The Passover and the Festival of Unleavened Bread^(A)

12 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, ² “This month is to be for you the first month,^(B) the first month of your year. ³ Tell the whole community of Israel that on the tenth day of this month each man is to take a lamb^[a](C) for his family, one for each household.^{(D) 4} If any household is too small for a whole lamb, they must share one with their nearest neighbor, having taken into account the number of people there are. You are to determine the amount of lamb needed in accordance with what each person will eat. ⁵ The animals you choose must be year-old males without defect,^(E) and you may take them from the sheep or the goats. ⁶ Take care of them until the fourteenth day of the month,^(F) when all the members of the community of Israel must slaughter them at twilight.^{(G) 7} Then they are to take some of the blood^(H) and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs. ⁸ That same night^(I) they are to eat the meat roasted^(J) over the fire, along with bitter herbs,^(K) and bread made without yeast.^{(L) 9} Do not eat the meat raw or boiled in water, but roast it over a fire—with the head, legs and internal organs.^{(M) 10} Do not leave any of it till morning;^(N) if some is left till morning, you must burn it. ¹¹ This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste;^(O) it is the Lord’s Passover.^(P)

¹² “On that same night I will pass through^(Q) Egypt and strike down^(R) every firstborn^(S) of both people and animals, and I will bring judgment on all the gods^(T) of Egypt. I am the Lord.^{(U) 13} The blood will be a sign for you on the houses where you are, and when I see the blood, I will pass over^(V) you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt.^(W)

¹⁴ “This is a day you are to commemorate;^(X) for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the Lord—a lasting ordinance.^{(Y) 15} For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast.^(Z) On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off^(AA) from Israel. ¹⁶ On the first day hold a sacred assembly, and another one on the seventh day. Do no work^(AB) at all on these days, except to prepare food for everyone to eat; that is all you may do.

¹⁷ “Celebrate the Festival of Unleavened Bread,^(AC) because it was on this very day that I brought your divisions out of Egypt.^(AD) Celebrate this day as a lasting ordinance for the generations to come.^{(AE) 18} In the first month^(AF) you are to eat bread made without yeast, from the evening of the fourteenth day until the evening of the twenty-first day. ¹⁹ For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And anyone, whether foreigner^(AG) or native-born, who eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off^(AH) from the community of Israel. ²⁰ Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live,^(AI) you must eat unleavened bread.”^(AJ)

²¹ Then Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go at once and select the animals for your families and slaughter the Passover^(AK) lamb. ²² Take a bunch of hyssop,^(AL) dip it into the blood in the basin and put some of the blood^(AM) on the top and on both sides of the doorframe. None of you shall go out of the door of your house until morning. ²³ When the Lord goes through the land to strike^(AN) down the Egyptians, he will see the blood^(AO) on the top and sides of the doorframe and will pass over^(AP) that doorway, and he will not permit the destroyer^(AQ) to enter your houses and strike you down.

²⁴ “Obey these instructions as a lasting ordinance^(AR) for you and your descendants. ²⁵ When you enter the land^(AS) that the Lord will give you as he promised, observe this ceremony. ²⁶ And when your children^(AT) ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ ²⁷ then tell them, ‘It is the Passover^(AU) sacrifice to the Lord, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt and spared our homes when he struck down the Egyptians.’”^(AV) Then the people bowed down and worshiped.^{(AW) 28} The Israelites did just what the Lord commanded^(AX) Moses and Aaron.

²⁹ At midnight^(AY) the Lord^(AZ) struck down all the firstborn^(BA) in Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh, who sat on the throne, to the firstborn of the prisoner, who was in the dungeon, and the firstborn of all the livestock^(BB) as well. ³⁰ Pharaoh and all his officials and all the Egyptians got up during the night, and there was loud wailing^(BC) in Egypt, for there was not a house without someone dead.

The Exodus

³¹ During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, “Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship^(BD) the Lord as you have requested. ³² Take your flocks and herds,^(BE) as you have said, and go. And also bless^(BF) me.”

³³ The Egyptians urged the people to hurry^(BG) and leave^(BH) the country. “For otherwise,” they said, “we will all die!”^{(BI) 34} So the people took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs^(BJ) wrapped in clothing. ³⁵ The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold^(BK) and for clothing.^{(BL) 36} The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed^(BM) toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered^(BN) the Egyptians.

³⁷ The Israelites journeyed from Rameses^(BO) to Sukkoth.^(BP) There were about six hundred thousand men^(BQ) on foot, besides women and children. ³⁸ Many other people^(BR) went up with them, and also large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds. ³⁹ With the dough the Israelites had brought from Egypt, they baked loaves of unleavened bread. The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out^(BS) of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves.

⁴⁰ Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egypt^[b] was 430 years.^{(BT) 41} At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the Lord’s divisions^(BU) left Egypt.^{(BV) 42} Because the Lord kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the Lord for the generations to come.^(BW)

Passover Restrictions

⁴³ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “These are the regulations for the Passover meal:^(BX)

“No foreigner^(BY) may eat it. ⁴⁴ Any slave you have bought may eat it after you have circumcised^(BZ) him, ⁴⁵ but a temporary resident or a hired worker^(CA) may not eat it.

⁴⁶ “It must be eaten inside the house; take none of the meat outside the house. Do not break any of the bones.^{(CB) 47} The whole community of Israel must celebrate it.

⁴⁸ “A foreigner residing among you who wants to celebrate the Lord’s Passover must have all the males in his household circumcised; then he may take part like one born in the land.^(CC) No uncircumcised^(CD) male may eat it. ⁴⁹ The same law applies both to the native-born and to the foreigner^(CE) residing among you.”

⁵⁰ All the Israelites did just what the Lord had commanded^(CF) Moses and Aaron. ⁵¹ And on that very day the Lord brought the Israelites out of Egypt^(CG) by their divisions.^(CH)

Consecration of the Firstborn

13 The Lord said to Moses, ² “Consecrate to me every firstborn male.^(CI) The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether human or animal.”

³ Then Moses said to the people, “Commemorate this day, the day you came out of Egypt,^(CJ) out of the land of slavery, because the Lord brought you out of it with a mighty hand.^(CK) Eat nothing containing yeast.^{(CL) 4} Today, in the month of Aviv,^(CM) you are leaving. ⁵ When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites,^(CN) Hittites, Amorites, Hivites and Jebusites^(CO)—the land he swore to your ancestors to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey^(CP)—you are to observe this ceremony^(CQ) in this month: ⁶ For seven days eat bread made without yeast and on the seventh day hold a festival^(CR) to the Lord. ⁷ Eat unleavened bread during those seven days; nothing with yeast in it is to be seen among you, nor shall any yeast be seen anywhere within your borders. ⁸ On that day tell your son,^(CS) ‘I do this because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ ⁹ This observance will be for you like a sign on your hand^(CT) and a reminder on your forehead^(CU) that this law of the Lord is to be on your lips. For the Lord brought you out of Egypt with his mighty hand.^{(CV) 10} You must keep this ordinance^(CW) at the appointed time^(CX) year after year.

¹¹ “After the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites^(CY) and gives it to you, as he promised on oath^(CZ) to you and your ancestors,^{(DA) 12} you are to give over to the Lord the first offspring of every womb. All the firstborn males of your livestock belong to the Lord.^{(DB) 13} Redeem with a lamb every firstborn donkey,^(DC) but if you do not redeem it, break its neck.^(DD) Redeem^(DE) every firstborn among your sons.^(DF)

¹⁴ “In days to come, when your son^(DG) asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ say to him, ‘With a mighty hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.^{(DH) 15} When Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed the firstborn of both people and animals in Egypt. This is why I sacrifice to the Lord the first male offspring of every womb and redeem each of my firstborn sons.’^{(DI) 16} And it will be like a sign on your hand and a symbol on your forehead^(DJ) that the Lord brought us out of Egypt with his mighty hand.”

Crossing the Sea

¹⁷ When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.”^{(DK) 18} So God led^(DL) the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea.^[c] The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.^(DM)

¹⁹ Moses took the bones of Joseph^(DN) with him because Joseph had made the Israelites swear an oath. He had said, “God will surely come to your aid, and then you must carry my bones up with you from this place.”^[d](DO)

²⁰ After leaving Sukkoth^(DP) they camped at Etham on the edge of the desert.^{(DQ) 21} By day the Lord went ahead^(DR) of them in a pillar of cloud^(DS) to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. ²² Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left^(DT) its place in front of the people.

14 Then the Lord said to Moses, ² “Tell the Israelites to turn back and encamp near Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol^(DU) and the sea. They are to encamp by the sea, directly opposite Baal Zephon.^{(DV) 3} Pharaoh will think, ‘The Israelites are wandering around the land in confusion, hemmed in by the desert.’ ⁴ And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart,^(DW) and he will pursue them.^(DX) But I will gain glory^(DY) for myself through Pharaoh and all his army, and the Egyptians will know that I am the Lord.”^(DZ) So the Israelites did this.

⁵ When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled,^(EA) Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds^(EB) about them and said, “What have we done? We have let the Israelites go and have lost their services!” ⁶ So he had his chariot made ready and took his army with him. ⁷ He took six hundred of the best chariots,^(EC) along with all the other chariots of Egypt, with officers over all of them. ⁸ The Lord hardened the heart^(ED) of Pharaoh king of Egypt, so that he pursued the Israelites, who were marching out boldly.^{(EE) 9} The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses^(EF) and chariots, horsemen^[e] and troops^(EG)—pursued the Israelites and overtook^(EH) them as they camped by the sea near Pi Hahiroth, opposite Baal Zephon.^(EI)

¹⁰ As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried^(EJ) out to the Lord. ¹¹ They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die?^(EK) What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? ¹² Didn’t we say to you in Egypt, ‘Leave us alone; let us serve the Egyptians’? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the desert!”^(EL)

¹³ Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid.^(EM) Stand firm and you will see^(EN) the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see^(EO) again. ¹⁴ The Lord will fight^(EP) for you; you need only to be still.”^(EQ)

¹⁵ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me?^(ER) Tell the Israelites to move on. ¹⁶ Raise your staff^(ES) and stretch out your hand over the sea to divide the water^(ET) so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. ¹⁷ I will harden the hearts^(EU) of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them.^(EV) And I will gain glory through Pharaoh and all his army, through his chariots and his horsemen. ¹⁸ The Egyptians will know that I am the Lord^(EW) when I gain glory through Pharaoh, his chariots and his horsemen.”

¹⁹ Then the angel of God,^(EX) who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud^(EY) also moved from in front and stood behind^(EZ) them, ²⁰ coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. Throughout the night the cloud brought darkness^(FA) to the one side and light to the other side; so neither went near the other all night long.

²¹ Then Moses stretched out his hand^(FB) over the sea,^(FC) and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind^(FD) and turned it into dry land.^(FE) The waters were divided,^{(FF) 22} and the Israelites went through the sea^(FG) on dry ground,^(FH) with a wall^(FI) of water on their right and on their left.

²³ The Egyptians pursued them, and all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots and horsemen^(FJ) followed them into the sea. ²⁴ During the last watch of the night the Lord looked down from the pillar of fire and cloud^(FK) at the Egyptian army and threw it into confusion.^{(FL) 25} He jammed^[f] the wheels of their chariots so that they had difficulty driving. And the Egyptians said, “Let’s get away from the Israelites! The Lord is fighting^(FM) for them against Egypt.”^(FN)

²⁶ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may flow back over the Egyptians and their chariots and horsemen.” ²⁷ Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea went back to its place.^(FO) The Egyptians were fleeing toward^[g] it, and the Lord swept them into the sea.^{(FP) 28} The water flowed back and covered the chariots and horsemen—the entire army of Pharaoh that had followed the Israelites into the sea.^(FQ) Not one of them survived.^(FR)

²⁹ But the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground,^(FS) with a wall^(FT) of water on their right and on their left. ³⁰ That day the Lord saved^(FU) Israel from the hands of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians lying dead on the shore. ³¹ And when the Israelites saw the mighty hand^(FV) of the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared^(FW) the Lord and put their trust^(FX) in him and in Moses his servant.

Manna and Quail

16 The whole Israelite community set out from Elim and came to the Desert of Sin,^(A) which is between Elim and Sinai, on the fifteenth day of the second month after they had come out of Egypt.^{(B) 2} In the desert the whole community grumbled^(C) against Moses and Aaron. ³ The Israelites said to them, “If only we had died by the Lord’s hand in Egypt!^(D) There we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food^(E) we wanted, but you have brought us out into this desert to starve this entire assembly to death.”^(F)

⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “I will rain down bread from heaven^(G) for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test^(H) them and see whether they will follow my instructions. ⁵ On the sixth day they are to prepare what they bring in, and that is to be twice^(I) as much as they gather on the other days.”

⁶ So Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites, “In the evening you will know that it was the Lord who brought you out of Egypt,^{(J) 7} and in the morning you will see the glory^(K) of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling^(L) against him. Who are we, that you should grumble against us?”^{(M) 8} Moses also said, “You will know that it was the Lord when he gives you meat to eat in the evening and all the bread you want in the morning, because he has heard your grumbling^(N) against him. Who are we? You are not grumbling against us, but against the Lord.”^(O)

⁹ Then Moses told Aaron, “Say to the entire Israelite community, ‘Come before the Lord, for he has heard your grumbling.’”

¹⁰ While Aaron was speaking to the whole Israelite community, they looked toward the desert, and there was the glory^(P) of the Lord appearing in the cloud.^(Q)

¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, ¹² “I have heard the grumbling^(R) of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’”^(S)

¹³ That evening quail^(T) came and covered the camp, and in the morning there was a layer of dew^(U) around the camp. ¹⁴ When the dew was gone, thin flakes like frost^(V) on the ground appeared on the desert floor. ¹⁵ When the Israelites saw it, they said to each other, “What is it?” For they did not know^(W) what it was.

Moses said to them, “It is the bread^(X) the Lord has given you to eat. ¹⁶ This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Everyone is to gather as much as they need. Take an omer^[a](Y) for each person you have in your tent.’”

¹⁷ The Israelites did as they were told; some gathered much, some little. ¹⁸ And when they measured it by the omer, the one who gathered much did not have too much, and the one who gathered little did not have too little.^(Z) Everyone had gathered just as much as they needed.

¹⁹ Then Moses said to them, “No one is to keep any of it until morning.”^(AA)

²⁰ However, some of them paid no attention to Moses; they kept part of it until morning, but it was full of maggots and began to smell.^(AB) So Moses was angry^(AC) with them.

²¹ Each morning everyone gathered as much as they needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. ²² On the sixth day, they gathered twice^(AD) as much—two omers^[b] for each person—and the leaders of the community^(AE) came and reported this to Moses. ²³ He said to them, “This is what the Lord commanded: ‘Tomorrow is to be a day of sabbath rest, a holy sabbath^(AF) to the Lord. So bake what you want to bake and boil what you want to boil. Save whatever is left and keep it until morning.’”

²⁴ So they saved it until morning, as Moses commanded, and it did not stink or get maggots in it. ²⁵ “Eat it today,” Moses said, “because today is a sabbath to the Lord. You will not find any of it on the ground today. ²⁶ Six days you are to gather it, but on the seventh day, the Sabbath,^(AG) there will not be any.”

²⁷ Nevertheless, some of the people went out on the seventh day to gather it, but they found none. ²⁸ Then the Lord said to Moses, “How long will you^[c] refuse to keep my commands^(AH) and my instructions? ²⁹ Bear in mind that the Lord has given you the Sabbath; that is why on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Everyone is to stay where they are on the seventh day; no one is to go out.” ³⁰ So the people rested on the seventh day.

³¹ The people of Israel called the bread manna.^[d](AI) It was white like coriander seed and tasted like wafers made with honey. ³² Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: ‘Take an omer of manna and keep it for the generations to come, so they can see the bread I gave you to eat in the wilderness when I brought you out of Egypt.’”

³³ So Moses said to Aaron, “Take a jar and put an omer of manna^(AJ) in it. Then place it before the Lord to be kept for the generations to come.”

³⁴ As the Lord commanded Moses, Aaron put the manna with the tablets of the covenant law,^(AK) so that it might be preserved. ³⁵ The Israelites ate manna^(AL) forty years,^(AM) until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan.^(AN)

³⁶ (An omer^(AO) is one-tenth of an ephah.)^(AP)

Water From the Rock

17 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin,^(AQ) traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim,^(AR) but there was no water^(AS) for the people to drink. ² So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water^(AT) to drink.”^(AU)

Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?”^(AV)

³ But the people were thirsty^(AW) for water there, and they grumbled^(AX) against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die^(AY) of thirst?”

⁴ Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone^(AZ) me.”

⁵ The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff^(BA) with which you struck the Nile,^(BB) and go. ⁶ I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb.^(BC) Strike^(BD) the rock, and water^(BE) will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. ⁷ And he called the place Massah^[e](BF) and Meribah^[f](BG) because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

The Amalekites Defeated

⁸ The Amalekites^(BH) came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim.^{(BI) 9} Moses said to Joshua,^(BJ) “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff^(BK) of God in my hands.”

¹⁰ So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur^(BL) went to the top of the hill. ¹¹ As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning,^(BM) but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. ¹² When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up—one on one side, one on the other—so that his hands remained steady till sunset.^{(BN) 13} So Joshua overcame the Amalekite^(BO) army with the sword.

¹⁴ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Write^(BP) this on a scroll as something to be remembered and make sure that Joshua hears it, because I will completely blot out^(BQ) the name of Amalek^(BR) from under heaven.”

¹⁵ Moses built an altar^(BS) and called^(BT) it The Lord is my Banner. ¹⁶ He said, “Because hands were lifted up against^[g] the throne of the Lord,^[h] the Lord will be at war against the Amalekites^(BU) from generation to generation.”^(BV)

The Golden Calf

32 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain,^(A) they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods^[a] who will go before^(B) us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”^(C)

² Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings^(D) that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” ³ So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. ⁴ He took what they handed him and made it into an idol^(E) cast in the shape of a calf,^(F) fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods,^[b](G) Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”^(H)

⁵ When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, “Tomorrow there will be a festival^(I) to the Lord.” ⁶ So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings.^(J) Afterward they sat down to eat and drink^(K) and got up to indulge in revelry.^(L)

⁷ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt,^(M) have become corrupt.^{(N) 8} They have been quick to turn away^(O) from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol^(P) cast in the shape of a calf.^(Q) They have bowed down to it and sacrificed^(R) to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’^(S)

⁹ “I have seen these people,” the Lord said to Moses, “and they are a stiff-necked^(T) people. ¹⁰ Now leave me alone^(U) so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy^(V) them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”^(W)

¹¹ But Moses sought the favor^(X) of the Lord his God. “Lord,” he said, “why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?^{(Y) 12} Why should the Egyptians say, ‘It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth’?^(Z) Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster^(AA) on your people. ¹³ Remember^(AB) your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self:^(AC) ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars^(AD) in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land^(AE) I promised them, and it will be their inheritance forever.’” ¹⁴ Then the Lord relented^(AF) and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

¹⁵ Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant law^(AG) in his hands.^(AH) They were inscribed^(AI) on both sides, front and back. ¹⁶ The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.^(AJ)

¹⁷ When Joshua^(AK) heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “There is the sound of war in the camp.”

¹⁸ Moses replied:

¹⁹ When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf^(AL) and the dancing,^(AM) his anger burned^(AN) and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces^(AO) at the foot of the mountain. ²⁰ And he took the calf the people had made and burned^(AP) it in the fire; then he ground it to powder,^(AQ) scattered it on the water^(AR) and made the Israelites drink it.

²¹ He said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?”

²² “Do not be angry,^(AS) my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil.^{(AT) 23} They said to me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’^{(AU) 24} So I told them, ‘Whoever has any gold jewelry, take it off.’ Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!”^(AV)

²⁵ Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock^(AW) 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.’”^{(AX) 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.^(AY) But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement^(AZ) for your sin.”

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

³³ The Lord replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out^(BF) of my book. ³⁴ Now go, lead^(BG) the people to the place^(BH) I spoke of, and my angel^(BI) will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish,^(BJ) 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^(BK) 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^(BL) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’^{(BM) 2} I will send an angel^(BN) before you and drive out the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites.^{(BO) 3} Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey.^(BP) But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked^(BQ) people and I might destroy^(BR) you on the way.”

⁴ When the people heard these distressing words, they began to mourn^(BS) and no one put on any ornaments. ⁵ For the Lord had said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stiff-necked people.^(BT) If I were to go with you even for a moment, I might destroy^(BU) 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.^(BV)

The Tent of Meeting

⁷ Now Moses used to take a tent and pitch it outside the camp some distance away, calling it the “tent of meeting.”^(BW) Anyone inquiring^(BX) of the Lord would go to the tent of meeting outside the camp. ⁸ And whenever Moses went out to the tent, all the people rose and stood at the entrances to their tents,^(BY) watching Moses until he entered the tent. ⁹ As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud^(BZ) would come down and stay at the entrance, while the Lord spoke^(CA) with Moses. ¹⁰ Whenever the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance to the tent, they all stood and worshiped, each at the entrance to their tent.^{(CB) 11} The Lord would speak to Moses face to face,^(CC) as one speaks to a friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young aide Joshua^(CD) son of Nun did not leave the tent.

Moses and the Glory of the Lord

¹² Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’^(CE) but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name^(CF) and you have found favor^(CG) with me.’ ¹³ If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways^(CH) so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.”^(CI)

¹⁴ The Lord replied, “My Presence^(CJ) will go with you, and I will give you rest.”^(CK)

¹⁵ Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence^(CL) does not go with us, do not send us up from here. ¹⁶ How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us?^(CM) What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?”^(CN)

¹⁷ And the Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked,^(CO) because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”^(CP)

¹⁸ Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”^(CQ)

¹⁹ And the Lord said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass^(CR) in front of you, and I will proclaim my name,^(CS) the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.^{(CT) 20} But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see^(CU) me and live.”

²¹ Then the Lord said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. ²² When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock^(CV) and cover you with my hand^(CW) until I have passed by. ²³ Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”

The People Rebel

14 That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud.^{(A) 2} All the Israelites grumbled^(B) against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt!^(C) Or in this wilderness!^{(D) 3} Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword?^(E) Our wives and children^(F) will be taken as plunder.^(G) Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?^(H)” ⁴ And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.^(I)”

⁵ Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown^(J) in front of the whole Israelite assembly^(K) gathered there. ⁶ Joshua son of Nun^(L) and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes^{(M) 7} and said to the entire Israelite assembly, “The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good.^{(N) 8} If the Lord is pleased with us,^(O) he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey,^(P) and will give it to us.^{(Q) 9} Only do not rebel^(R) against the Lord. And do not be afraid^(S) of the people of the land,^(T) because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with^(U) us.^(V) Do not be afraid of them.”^(W)

¹⁰ But the whole assembly talked about stoning^(X) them. Then the glory of the Lord^(Y) appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites. ¹¹ The Lord said to Moses, “How long will these people treat me with contempt?^(Z) How long will they refuse to believe in me,^(AA) in spite of all the signs^(AB) I have performed among them? ¹² I will strike them down with a plague^(AC) and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation^(AD) greater and stronger than they.”^(AE)