² And the whole congregation of the people of Israel ^(A)grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, ³ and the people of Israel said to them, ^(B)“Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, ^(C)when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger.”

⁷ And the Lord said to Moses, ^(A)“Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have ^(B)corrupted themselves. ⁸ They have turned aside quickly out of the way that ^(C)I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” ⁹ And the Lord said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, ^(D)it is a stiff-necked people. ¹⁰ Now therefore ^(E)let me alone, that ^(F)my wrath may burn hot against them and ^(G)I may consume them, in order that ^(H)I may make a great nation of you.”

³⁰ The next day Moses said to the people, ^(A)“You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the Lord; ^(B)perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” ³¹ So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Alas, ^(C)this people has sinned a great sin. They have ^(D)made for themselves gods of gold. ³² But now, if ^(E)you will forgive their sin—but if not, please ^(F)blot me out of ^(G)your book that you have written.”