heat of Thine anger, and repent of the evil against Thy people.
13 Remember you swore a promise your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, telling them, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars of heaven, and give you all the land I promised to them, and they shall own it forever.’”
'Be mindful of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, Thy servants, to whom Thou hast sworn by Thyself, and unto whom Thou speakest: I multiply your seed as stars of the heavens, and all this land, as I have said, I give to your seed, and they have inherited to the age;'
14 The Lord changed his mind over the disaster he threatened to cause his people.
and Jehovah repenteth of the evil which He hath spoken of doing to His people.
15 Moses turned and went down the mountain, carrying the two stone tablets of the Law written on both sides.
And Moses turneth, and goeth down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony [are] in his hand, tables written on both their sides, on this and on that [are] they written;
16 God had made the tablets, and God had engraved the writing himself.
and the tables are the work of God, and the writing is the writing of God, graven on the tables.
17 When Joshua heard all the shouting from the camp, he said to Moses, “It sounds like fighting in the camp!”
And Joshua heareth the voice of the people in their shouting, and saith unto Moses, 'A noise of battle in the camp!'
18 But Moses replied, “These are not the shouts of victory or of defeat. What I'm hearing is people partying!”
and he saith, 'It is not the voice of the crying of might, nor is it the voice of the crying of weakness — a voice of singing I am hearing.'
19 As he approached the camp he saw the bull calf idol and the dancing. He got so angry that he threw down the stone tablets and smashed them there at the foot of the mountain.
And it cometh to pass, when he hath drawn near unto the camp, that he seeth the calf, and the dancing, and the anger of Moses burneth, and he casteth out of his hands the tables, and breaketh them under the mount;
20 He took the bull calf and burned it, and ground it into powder. Then he mixed this with water and made the Israelites drink it.
and he taketh the calf which they have made, and burneth [it] with fire, and grindeth until [it is] small, and scattereth on the face of the waters, and causeth the sons of Israel to drink.
21 Then Moses asked Aaron, “What did these people do to you that you made them sin so badly?”
And Moses saith unto Aaron, 'What hath this people done to thee, that thou hast brought in upon it a great sin?'
22 “Please don't get angry with me, my lord,” Aaron replied, “You yourself know how liable these people are to do evil.
and Aaron saith, 'Let not the anger of my lord burn; thou — thou hast known the people that it [is] in evil;
23 They told me, ‘Make some gods for us who can lead us because this man Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt—we don't know what's happened to him!’
and they say to me, Make for us gods, who go before us, for this Moses — the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt — we have not known what hath happened to him;
24 So I said to them, ‘Anybody who has gold jewelry, take it off and give it to me.’ I threw the gold into the furnace and out came this bull calf.”
and I say to them, Whoso hath gold, let them break [it] off, and they give to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf cometh out.'
25 Moses saw the people going completely wild because Aaron had let them, and that this had brought ridicule on them from their enemies.
And Moses seeth the people that it [is] unbridled, for Aaron hath made it unbridled for contempt among its withstanders,
26 So he went and stood at the entrance to the camp, and shouted out, “Whoever is on the Lord's side, come and join me!” All the Levites gathered around him.
and Moses standeth in the gate of the camp, and saith, 'Who [is] for Jehovah? — unto me!' and all the sons of Levi are gathered unto him;
27 Moses told them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel says: Each of you strap on a sword. Then go all through the camp from one end to the other and kill your brothers, friends, and neighbors.”
and he saith to them, 'Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Put each his sword by his thigh, pass over and turn back from gate to gate through the camp, and slay each his brother, and each his friend, and each his relation.'
28 The Levites did what Moses had told them, and that day around 3,000 men were killed.
And the sons of Levi do according to the word of Moses, and there fall of the people on that day about three thousand men,
29 Moses told the Levites, “Today you have dedicated yourselves to the Lord because you took action against your sons and brothers. Today you have gained a blessing for yourselves.”
and Moses saith, 'Consecrate your hand to-day to Jehovah, for a man [is] against his son, and against his brother, so as to bring on you to-day a blessing.'
30 The following day Moses spoke to the people, saying, “You have sinned very badly. But now I will go up to the Lord. Maybe I can get him to forgive your sin.”
And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that Moses saith unto the people, 'Ye — ye have sinned a great sin, and now I go up unto Jehovah, if so be I atone for your sin.'
31 So Moses went back to the Lord. He said, “Please—the people have sinned very badly by making gods of gold for themselves.
And Moses turneth back unto Jehovah, and saith, 'Oh this people hath sinned a great sin, that they make to themselves a god of gold;
32 But now, if you will, forgive their sin. Otherwise just blot me out of the scroll in which you keep your records.”
and now, if Thou takest away their sin — and if not — blot me, I pray thee, out of Thy book which Thou hast written.'
33 But the Lord replied to Moses, “It's those who sinned against me who will be blotted out of my scroll.
And Jehovah saith unto Moses, 'Whoso hath sinned against Me — I blot him out of My book;
34 Now go and lead the people to the place I told you about. Look, my angel will go before you, but at the time I decide to punish, I will punish them for their sin.”
and now, go, lead the people whithersoever I have spoken to thee of; lo, My messenger goeth before thee, and in the day of my charging — then I have charged upon them their sin.'
35 The Lord brought a plague on the people because they made Aaron make the bull calf.
And Jehovah plagueth the people, because they made the calf which Aaron made.
