Exodus · American Standard Version (1901)
Exodus 32 American Standard Version (1901)
Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings
1 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 gods, 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.
1 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.”
2 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.
2 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.”
3 And all the people brake off the golden rings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
3 All the people took off the golden rings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron.
4 And he received it 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, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
4 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.”
5 And when Aaron saw [this], he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To-morrow shall be a feast to Jehovah.
5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation, and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to Yahweh.”
6 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 play.
6 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.
7 And Jehovah spake unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, that thou broughtest up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:
7 Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Go, get down; for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves!
8 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, These are thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
8 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.’”
9 And Jehovah said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
9 Yahweh said to Moses, “I have seen these people, and behold, they are a stiff-necked people.
10 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.
10 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.”
11 And Moses besought Jehovah his God, and said, Jehovah, 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?
11 Moses begged Yahweh his God, and said, “Yahweh, 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?
12 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.
12 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.
13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest 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.
13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring 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.’”
14 And Jehovah repented of the evil which he said he would do unto his people.
14 So Yahweh turned away from the evil which he said he would do to his people.
15 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.
15 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.
16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.
16 The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.
17 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.
17 When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is the noise of war in the camp.”
18 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.
18 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.”
19 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 brake them beneath the mount.
19 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.
20 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.
20 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.
21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought a great sin upon them?
21 Moses said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you have brought a great sin on them?”
22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are [set] on evil.
22 Aaron said, “Don’t let the anger of my lord grow hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.
23 For they said unto me, Make us gods, 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.
23 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.’
24 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.
24 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.”
25 And when Moses saw that the people were broken loose, (for Aaron had let them loose for a derision among their enemies,)
25 When Moses saw that the people were out of control, (for Aaron had let them lose control, causing derision among their enemies),
26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Whoso is on Jehovah’s side, [let him come] unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on Yahweh’s side, come to me!” All the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.
27 And he said unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, 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 neighbor.
27 He said to them, “Yahweh, 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.’”
28 And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.
28 The sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. About three thousand men fell of the people that day.
29 And Moses said, Consecrate yourselves to-day to Jehovah, yea, every man against his son, and against his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.
29 Moses said, “Consecrate yourselves today to Yahweh, for every man was against his son and against his brother, that he may give you a blessing today.”
30 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 Jehovah; peradventure I shall make atonement for your sin.
30 On the next day, Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. Now I will go up to Yahweh. Perhaps I shall make atonement for your sin.”
31 And Moses returned unto Jehovah, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
31 Moses returned to Yahweh, and said, “Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made themselves gods of gold.
32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
32 Yet now, if you will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out of your book which you have written.”
33 And Jehovah said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
33 Yahweh said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot him out of my book.
34 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.
34 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.”
35 And Jehovah smote the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
35 Yahweh struck the people, because of what they did with the calf, which Aaron made.
People & places in this chapter
From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.
People
Aaron
Moses' brother and spokesman, Israel's first high priest.
Cited in the guide: Exodus 4–40; Leviticus 8–10
Moses
Drawn from the Nile, he led Israel out of Egypt and received God's Law.
Cited in the guide: Exodus 2–Deuteronomy 34
Cross references (35)
Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.
- 1 Acts 7:40; Deuteronomy 9:9; Matthew 24:48; Exodus 24:18; 2 Peter 3:4
- 2 Judges 8:24–27; Exodus 12:35–36; Ezekiel 16:11–12; Ezekiel 16:17; Hosea 2:8
- 3 Isaiah 40:19–20; Jeremiah 10:9; Isaiah 46:6; Judges 17:3–4
- 4 Nehemiah 9:18; Deuteronomy 9:16; 1 Kings 12:28; Acts 7:41; Exodus 32:8
- 5 2 Kings 10:20; Leviticus 23:37; Leviticus 23:2; 2 Chronicles 30:5; Hosea 8:11
- 6 1 Corinthians 10:7; Numbers 25:2; Acts 7:41–42; Exodus 32:17–19; Amos 8:10
- 7 Exodus 32:11; Hosea 9:9; Exodus 19:24; Genesis 6:11–12; Deuteronomy 9:12
- 8 1 Kings 12:28; Exodus 20:3–4; Exodus 20:23; Deuteronomy 9:16; Exodus 22:20
- 9 Acts 7:51; Isaiah 48:4; Deuteronomy 9:13; Exodus 33:3; Exodus 33:5
- 10 Deuteronomy 9:14; Numbers 14:12; Deuteronomy 9:19; Numbers 16:45–48; Exodus 22:24
- 11 Deuteronomy 9:18–20; Deuteronomy 9:26–29; Psalm 106:23; Numbers 16:22; Numbers 11:11
- 12 Numbers 14:13–16; Deuteronomy 9:28; Exodus 32:14; Joshua 7:9; Genesis 6:6
- 13 Hebrews 6:13; Genesis 22:16; Genesis 12:7; Genesis 15:18; Genesis 15:5
- 14 Jonah 3:10; Jeremiah 26:13; Psalm 106:45; 1 Chronicles 21:15; Jeremiah 18:8
- 15 Deuteronomy 9:15; Deuteronomy 5:22; Exodus 40:20; Exodus 24:18; Psalm 19:7
- 16 Exodus 31:18; Hebrews 8:10; 2 Corinthians 3:3; Deuteronomy 10:1; Deuteronomy 9:9–11
- 17 Exodus 24:13; Exodus 17:9; 1 Samuel 4:5–6; Joshua 6:16; 1 Samuel 17:20
- 18 Daniel 5:4; Exodus 15:1–18; Daniel 5:23
- 19 Deuteronomy 9:16–17; 2 Samuel 6:14; Deuteronomy 27:26; Ephesians 4:26; Exodus 32:4–6
- 20 Deuteronomy 9:21; 2 Kings 23:6; Deuteronomy 7:25; Proverbs 14:14; Deuteronomy 7:5
- 21 Genesis 20:9; Joshua 7:19–26; 1 Kings 14:16; 2 Kings 21:9–11; Deuteronomy 13:6–8
- 22 Deuteronomy 9:24; Exodus 14:11; Exodus 15:24; 1 Samuel 15:24; Psalm 36:4
- 23 Exodus 32:1–4; Exodus 32:8
- 24 Exodus 32:4; Genesis 3:12–13; Luke 10:29; Romans 3:10
- 25 Isaiah 47:3; Micah 1:11; Revelation 16:15; Hosea 2:3; Ezekiel 16:63
- 26 2 Kings 9:32; Matthew 12:30; Joshua 5:13; 2 Samuel 20:11
- 27 Numbers 25:5; Luke 14:26; Deuteronomy 33:8–9; Numbers 25:7–12; Exodus 32:29
- 28 Deuteronomy 33:9; Numbers 16:41; Numbers 16:32–35; Malachi 2:4–6; 1 Corinthians 10:8
- 29 Numbers 25:11–13; Matthew 10:37; Zechariah 13:3; Deuteronomy 13:6–11; Proverbs 21:3
- 30 1 Samuel 12:20; Numbers 25:13; 1 Samuel 12:23; Exodus 32:31–32; Amos 5:15
- 31 Exodus 20:23; Daniel 9:11; Exodus 32:30; Daniel 9:8; Deuteronomy 9:18–19
- 32 Psalm 69:28; Romans 9:3; Revelation 21:27; Philippians 4:3; Daniel 12:1
- 33 Ezekiel 18:4; Deuteronomy 29:20; Revelation 20:12; Psalm 69:28; Leviticus 23:30
- 34 Exodus 23:20; Deuteronomy 32:35; Exodus 33:14–15; Exodus 3:17; Matthew 23:35
- 35 2 Samuel 12:9–10; Acts 7:41; Exodus 32:4; Matthew 27:3–7; Exodus 32:25
Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences
What the Fathers said
Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).
How these were chosen
“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).
They have speedily departed from the way in which I commanded them to walk, and have made to themselves molten images." And the Lord said unto him, "I have spoken to thee once and again, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people: let Me destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven; …
These things were for our example (in figuram nostri), to the intent that we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted; neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them, as it is written: The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
"Lord," he says, "if Thou wilt forgive their sin, forgive; but if not, blot me out of Thy book which Thou hast written." With what a father's and mother's fondness, yet with what assurance said he this, as he considered at once the justice and the mercy of God; that in that He is just, He would not destroy the …
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 6 (1888)
"The people," it is said, "sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." Such were they at Sodom, such were they at the time of the deluge.
Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 10 (1888)
… once and again, saying, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people: let Me destroy them, and blot out their name from under heaven; and I will make thee a great and wonderful nation, and one much more numerous than this." But Moses said, "Far be it from Thee, Lord: pardon the sin of this people; …