25 Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughingstock(A) 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.’”(B) 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.”

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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.”

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 32:29 Lit. Fill your hand

25 Now Moses saw that the people were [a]out of control—for Aaron had (A)let them [b]get out of control to be a derision among [c]their enemies— 26 so Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Whoever is for Yahweh, come to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered together to him. 27 And he said to them, “Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘Every man among you put his sword upon his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and kill every man his brother and every man his friend and every man his [d]neighbor.’” 28 So (B)the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses, and about three thousand men of the people fell that day. 29 Then Moses said, “[e]Be ordained today to Yahweh—for every man has been against his son and against his brother—in order that He may bestow a blessing upon you today.”

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Footnotes

  1. Exodus 32:25 Lit let loose
  2. Exodus 32:25 Lit go loose
  3. Exodus 32:25 Lit those who rise against them
  4. Exodus 32:27 Or kin
  5. Exodus 32:29 Lit Fill your hand