Золотой телец(A)

32 Увидев, что Моисей медлит спускаться с горы, народ собрался вокруг Аарона и сказал:

– Послушай, сделай нам богов, которые пойдут перед нами, потому что мы не знаем, что приключилось с этим Моисеем, выведшим нас из Египта.

Аарон ответил им:

– Снимите золотые серьги с ваших жен, сыновей и дочерей и принесите их мне.

Народ снял золотые серьги и принес их Аарону. Он взял то, что они принесли ему, и сделал из этого золота литого тельца, придав ему вид резцом. Тогда они сказали:

– Вот твои боги, Израиль, которые вывели тебя из Египта.

Увидев это, Аарон поставил перед тельцом жертвенник и возвестил:

– Завтра – праздник Господу.

Встав на следующий день рано утром, они принесли всесожжения и жертвы примирения. Народ сел есть и пить, а потом встал веселиться.

Тогда Господь сказал Моисею:

– Спускайся с горы. Твой народ, который ты вывел из Египта, развратился. Как скоро они уклонились от того, что Я повелел им! Они сделали себе литого тельца, поклонились ему и принесли ему жертвы, говоря: «Вот твои боги, Израиль, которые вывели тебя из Египта».

– Я вижу этот народ, – сказал Господь Моисею, – он упрям. 10 Итак, оставь Меня. Я обращу Свой гнев на них и погублю их. Потом Я произведу великий народ от тебя.

11 Но Моисей принялся умолять Господа, своего Бога:

– Господи, – сказал он, – зачем Тебе гневаться на Свой народ, который Ты вывел из Египта великой силой и могучей рукой? 12 Зачем египтянам давать повод говорить: «Он вывел их со злым умыслом, чтобы убить в горах и стереть с лица земли?» Оставь Свой пылающий гнев, смягчись, не наводи на Свой народ беду. 13 Вспомни Твоих слуг Авраама, Исаака и Израиля, которым Ты клялся Собой: «Я дам вам столько потомков, сколько на небе звезд. Весь этот край, который Я обещал отдать им, будет достоянием ваших потомков навеки».

14 Господь смягчился и не навел на Свой народ беду, которой грозил.

15 Моисей повернулся и спустился с горы с двумя каменными плитками свидетельства в руках. Они были исписаны с обеих сторон, спереди и сзади. 16 Бог сделал эти плитки и Он высек на них Свои письмена.

17 Когда Иисус услышал гул кричащего народа, он сказал Моисею:

– В лагере шум битвы.

18 Но Моисей ответил:

– Это не клич победителей,
    не плач побежденных:
    голос поющих я слышу.

19 Подойдя к лагерю и увидев тельца и пляски, Моисей разгневался. Он бросил каменные плитки, которые нес, разбив их на куски у подножия горы. 20 Он взял сделанного ими тельца и расплавил его в огне. Он стер его в порошок, рассыпал по воде и заставил израильтян пить эту воду.

21 Мойсей сказал Аарону:

– Что сделали тебе эти люди, что ты ввел их в такой страшный грех?

22 – Не гневайся, мой господин, – ответил Аарон. – Ты знаешь, как склонны эти люди к злу. 23 Они сказали мне: «Сделай нам богов, которые пойдут перед нами, потому что мы не знаем, что приключилось с этим Моисеем, выведшим нас из Египта». 24 Тогда я сказал им: «У кого есть золотые украшения, пусть снимет их». Они дали мне золото, я бросил его в огонь и вышел этот телец!

25 Моисей увидел, что люди необузданны, потому что Аарон позволил им это на посмешище врагам. 26 Он встал у входа в лагерь и сказал:

– Кто за Господа – ко мне, – и вокруг него собрались все левиты.

27 Он сказал им:

– Так говорит Господь, Бог Израиля: «Все опояшьтесь мечом! Идите через лагерь от одного конца к другому и обратно, убивая братьев, друзей и ближних».

28 Левиты сделали, как повелел Моисей, и в тот день из народа погибло около трех тысяч человек. 29 Моисей сказал:

– Сегодня вы посвятили себя служению Господу ценой сыновей и братьев, и Он благословил вас.

30 На другой день Моисей сказал народу:

– Вы совершили страшный грех. Но сейчас я поднимусь к Господу, может быть, я смогу загладить ваш грех.

31 Моисей вернулся к Господу и сказал:

– Да, эти люди совершили страшный грех, сделав себе золотых богов. 32 Но теперь, молю, прости их, а если не простишь – так сотри и мое имя из книги, которую Ты написал[a].

33 Господь ответил Моисею:

– Того, кто грешит против Меня, Я сотру из Моей книги. 34 А теперь ступай, веди народ туда, куда Я тебе сказал, и Мой Ангел пойдет перед тобой. Но когда придет срок, Я накажу их за грех.

35 Господь поразил народ мором за то, что они сделали тельца – того, которого изготовил Аарон.

Footnotes

  1. 32:32 Здесь имеется в виду книга жизни, в которой записаны имена тех, кто принадлежит к Его народу (см. Пс. 68:29; Отк. 20:15; 21:27).

32 Viendo el pueblo que Moisés tardaba en bajar del monte, se presentaron en masa ante Aarón y le dijeron:

— Anda, haznos un dios que nos guíe pues no sabemos qué le habrá pasado a ese Moisés, el hombre que nos sacó de Egipto.

Aarón les respondió:

— Quítenles los pendientes de oro que llevan en las orejas sus mujeres, hijos e hijas, y tráiganmelos.

Todos se quitaron los pendientes de oro de las orejas y se los llevaron a Aarón; este los recibió de sus manos e hizo con el oro fundido un becerro modelado a cincel. Entonces ellos exclamaron:

— ¡Israel, este es tu dios, el que te sacó de Egipto!

Cuando Aarón vio esto, construyó un altar delante del becerro y proclamó:

— Mañana será un día de fiesta en honor del Señor.

Al día siguiente madrugaron y ofrecieron holocaustos y sacrificios de comunión. Después se sentaron a comer y beber y, al finalizar, se levantaron a divertirse. El Señor dijo a Moisés:

— Desciende del monte, porque tu pueblo, el que tú sacaste de Egipto, se ha pervertido. Muy pronto se han apartado del camino que yo les había indicado. Se han fabricado un becerro de metal al que adoran y ofrecen sacrificios al tiempo que proclaman: “¡Israel, este es tu dios, el que te sacó de Egipto!”.

El Señor continuó diciendo:

— Me estoy dando cuenta de que este pueblo es muy testarudo. 10 Déjame, pues, que descargue mi ira contra ellos y los aniquile. Y tú serás el que dé origen a una gran nación.

11 Entonces Moisés intentó aplacar el furor del Señor, su Dios, diciendo:

— Señor, ¿por qué vas a descargar tu ira contra tu pueblo, el mismo en favor del que hiciste uso de tu gran fuerza y poder para sacarlo de Egipto? 12 ¿Acaso vas a permitir que los egipcios digan: “Con malos fines los sacó Dios; lo hizo para matarlos en las montañas y borrarlos de la faz de la tierra”? No te dejes llevar por la ira y renuncia al castigo que pensabas para tu pueblo. 13 Acuérdate de tus siervos Abrahán, Isaac e Israel, a quienes hiciste solemne promesa diciendo: “Multiplicaré su descendencia como las estrellas del cielo y daré a sus descendientes como herencia perpetua la tierra de la que les he hablado”.

14 Entonces el Señor renunció a aplicar el castigo con que había amenazado a su pueblo.

15 Moisés se volvió y descendió del monte trayendo en sus manos las dos losas del testimonio. Estaban escritas por ambos lados, por delante y por detrás. 16 Las losas y la escritura que había grabada en ellas eran obra de Dios.

17 Cuando Josué escuchó el griterío del pueblo, dijo a Moisés:

— Se escuchan gritos de guerra en el campamento.

18 Y Moisés respondió:

— No son gritos de victoria ni de derrota; lo que estoy oyendo son cantos festivos.

19 Cuando llegó Moisés al campamento y vio el becerro y las danzas, se enfureció y arrojó al pie del monte las losas que llevaba en sus manos, haciéndolas añicos. 20 Agarró el becerro que habían fabricado, lo arrojó al fuego y, una vez convertido en ceniza, lo disolvió en agua y obligó a los israelitas a que bebieran esa agua.

21 Y dijo a Aarón:

— ¿Se puede saber qué te hizo este pueblo para que le indujeras a cometer un acto tan aberrante?

22 Aarón respondió:

— Señor mío, no te enfades contra mí; tú sabes que este pueblo es proclive al mal. 23 Me dijeron: “Haznos un dios que nos guíe, pues no sabemos qué le habrá pasado a ese Moisés, el hombre que nos sacó de Egipto”. 24 Yo les contesté: “El que tenga oro, que se desprenda de él”. Ellos me lo entregaron, yo lo eché al fuego ¡y salió este becerro!

25 Se percató Moisés de que el pueblo estaba descontrolado, pues Aarón no le había puesto freno, y ahora el pueblo estaba expuesto a las burlas de sus enemigos. 26 Entonces Moisés se plantó en la puerta del campamento y gritó:

— ¡Que se pongan a mi lado los que están de parte del Señor!

Y todos los levitas se le unieron.

27 Él les dijo:

— Así ha dicho el Señor, el Dios de Israel: Que cada uno se ciña su espada al muslo, recorra el campamento y vaya de puerta en puerta matando a los culpables sin tener en cuenta si es su hermano, su amigo o su vecino.

28 Los levitas cumplieron la orden de Moisés y aquel día murieron unos tres mil hombres del pueblo. 29 Moisés les dijo:

— Hoy el Señor los bendice y los constituye sus sacerdotes, pues lo han preferido a sus propios hijos y hermanos.

Intercesión de Moisés

30 Al día siguiente Moisés dijo al pueblo:

— Han cometido un pecado gravísimo; no obstante voy a subir adonde está el Señor, a ver si logro que los perdone.

31 Volvió Moisés adonde estaba el Señor, y le dijo:

— Sin duda que este pueblo ha cometido un gran pecado al hacerse un dios de oro. 32 Pero te ruego que les perdones su pecado; si no lo haces, bórrame del libro donde nos tienes inscritos.

33 Pero el Señor le contestó:

— Al que haya pecado contra mí, lo borraré del libro. 34 Tú lleva al pueblo al lugar que te dije. Mi ángel te irá guiando. Y llegado el momento les pediré cuentas por su pecado.

35 Y el Señor castigó al pueblo por haber adorado al becerro de oro fabricado por Aarón.

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)

Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings(D) that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 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)

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.” 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)

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt,(M) have become corrupt.(N) 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)

“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:

“It is not the sound of victory,
    it is not the sound of defeat;
    it is the sound of singing that I hear.”

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.

Footnotes

  1. Exodus 32:1 Or a god; also in verses 23 and 31
  2. Exodus 32:4 Or This is your god; also in verse 8

32 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of 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 wot not what is become of him.

And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.

And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.

And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the Lord.

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.

And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:

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 thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked 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.

11 And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?

12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, 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.

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.

14 And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.

16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

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.

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.

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.

20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?

22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.

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 wot not what is become of him.

24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.

25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)

26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.

27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.

28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.

29 For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.

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 the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.

31 And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them 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.

33 And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

34 Therefore 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.

35 And the Lord plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.