⁷ Then the Lord spoke to Moses, “Go ^[a]down at once, for your people, whom ^(A)you brought up from the land of Egypt, have ^(B)behaved corruptly. ⁸ They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. ^(C)They have made for themselves a cast metal calf, and have worshiped it and ^(D)have sacrificed to it and said, ‘^[b](E)This is your god, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!’” ^9 (F)Then the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, they are ^[c](G)an obstinate people. ¹⁰ So now ^(H)leave Me alone, that My anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them; and ^(I)I will make of you a great nation.”

Moses’ Plea

¹¹ Then ^(J)Moses pleaded with the Lord his God, and said, “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 Why should ^(K)the Egyptians talk, saying, ‘With evil motives He brought them out, to kill them on the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your burning anger and relent of doing harm to Your people. ¹³ Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants to whom You ^(L)swore by Yourself, and said to them, ‘I will ^(M)multiply your ^[d]descendants as the stars of the heavens, and ^(N)all this land of which I have spoken I will give to your ^[e]descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’” ^14 (O)So the Lord relented of the harm which He said He would do to His people.