1 W hen the people saw that Moses was staying a long time before coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron, and said, “Come, make a god for us who will go in front of us. For we do not know what has become of Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt.”

Now when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

2 A aron said to them, “Take the objects of gold from the ears of your wives, your sons and your daughters, and bring them to me.”

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

3 S o all the people took the gold objects from their ears and brought them to Aaron.

Then all the people tore off the gold rings which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron.

4 H e took the gold from their hands, worked on it with a sharp tool, and by melting it, made it into a calf. Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.”

He took this from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool and made it into a molten calf; and they said, “ This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.”

5 W hen Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of it. Aaron said to all the people, “Tomorrow will be a special supper to the Lord.”

Now 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.”

6 S o the next day they got up early and gave burnt gifts and peace gifts. The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to play.

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

7 T hen the Lord said to Moses, “Go down. For your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt, have turned to sin.

Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Go down at once, for your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.

8 T hey have been quick to turn aside from the way I have told them. They have melted gold and made a calf for themselves. They have worshiped it, have given gifts to it, and have said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!’”

They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. They have made for themselves a molten calf, and have worshiped it and have sacrificed to it and said, ‘ This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!’”

9 T he Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and see, they are a strong-willed people.

The Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, they are an obstinate people.

10 N ow let Me alone, so My anger may be against them and I may destroy them. But I will make you into a great nation.”

Now then let Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and I will make of you a great nation.” Moses’ Entreaty

11 T hen Moses begged the Lord his God, saying, “O Lord, why are you very angry against Your people whom You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a strong hand?

Then Moses entreated the Lord his God, and said, “O Lord, why does Your anger burn against Your people whom You have brought out from the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?

12 W hy should the Egyptians say, ‘He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and destroy them from the earth’? Turn from Your anger and change Your mind about destroying Your people.

Why should the Egyptians speak, saying, ‘With evil intent He brought them out to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your burning anger and change Your mind about doing harm to Your people.

13 R emember Abraham, Isaac and Israel, who were your servants. You promised them by Yourself, saying, ‘I will make your children become as many as the stars of the heavens. And I will give all this land I have spoken about to your children. It will be theirs forever.’”

Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You swore by Yourself, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of the heavens, and all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’”

14 S o the Lord changed His mind about the things He said He would do to His people.

So the Lord changed His mind about the harm which He said He would do to His people.

15 T hen Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two stone writings of the Law in his hand. The stones were written on both sides, on one side and the other.

Then Moses turned and went down from 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.

16 T he stone writings were God’s work. The writing was God’s writing cut into the stones.

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

17 W hen Joshua heard the sound of the people as they made noise, he said to Moses, “There is a sound of war at the tents.”

Now when Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a sound of war in the camp.”

18 B ut Moses said, “It is not the sound of winning, or the sound of losing. It is the sound of singing I hear.”

But he said, “It is not the sound of the cry of triumph, Nor is it the sound of the cry of defeat; But the sound of singing I hear.” Moses’ Anger

19 A s soon as Moses came near the tents, he saw the calf and the dancing. Moses became very angry. He threw the stone writings from his hands and broke them at the base of the mountain.

It came about, as soon as Moses came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing; and Moses’ anger burned, and he threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain.

20 A nd he took the calf they had made and burned it with fire, ground it to dust, spread it over the top of the water, and made the people of Israel drink it.

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

21 T hen Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you to make you bring such great sin upon them?”

Then Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you, that you have brought such great sin upon them?”

22 A aron said, “Do not let my lord be angry. You know the people yourself and how sinful they are.

Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you know the people yourself, that they are prone to evil.

23 T hey said to me, ‘Make a god for us who will go in front of us. For we do not know what has become of Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt.’

For they said to me, ‘Make a god for us who will go before us; for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’

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

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

25 M oses saw that Aaron had let the people go wild and become a shame to those who hated them.

Now when Moses saw that the people were out of control—for Aaron had let them get out of control to be a derision among their enemies—

26 S o Moses stood in the gate of the place where they had set up their tents and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!” And all the sons of Levi came together around him.

then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered together to him.

27 H e said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Every man put his sword on his thigh. And go from one end of the tents to the other, and each one kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.’”

He said to them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Every man of you put his sword upon his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and kill every man his brother, and every man his friend, and every man his neighbor.’”

28 S o the sons of Levi did as Moses said. About 3, 000 men fell that day.

So the sons of Levi did as Moses instructed, and about three thousand men of the people fell that day.

29 T hen Moses said, “Today you have set yourselves apart for the Lord. For each man has been against his son and against his brother, so the Lord may bring good to you today.”

Then Moses said, “ Dedicate yourselves today to the Lord —for every man has been against his son and against his brother—in order that He may bestow a blessing upon you today.”

30 T he next day Moses said to the people, “You have sinned. Now I am going up to the Lord. It might be that I can have your sin forgiven.”

On the next day Moses said to the people, “ You yourselves have committed a great sin; and now I am going up to the Lord, perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”

31 T hen Moses returned to the Lord and said, “O, this people have sinned. They have made a god of gold for themselves.

Then Moses returned to the Lord, and said, “Alas, this people has committed a great sin, and they have made a god of gold for themselves.

32 B ut now, if You will, forgive their sin. If not, then take my name out of Your book which You have written.”

But now, if You will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out from Your book which You have written!”

33 T he Lord said to Moses, “I will put out of My book whoever has sinned against Me.

The Lord said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book.

34 B ut go now. Lead the people where I told you. See, My angel will go before you. But in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin.”

But go now, lead the people where I told you. Behold, My angel shall go before you; nevertheless in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin.”

35 T hen the Lord sent trouble upon the people, because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.

Then the Lord smote the people, because of what they did with the calf which Aaron had made.