Exodus 32
1 And, when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him—Up, make for us gods, who shall go before us, for, as for this Moses—the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what hath befallen him.
And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him: 'Up, make us a god who shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.'
2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the rings of gold, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons and of your daughters, —and bring them unto me.
And Aaron said unto them: 'Break off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.'
3 And all the people of themselves brake off the rings of gold which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
And all the people broke off the golden rings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
4 And he received [the gold] at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf, and they said—These, are thy gods, O Israel, who brought thee up, out of the land of Egypt.
And he received it at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it a molten calf; and they said: 'This is thy god, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.'
5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made proclamation, and said, A festival to Yahweh, to-morrow!
And when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said: 'To-morrow shall be a feast to the LORD.'
6 So they rose up early, on the morrow, and offered ascending-sacrifices, and brought near peace-offerings, and the people sat down, to eat and to drink, and then rose up—to make sport!
And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt-offerings, and brought peace-offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to make merry.
7 Then spake Yahweh unto Moses—Go get thee down, for thy people whom thou hast brought up out of the land of Egypt have corrupted themselves.
And the LORD spoke unto Moses: 'Go, get thee down; for thy people, that thou broughtest up out of the land of Egypt, have dealt corruptly;
8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them, they have made for themselves—a molten calf, and have bowed themselves down thereto and have sacrificed thereto, and have said. These, are thy gods, O Israel, who have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed unto it, and said: This is thy god, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.'
9 So then Yahweh said unto Moses, —I have looked on this people, and lo! a stiff-necked people, it is.
And the LORD said unto Moses: 'I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people.
10 Now, therefore, let me alone, that mine anger may kindle upon them and that I may consume them, and may make of thee a great nation.
Now therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them; and I will make of thee a great nation.'
11 And Moses besought the face of Yahweh his God, —and said—Wherefore, O Yahweh, should thine anger kindle upon thy people, whom thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great might and with a firm hand?
And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said: 'LORD, why doth Thy wrath wax hot against Thy people, that Thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak saying—For mischief, hath he taken them forth to slay them among the mountains, and to make an end of them from off the face of the ground? Turn thou from the kindling of thine anger, and be grieved over the calamity to thy people,
Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, saying: For evil did He bring them forth, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from Thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against Thy people.
13 Have remembrance of Abraham, of Isaac and of Israel thy servants to whom thou didst swear by thyself, and didst speak unto them saying, I will multiply your seed, as the stars of the heavens, —and, all this land of which I have spoken, will I give to your seed, and they shall inherit it to times age-abiding.
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Thy servants, to whom Thou didst swear by Thine own self, and saidst unto them: I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.'
14 So then Yahweh was grieved, —over the calamity—which he had spoken of inflicting on his people.
And the LORD repented of the evil which He said He would do unto His people.
15 And Moses turned and went down out of the mount, with the two tables of testimony in his hand, —tables written upon on both sides of them, on this and on that, were they written.
And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, with the two tables of the testimony in his hand; tables that were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.
16 Now as for, the tables, the work of God, they were, —and, as for the writing, the writing of God, it was, graven upon the tables.
And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.
17 And Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, —so he said unto Moses—The noise of war, in the camp!
And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses: 'There is a noise of war in the camp.'
18 But he said—Not the noise of the cry of heroism, nor yet the noise of the cry of defeat, —the noise of alternate song, do I hear.
And he said: 'It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome, but the noise of them that sing do I hear.'
19 And it came to pass when he drew near unto the camp, and saw the calf, and the dancings, that the anger of Moses kindled, and he cast out of his hands the tables, and brake them in pieces at the foot of the mountain.
And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing; and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mount.
20 Then took he the calf which they had made and burned it in the fire, and ground it till it became powder, and strewed it on the face of the waters, and made the sons of Israel drink.
And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, and ground it to powder, and strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.
21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What had this people done to thee, —that thou shouldst have brought upon them a great sin?
And Moses said unto Aaron: 'What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought a great sin upon them?'
22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord kindle, —thou thyself, knowest the people, that ready for mischief, they are.
And Aaron said: 'Let not the anger of my lord wax hot; thou knowest the people, that they are set on evil.
23 So they said to me—Make for us gods, who shall go before us, —for, as for this, Moses—the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what hath befallen him.
So they said unto me: Make us a god, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.
24 And I said to them—Whosoever hath gold let them break it off, So they gave it to me, —and I cast it into the fire, and there came out—this calf.
And I said unto them: Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off; so they gave it me; and I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.'
25 And Moses saw the people, that unbridled, they were, —for Aaron had given them the rein, for a whispering, among their enemies.
And when Moses saw that the people were broken loose — for Aaron had let them loose for a derision among their enemies —
26 So Moses took his stand in the gate of the camp, and said—Who is for Yahweh? …To me! Then gathered unto him all the sons of Levi,
then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said: 'Whoso is on the LORD'S side, let him come unto me.' And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
27 And he said to them—Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, Put ye every man his sword upon his thigh, —pass through and return from gate to gate in the camp, and slay ye every man his brother and every man his friend and every man his neighbour.
And he said unto them: 'Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: Put ye every man his sword upon his thigh, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.'
28 So the sons of Levi did, according to the word of Moses, —and there fell from among the people on that day, about three thousand men.
And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses; and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.
29 And Moses said—Install yourselves to-day, unto Yahweh, yea every man for his son and for his brother, —so will he bestow upon you to-day, a blessing.
And Moses said: 'Consecrate yourselves to-day to the LORD, for every man hath been against his son and against his brother; that He may also bestow upon you a blessing this day.'
30 And it came to pass, on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye, have sinned a great sin, —Now, therefore, I must go up unto Yahweh, Peradventure, I may make a propitiatory-covering for your sin.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people: 'Ye have sinned a great sin; and now I will go up unto the LORD, peradventure I shall make atonement for your sin.'
31 So Moses returned unto Yahweh, and said, —Oh now, this people hath sinned a great sin, and they have made for themselves—gods of gold.
And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said: 'Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them a god of gold.
32 Now, therefore, if thou wilt forgive their sin, …but if not, blot me I pray thee out of thy book, which thou hast written,
Yet now, if Thou wilt forgive their sin —; and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy book which Thou hast written.'
33 And Yahweh said unto Moses, —Him who hath sinned against me, must I blot out of my book.
And the LORD said unto Moses: 'Whosoever hath sinned against Me, him will I blot out of My book.
34 Now, therefore, go lead the people to the place of which I spake to thee, lo! my messenger, shall go before thee, —But, in the day when I do visit, then will I visit upon them their sin.
And now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee; behold, Mine angel shall go before thee; nevertheless in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.'
35 And Yahweh plagued the people, —for what they had done with the calf, which Aaron made.
And the LORD smote the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
