Exodus 32
Holman Christian Standard Bible
The Gold Calf
32 When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god[a] who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!”(A)
2 Then Aaron replied to them, “Take off the gold rings(B) that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took the gold from their hands, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf.
Then they said, “Israel, this is your God,[b] who brought you up from the land of Egypt!”(C)
5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; then he made an announcement: “There will be a festival(D) to the Lord tomorrow.” 6 Early the next morning they arose, offered burnt offerings, and presented fellowship offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink, then got up to play.(E)
7 The Lord spoke to Moses: “Go down at once! For your people you brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly.(F) 8 They have quickly turned from the way I commanded them; they have made for themselves an image of a calf. They have bowed down to it, sacrificed to it, and said, ‘Israel, this is your God,[c] who brought you up from the land of Egypt.’”(G) 9 The Lord also said to Moses: “I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked(H) people. 10 Now leave Me alone, so that My anger can burn against them and I can destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”(I)
11 But Moses interceded with the Lord his God: “Lord, why does Your anger burn against Your people You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a strong hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, ‘He brought them out with an evil intent to kill them in the mountains and wipe them off the face of the earth’? Turn from Your great anger and relent concerning this disaster planned for Your people.(J) 13 Remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel—You swore to them by Your very self(K) and declared, ‘I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and will give your offspring all this land that I have promised, and they will inherit it forever.’”(L) 14 So the Lord relented(M) concerning the disaster He said He would bring on His people.
15 Then Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides—inscribed front and back. 16 The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was God’s writing, engraved on the tablets.(N)
17 When Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a sound of war in the camp.”
18 But Moses replied:
It’s not the sound of a victory cry
and not the sound of a cry of defeat;
I hear the sound of singing!
19 As he approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses became enraged and threw the tablets out of his hands, smashing them at the base of the mountain. 20 Then he took the calf they had made, burned it up, and ground it to powder. He scattered the powder over the surface of the water and forced the Israelites to drink the water.
21 Then Moses asked Aaron, “What did these people do to you that you have led them into such a grave sin?”
22 “Don’t be enraged, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know that the people are intent on evil.(O) 23 They said to me, ‘Make us a god[d] who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’ 24 So I said to them, ‘Whoever has gold, take it off,’ and they gave it to me. When I threw it into the fire, out came this calf!”
25 Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them get out of control, resulting in weakness before their enemies.[e] 26 And Moses stood at the camp’s entrance and said, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.” And all the Levites gathered around him. 27 He told them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘Every man fasten his sword to his side; go back and forth through the camp from entrance to entrance, and each of you kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.’”(P) 28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and about 3,000 men fell dead that day among the people. 29 Afterward Moses said, “Today you have been dedicated[f] to the Lord, since each man went against his son and his brother. Therefore you have brought a blessing on yourselves today.”(Q)
30 The following day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a grave sin. Now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I will be able to atone for your sin.”(R)
31 So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Oh, these people have committed a grave sin; they have made a god of gold for themselves.(S) 32 Now if You would only forgive their sin. But if not, please erase me from the book You have written.”(T)
33 The Lord replied to Moses: “I will erase whoever has sinned against Me from My book.(U) 34 Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about; see, My angel will go before you. But on the day I settle accounts, I will hold them accountable for their sin.”(V) 35 And the Lord inflicted a plague on the people for what they did with the calf Aaron had made.
Footnotes
- Exodus 32:1 Or us gods
- Exodus 32:4 Or Israel, this is your god, or Israel, these are your gods
- Exodus 32:8 Or Israel, this is your god, or Israel, these are your gods
- Exodus 32:23 Or us gods
- Exodus 32:25 Hb obscure; or resulting in derision
- Exodus 32:29 Text emended; MT reads Today dedicate yourselves; LXX, Vg read Today you have dedicated yourselves
Exodus 32
English Standard Version
The Golden Calf
32 When the people saw that Moses (A)delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, (B)“Up, make us gods who shall (C)go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” 2 So Aaron said to them, “Take off the (D)rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3 So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4 (E)And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden[a] calf. And they said, (F)“These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron (G)made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.” 6 And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And (H)the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up (I)to play.
7 And the Lord said to Moses, (J)“Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have (K)corrupted themselves. 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way that (L)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, (M)it is a stiff-necked people. 10 Now therefore (N)let me alone, that (O)my wrath may burn hot against them and (P)I may consume them, in order that (Q)I may make a great nation of you.”
11 But (R)Moses implored the Lord his God and said, “O Lord, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 12 (S)Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and (T)relent from this disaster against your people. 13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you (U)swore by your own self, and said to them, (V)‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’” 14 And the Lord (W)relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.
15 Then (X)Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the (Y)two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets that were written on both sides; on the front and on the back they were written. 16 (Z)The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. 17 When (AA)Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.” 18 But he said, “It is not the sound of (AB)shouting for victory, or the sound of the cry of defeat, but the sound of singing that I hear.” 19 And as soon as he came near the camp and (AC)saw the calf and the dancing, Moses' anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. 20 He took the calf that they had made and burned it with fire and ground it to powder and scattered it on the water and made the people of Israel drink it.
21 And Moses said to Aaron, (AD)“What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?” 22 And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. (AE)You know the people, that they are set on evil. 23 For (AF)they said to me, ‘Make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ 24 So (AG)I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”
25 And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, (AH)to the derision of their enemies), 26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Who is on the Lord's side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. 27 And he said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you (AI)kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.’” 28 And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell. 29 And Moses said, “Today you have been (AJ)ordained for the service of the Lord, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, so that he might bestow a blessing upon you this day.”
30 The next day Moses said to the people, (AK)“You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the Lord; (AL)perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” 31 So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Alas, (AM)this people has sinned a great sin. They have (AN)made for themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, if (AO)you will forgive their sin—but if not, please (AP)blot me out of (AQ)your book that you have written.” 33 But the Lord said to Moses, (AR)“Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book. 34 (AS)But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; (AT)behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.”
35 Then the Lord sent a plague on the people, because they made the calf, the one that Aaron made.
Footnotes
- Exodus 32:4 Hebrew cast metal; also verse 8
Éxodo 32
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
El becerro de oro
32 Cuando el pueblo vio que Moisés tardaba en bajar del monte(A), la gente se congregó alrededor de Aarón, y le dijeron: «Levántate[a], haznos un dios que vaya[b] delante de nosotros. En cuanto a este Moisés, el hombre que nos sacó de la tierra de Egipto(B), no sabemos qué le haya acontecido(C)». 2 Y Aarón les respondió: «Quiten los pendientes de oro(D) de las orejas de sus mujeres, de sus hijos y de sus hijas, y tráiganmelos».
3 Entonces todo el pueblo se quitó los pendientes de oro que tenían en las orejas y los llevaron a Aarón. 4 Él los tomó de sus manos y les dio forma con buril, e hizo de ellos un becerro de fundición. Y ellos dijeron: «Este es tu dios, Israel, que te ha sacado[c] de la tierra de Egipto(E)».
5 Cuando Aarón vio esto, edificó un altar delante del becerro[d]. Y Aarón hizo una proclama y dijo: «Mañana será fiesta para el Señor». 6 Al día siguiente se levantaron temprano y ofrecieron holocaustos(F) y trajeron ofrendas de paz. El pueblo se sentó a comer(G) y a beber, y se levantó a regocijarse(H).
7 Entonces el Señor habló a Moisés: «Desciende pronto, porque tu pueblo, que sacaste de la tierra de Egipto(I), se ha corrompido(J). 8 Bien pronto se han desviado del camino que Yo les mandé. Se han hecho un becerro de fundición(K) y lo han adorado, le han ofrecido sacrificios(L) y han dicho: “Este es tu dios, Israel, que te ha sacado[e] de la tierra de Egipto(M)”». 9 (N)El Señor dijo además a Moisés: «He visto a este pueblo, y ciertamente es un pueblo terco[f](O). 10 Ahora pues, déjame, para que se encienda Mi ira contra ellos y los consuma. Pero de ti Yo haré una gran nación(P)».
11 (Q)Entonces Moisés suplicó ante el Señor su Dios, y dijo: «Oh Señor, ¿por qué se enciende Tu ira contra Tu pueblo, que Tú has sacado de la tierra de Egipto con gran poder y con mano fuerte(R)? 12 ¿Por qué han de hablar los egipcios, diciendo: “Con malas intenciones los ha sacado, para matarlos en los montes y para exterminarlos de la superficie de la tierra(S)”? Vuélvete del ardor de Tu ira, y desiste de hacer daño a Tu pueblo. 13 Acuérdate de Abraham, de Isaac y de Israel, Tus siervos, a quienes juraste por Ti mismo(T), y les dijiste: “Yo multiplicaré la descendencia de ustedes[g] como las estrellas del cielo(U), y toda esta tierra de la cual he hablado, daré a sus descendientes[h], y ellos la heredarán para siempre(V)”». 14 Y el Señor desistió de hacer el daño que había dicho que haría a Su pueblo(W).
Moisés rompe las tablas del testimonio
15 Entonces se volvió Moisés y descendió del monte con las dos tablas del testimonio en su mano(X), tablas escritas por ambos[i] lados(Y). Por uno y por el otro estaban escritas. 16 Las tablas eran obra de Dios, y la escritura era escritura de Dios grabada sobre las tablas. 17 Al oír Josué el ruido del pueblo que gritaba[j], dijo a Moisés: «Hay gritos de guerra en el campamento». 18 Pero él respondió:
«No es ruido de gritos de victoria,
Ni es ruido de lamentos de derrota;
Sino que oigo voces de canto».
19 Tan pronto como Moisés se acercó al campamento, vio el becerro y las danzas(Z). Se encendió la ira de Moisés, arrojó las tablas de sus manos, y las hizo pedazos al pie[k] del monte(AA). 20 Y tomando el becerro que habían hecho, lo quemó en el fuego, lo molió hasta reducirlo a polvo y lo esparció sobre el agua(AB), e hizo que los israelitas la bebieran.
Castigo del pueblo
21 Entonces dijo Moisés a Aarón: «¿Qué te ha hecho este pueblo para que hayas traído sobre él tan gran pecado?». 22 «No se encienda la ira de mi señor», respondió Aarón; «tú conoces al pueblo, que es propenso al mal[l](AC). 23 Porque me dijeron: “Haznos un dios que vaya[m] delante de nosotros, pues no sabemos qué le haya acontecido a este Moisés, el hombre que nos sacó de la tierra de Egipto(AD)”. 24 Y yo les contesté: “El que tenga oro, que se lo quite”. Me lo dieron, lo eché al fuego y salió este becerro(AE)».
25 Viendo Moisés al pueblo desenfrenado, porque Aarón les había permitido el desenfreno para ser burla de sus enemigos[n](AF), 26 se paró Moisés a la puerta del campamento, y dijo: «El que esté por el Señor, venga a mí». Y se juntaron a él todos los hijos de Leví. 27 Y él les dijo: «Así dice el Señor, Dios de Israel: “Póngase cada uno la espada sobre el muslo, y pasen y repasen por el campamento de puerta en puerta, y maten cada uno a su hermano y a su amigo y a su vecino[o]”». 28 Los hijos de Leví hicieron conforme a la palabra de Moisés(AG); y cayeron aquel día unos 3,000 hombres del pueblo. 29 Entonces Moisés dijo: «Conságrense[p] hoy al Señor, pues cada uno ha estado en contra de su hijo y en contra de su hermano, para que hoy Él les dé una bendición».
30 Al día siguiente Moisés dijo al pueblo: «Ustedes han cometido[q] un gran pecado(AH), y ahora yo voy a subir al Señor. Quizá pueda hacer expiación por su pecado(AI)».
31 Entonces volvió Moisés al Señor y dijo: «¡Ay!, este pueblo ha cometido[r] un gran pecado: se ha hecho un dios[s] de oro(AJ). 32 Pero ahora, si es Tu voluntad, perdona su pecado, y si no, bórrame del[t] libro que has escrito(AK)». 33 Y el Señor dijo a Moisés: «Al que haya pecado contra Mí, lo borraré de Mi libro(AL). 34 Pero ahora ve, conduce al pueblo adonde te he dicho(AM). Mi ángel irá delante de ti(AN). Pero el día que Yo los visite, los castigaré por su pecado[u](AO)».
35 Y el Señor hirió al pueblo(AP) por lo que hicieron con el becerro que Aarón había hecho(AQ).
Footnotes
- 32:1 Lit. Ven.
- 32:1 O unos dioses que vayan.
- 32:4 O Estos son tus dioses que te han sacado.
- 32:5 Lit. de él.
- 32:8 O Estos son tus dioses que te han sacado.
- 32:9 Lit. de dura cerviz.
- 32:13 Lit. simiente.
- 32:13 Lit. su simiente.
- 32:15 Lit. por los dos de sus.
- 32:17 Lit. en su gritería.
- 32:19 Lit. debajo.
- 32:22 Lit. que está en el mal.
- 32:23 O unos dioses que vayan.
- 32:25 Lit. de los que se levantan contra ellos.
- 32:27 O pariente.
- 32:29 Lit. Llenen su mano.
- 32:30 Lit. pecado.
- 32:31 Lit. pecado.
- 32:31 O unos dioses.
- 32:32 Lit. de tu.
- 32:34 Lit. visitaré su pecado sobre ellos.
Exodus 32
New International Version
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:
“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
- Exodus 32:1 Or a god; also in verses 23 and 31
- Exodus 32:4 Or This is your god; also in verse 8
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