The Second Book of Moses: Exodus

⭑ Geneva Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 32 -

(Deuteronomy 9:7–29; Acts 7:39–43)

Bvt when the people sawe, that Moses taryed long or he came downe from the mountaine, the people gathered themselues together against Aaron, and sayde vnto him, Vp, make vs gods to goe before vs: for of this Moses (the man that brought vs out of the land of Egypt) we knowe not what is become of him.

And Aaron said vnto them, Plucke off the golden earings, which are in the eares of your wiues, of your sonnes, and of your daughters, and bring them vnto me.

Then all ye people pluckt from them selues the golden earings, which were in their eares, and they brought them vnto Aaron.

Who receiued them at their handes, and facioned it with the grauing toole, and made of it a molte calfe: then they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee out of ye lad of Egypt

When Aaron sawe that, he made an Altar before it: and Aaron proclaimed, saying, To morow shalbe the holy day of the Lord.

So they rose vp the next day in the morning, and offred burnt offerings, and brought peace offrings: also the people sate them downe to eate and drinke, and rose vp to play.

Then the Lord said vnto Moses, Go, get thee downe: for thy people which thou hast brought out of the land of Egypt, hath corrupted their wayes.

They are soone turned out of the way, which I commanded them: for they haue made them a molten calfe and haue worshipped it, and haue offered thereto, saying, These be thy gods, O Israel, which haue brought thee out of the lande of Egypt.

Againe the Lord said vnto Moses, I haue seene this people, and beholde, it is a stiffe necked people.

Nowe therefore let mee alone, that my wrath may waxe hote against them, for I wil consume the: but I wil make of thee a mighty people.

But Moses praied vnto the Lord his God, and said, O Lord, why doeth thy wrath waxe hote against thy people, which thou hast brought out of the lande of Egypt, with great power and with a mightie hand?

Wherefore shall the Egyptians speake, and say, He hath brought them out maliciously for to slay them in the mountaines, and to consume them from the earth? turne from thy fearce wrath, and change thy minde from this euill towarde thy people.

Remember Abraham, Izhak, and Israel thy seruants, to whom thou swarest by thine owne selfe, and saydest vnto them, I wil multiply your seede, as the starres of the heauen, and all this land, that I haue spoken of, wil I giue vnto your seede, and they shall inherit it for euer.

Then the Lord changed his minde from the euil, which he threatned to do vnto his people.

So Moses returned and went downe from the mountaine with the two Tables of the Testimonie in his hande: the Tables were written on both their sides, euen on the one side and on the other were they written.

And these Tables were the worke of God, and this writing was the writing of God grauen in the Tables.

And when Ioshua heard the noyse of the people, as they shouted, he said vnto Moses, There is a noyse of warre in the hoste.

Who answered, It is not the noyse of them that haue the victorie, nor the noyse of them that are ouercome: but I do heare ye noyse of singing.

Nowe, as soone as he came neere vnto the hoste, he sawe the calfe and the dancing: so Moses wrath waxed hote, and he cast the Tables out of his handes, and brake them in pieces beneath the mountaine.

After, he tooke the calfe, which they had made, and burned it in the fire, and ground it vnto powder, and strowed it vpon the water, and made the children of Israel drinke of it.

Also Moses said vnto Aaron, What did this people vnto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sinne vpon them?

Then Aaron answered, Let not the wrath of my Lord waxe fearce: Thou knowest this people, that they are euen set on mischiefe.

And they sayde vnto me, Make vs gods to go before vs: for we knowe not what is become of this Moses (the man that brought vs out of the land of Egypt.)

Then I sayde to them, Ye that haue golde, plucke it off: and they brought it me, and I did cast it into the fire, and thereof came this calfe.

Moses therefore sawe that the people were naked (for Aaron had made them naked vnto their shame among their enemies)

And Moses stoode in ye gate of the campe, and sayde, Who pertaineth to the Lord? let him come to mee. And all the sonnes of Leui gathered themselues vnto him.

Then he said vnto them, Thus sayth ye Lord God of Israel, Put euery man his sworde by his side: go to and from, from gate to gate, through the hoste, and slay euery man his brother, and euery man his companion, and euery man his neighbour.

So the children of Leui did as Moses had commanded: and there fel of the people the same day about three thousand men.

(For Moses had said, Cosecrate your hands vnto the Lord this day, euen euery man vpon his sonne, and vpon his brother, that there may be giuen you a blessing this day)

And when the morning came, Moses sayde vnto the people, Yee haue committed a grieuous crime: but now I wil goe vp to the Lord, if I may pacifie him for your sinne.

Moses therefore went againe vnto ye Lord, and said, Oh, this people haue sinned a great sinne, and haue made them gods of golde.

Therefore now if thou pardon their sinne, thy mercy shall appeare: but if thou wilt not, I pray thee, rase me out of thy booke, which thou hast written.

Then the Lord sayd to Moses, Whosoeuer hath sinned against me, I will put out of my booke.

Go nowe therefore, bring the people vnto the place which I commanded thee: behold, mine Angel shall goe before thee, but yet in the day of my visitation I wil visite their sinne vpon them.

So the Lord plagued the people, because they caused Aaron to make ye calfe which he made.

(Deuteronomy 9:7–29; Acts 7:39–43)

When the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.”

Aaron said to them, “Take off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them to me.”

All the people took off the golden rings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron.

He received what they handed him, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it a molded calf. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”

When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation, and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.”

They rose up early on the next day, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.

The LORD spoke to Moses, “Go, get down; for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves!

They have turned away quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and have worshiped it, and have sacrificed to it, and said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.’”

The LORD said to Moses, “I have seen these people, and behold, they are a stiff-necked people.

Now therefore leave me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them, and that I may consume them; and I will make of you a great nation.”

Moses begged the LORD his God, and said, “LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, that you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?

Why should the Egyptians talk, saying, ‘He brought them out for evil, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the surface of the earth’? Turn from your fierce wrath, and turn away from this evil against your people.

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring

(a)

as the stars of the sky, and all this land that I have spoken of I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’”

So The LORD turned away from the evil which he said he would do to his people.

Moses turned, and went down from the mountain, with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand; tablets that were written on both their sides. They were written on one side and on the other.

The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.

When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is the noise of war in the camp.”

He said, “It isn’t the voice of those who shout for victory. It is not the voice of those who cry for being overcome; but the noise of those who sing that I hear.”

As soon as he came near to the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. Then Moses’ anger grew hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mountain.

He took the calf which they had made, and burned it with fire, ground it to powder, and scattered it on the water, and made the children of Israel drink it.

Moses said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you have brought a great sin on them?”

Aaron said, “Don’t let the anger of my lord grow hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.

For they said to me, ‘Make us gods, which shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.’

I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them take it off.’ So they gave it to me; and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”

When Moses saw that the people were out of control, (for Aaron had let them lose control, causing derision among their enemies),

then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the LORD’s side, come to me!” All the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.

He said to them, “The LORD, the God of Israel, says, ‘Every man put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and every man kill his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.’”

The sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. About three thousand men fell of the people that day.

Moses said, “Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD, for every man was against his son and against his brother, that he may give you a blessing today.”

On the next day, Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. Now I will go up to the LORD. Perhaps I shall make atonement for your sin.”

Moses returned to the LORD, and said, “Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made themselves gods of gold.

Yet now, if you will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out of your book which you have written.”

The LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot him out of my book.

Now go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin.”

The LORD struck the people, because of what they did with the calf, which Aaron made.

Footnotes

(a)32:13 or, seed