²⁵ Now when Moses saw that the people were ^(A)unrestrained (for Aaron ^(B)had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies), ²⁶ then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on the Lord’s side—come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. ²⁷ And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and ^(C)let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.’ ” ²⁸ So the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day. ^29 (D)Then Moses said, ^[a]“Consecrate yourselves today to the Lord, that He may bestow on you a blessing this day, for every man has opposed his son and his brother.”

³⁰ Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses said to the people, ^(E)“You have committed a great sin. So now I will go up to the Lord; ^(F)perhaps I can ^(G)make atonement for your sin.” ³¹ Then Moses ^(H)returned to the Lord and said, “Oh, these people have committed a great sin, and have ^(I)made for themselves a god of gold! ³² Yet now, if You will forgive their sin—but if not, I pray, ^(J)blot me ^(K)out of Your book which You have written.”

³³ And the Lord said to Moses, ^(L)“Whoever has sinned against Me, I will ^(M)blot him out of My book. ³⁴ Now therefore, go, lead the people to the place of which I have ^(N)spoken to you. ^(O)Behold, My Angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, ^(P)in the day when I ^(Q)visit for punishment, I will visit punishment upon them for their sin.”

³⁵ So the Lord plagued the people because of ^(R)what they did with the calf which Aaron made.