Exodus 32:25-33:6

New International Version

²⁵ Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock^(A) to their enemies. ²⁶ So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites rallied to him.

²⁷ Then he said to them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.’”^{(B) 28} The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. ²⁹ Then Moses said, “You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.”

³⁰ The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin.^(C) But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement^(D) for your sin.”

³¹ So Moses went back to the Lord and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed!^(E) They have made themselves gods of gold.^{(F) 32} But now, please forgive their sin^(G)—but if not, then blot me^(H) out of the book^(I) you have written.”

³³ The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out^(J) of my book. ³⁴ Now go, lead^(K) the people to the place^(L) I spoke of, and my angel^(M) will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish,^(N) I will punish them for their sin.”

³⁵ And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf^(O) Aaron had made.

33 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath^(P) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’^{(Q) 2} I will send an angel^(R) before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.^{(S) 3} Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey.^(T) But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked^(U) people and I might destroy^(V) you on the way.”

⁴ When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn^(W) and no one put on any ornaments. ⁵ For the Lord had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people.^(X) If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy^(Y) you. Now take off your ornaments and I will decide what to do with you.’” ⁶ So the Israelites stripped off their ornaments at Mount Horeb.^(Z)