Exodus 32:17
New International Version
When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “There is the sound of war in the camp.”

New Living Translation
When Joshua heard the boisterous noise of the people shouting below them, he exclaimed to Moses, “It sounds like war in the camp!”

English Standard Version
When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.”

Berean Standard Bible
When Joshua heard the sound of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “The sound of war is in the camp.”

King James Bible
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.

New King James Version
And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.”

New American Standard Bible
Now when Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a sound of war in the camp.”

NASB 1995
Now when Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a sound of war in the camp.”

NASB 1977
Now when Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a sound of war in the camp.”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted. And he said to Moses, “There is a sound of war in the camp.”

Amplified Bible
Now when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a sound of battle in the camp.”

Christian Standard Bible
When Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a sound of war in the camp.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
When Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a sound of war in the camp.”

American Standard Version
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.

Contemporary English Version
When Joshua heard the noisy shouts of the people, he said to Moses, "A battle must be going on down in the camp."

English Revised Version
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.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Then Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting. He said to Moses, "It's the sound of war in the camp!"

Good News Translation
Joshua heard the people shouting and said to Moses, "I hear the sound of battle in the camp."

International Standard Version
When Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted, he told Moses, "The sound of war is coming from the camp."

Majority Standard Bible
When Joshua heard the sound of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “The sound of war is in the camp.”

NET Bible
When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "It is the sound of war in the camp!"

New Heart English Bible
When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is the noise of war in the camp."

Webster's Bible Translation
And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.

World English Bible
When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is the noise of war in the camp.”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Joshua hears the voice of the people in their shouting and says to Moses, “A noise of battle in the camp!”

Young's Literal Translation
And Joshua heareth the voice of the people in their shouting, and saith unto Moses, 'A noise of battle in the camp!'

Smith's Literal Translation
And Joshua will hear the voice of the people in making a loud noise, and he will say to Moses, A voice of war in the camp.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Josue hearing the noise of the people shouting, said to Moses: The noise of battle is heard in the camp.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then Joshua, hearing the tumult of the people shouting, said to Moses: “The outcry of battle is heard in the camp.”

New American Bible
Now, when Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “That sounds like a battle in the camp.”

New Revised Standard Version
When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And when Joshua heard the noise of the people fighting, he said to Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And the tablets were the work of God and the writing was the writing of God; it was present on the tablets.
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
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.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Joshua having heard the voice of the people crying, says to Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Moses Descends with the Tablets
16The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. 17When Joshua heard the sound of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “The sound of war is in the camp.” 18But Moses replied: “It is neither the cry of victory nor the cry of defeat; I hear the sound of singing!”…

Cross References
Exodus 17:11-13
As long as Moses held up his hands, Israel prevailed; but when he lowered them, Amalek prevailed. / When Moses’ hands grew heavy, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. Then Aaron and Hur held his hands up, one on each side, so that his hands remained steady until the sun went down. / So Joshua overwhelmed Amalek and his army with the sword.

Exodus 24:13-14
So Moses set out with Joshua his attendant and went up on the mountain of God. / And he said to the elders, “Wait here for us until we return to you. Aaron and Hur are here with you. Whoever has a dispute can go to them.”

Exodus 33:11
Thus the LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Then Moses would return to the camp, but his young assistant Joshua son of Nun would not leave the tent.

Numbers 11:27-29
A young man ran and reported to Moses, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” / Joshua son of Nun, the attendant to Moses since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!” / But Moses replied, “Are you jealous on my account? I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would place His Spirit on them!”

Deuteronomy 9:12-14
And the LORD said to me, “Get up and go down from here at once, for your people, whom you brought out of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. How quickly they have turned aside from the way that I commanded them! They have made for themselves a molten image.” / The LORD also said to me, “I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people. / Leave Me alone, so that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. Then I will make you into a nation mightier and greater than they are.”

Joshua 6:10
But Joshua had commanded the people: “Do not give a battle cry or let your voice be heard; do not let one word come out of your mouth until the day I tell you to shout. Then you are to shout!”

1 Samuel 4:5-6
When the ark of the covenant of the LORD entered the camp, all the Israelites raised such a great shout that the ground shook. / On hearing the noise of the shout, the Philistines asked, “What is this loud shouting in the camp of the Hebrews?” And when they realized that the ark of the LORD had entered the camp,

1 Kings 19:11-13
Then the LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Behold, the LORD is about to pass by.” And a great and mighty wind tore into the mountains and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. / After the earthquake there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a still, small voice. / When Elijah heard it, he wrapped his face in his cloak and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

2 Kings 11:13-14
When Athaliah heard the noise from the guards and the people, she went out to the people in the house of the LORD. / And she looked out and saw the king standing by the pillar, according to the custom. The officers and trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her clothes and screamed, “Treason! Treason!”

Nehemiah 8:9-12
Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to all of them, “This day is holy to the LORD your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people were weeping as they heard the words of the Law. / Then Nehemiah told them, “Go and eat what is rich, drink what is sweet, and send out portions to those who have nothing prepared, since today is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.” / And the Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, since today is holy. Do not grieve.” ...

Psalm 106:19-23
At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped a molten image. / They exchanged their Glory for the image of a grass-eating ox. / They forgot God their Savior, who did great things in Egypt, ...

Isaiah 42:13
The LORD goes forth like a mighty one; He stirs up His zeal like a warrior. He shouts; yes, He roars in triumph over His enemies:

Jeremiah 51:14-15
The LORD of Hosts has sworn by Himself: “Surely I will fill you up with men as with locusts, and they will shout in triumph over you.” / The LORD made the earth by His power; He established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding.

Matthew 21:10-11
When Jesus had entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” / The crowds replied, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Matthew 26:69-75
Meanwhile, Peter was sitting out in the courtyard, and a servant girl came up to him. “You also were with Jesus the Galilean,” she said. / But he denied it before them all: “I do not know what you are talking about.” / When Peter had gone out to the gateway, another servant girl saw him and said to the people there, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” ...


Treasury of Scripture

And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.

Exodus 17:9
And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand.

Exodus 24:13
And Moses rose up, and his minister Joshua: and Moses went up into the mount of God.

they shouted

Exodus 32:18
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.

Ezra 3:11-13
And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid…

Psalm 47:1
To the chief Musician, A Psalm for the sons of Korah. O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.

there is a noise

Joshua 6:5,10,16,20
And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram's horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him…

Judges 15:14
And when he came unto Lehi, the Philistines shouted against him: and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and the cords that were upon his arms became as flax that was burnt with fire, and his bands loosed from off his hands.

1 Samuel 4:5,6
And when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came into the camp, all Israel shouted with a great shout, so that the earth rang again…

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Exodus 32
1. The people in the absence of Moses, caused Aaron to make a calf
7. God informs Moses, who intercedes for Israel, and prevails
15. Moses comes down with the tablets
19. He breaks them
20. He destroys the calf
22. Aaron's excuse for himself
25. Moses causes the idolaters to be slain
30. He prays for the people














When Joshua heard
The name "Joshua" is derived from the Hebrew "Yehoshua," meaning "Yahweh is salvation." Joshua, Moses' assistant, is a pivotal figure in the transition of leadership from Moses to the conquest of Canaan. His presence here signifies his role as a faithful servant and future leader. The act of hearing indicates his attentiveness and readiness to respond to the needs of the people, a quality essential for leadership.

the sound of the people shouting
The Hebrew word for "sound" is "qol," which can mean voice, sound, or noise. This term is often used in the context of significant events, such as divine revelation or human rebellion. The "shouting" of the people, "teru'ah" in Hebrew, can denote a joyful noise or an alarm. Here, it reflects the chaotic and rebellious nature of the Israelites' actions as they worship the golden calf, highlighting the disorder that ensues when God's commandments are disregarded.

he said to Moses
Joshua's immediate response is to communicate with Moses, demonstrating his respect and reliance on Moses' wisdom and leadership. This interaction underscores the importance of godly counsel and the chain of command within the community of faith. It also reflects the biblical principle of seeking guidance from those who are spiritually mature.

The sound of war is in the camp
The phrase "sound of war" uses the Hebrew "kol milchamah," which literally translates to "voice of battle." Joshua's misinterpretation of the noise as the sound of war reveals the intensity and fervor of the people's idolatrous celebration. This misunderstanding serves as a metaphor for the spiritual warfare that occurs when God's people turn away from Him. It also foreshadows the internal conflict and judgment that will follow due to their disobedience.

(17) When Joshua heard.--Joshua's presence with Moses in the mount has not been indicated since Exodus 24:13. But it would seem that when Moses was summoned up into the cloud (Exodus 24:16) his faithful "minister" remained where he was, waiting for his master. He may have found shelter in some "cleft of the rock;" and the manna may have fallen about him, and sufficed for his sustenance during the forty days and nights of his master's absence.

The noise of the people as they shouted.--"Shouting" was a feature of idolatrous rites (1Kings 18:28; Acts 19:34; Herod. ii. 60, &c.), and was in part a cause, in part a result, of the physical excitement which prevailed during such orgies. Joshua, unsuspicious of the real nature of the shouting, supposed, naturally enough, that the camp was attacked by an enemy, and that the noise was "a noise of war." But Moses, forewarned of the actual state of affairs (Exodus 32:7-8), had probably a shrewd suspicion of the real nature of the sounds. He contented himself, however, with negativing his minister's conjecture. . . .

Verse 17. - When Joshua heard. This abrupt introduction of Joshua, who has not been mentioned for seven entire chapters, is curious. Probably he had considered himself bound, as Moses' minister (Exodus 24:13), to await his return, and had remained in the middle portion of the mount, where he may have fed upon manna, until Moses came down from the top. The noise of the people. It is noted by travellers, that in all the latter part of the descent from Sinai, the plain at its base is shut out from sight; and that sounds would be heard from it a long time before the plain itself would open on the view (Stanley, Sinai and Palestine, p. 44). Sounds, however, which come circuitously, are always indistinct; and it is not surprising that Joshua, knowing nothing of the proceedings in the camp, should have fancied he heard a sound of war.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
When Joshua
יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ (yə·hō·wō·šu·a‘)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 3091: Joshua -- 'the LORD is salvation', Moses' successor, also the name of a number of Israelites

heard
וַיִּשְׁמַ֧ע (way·yiš·ma‘)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

the sound
ק֥וֹל (qō·wl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

of the people
הָעָ֖ם (hā·‘ām)
Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 5971: A people, a tribe, troops, attendants, a flock

shouting,
בְּרֵעֹ֑ה‪‬ (bə·rê·‘ōh)
Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 7452: Perhaps shouting, roar

he said
וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

to
אֶל־ (’el-)
Preposition
Strong's 413: Near, with, among, to

Moses,
מֹשֶׁ֔ה (mō·šeh)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 4872: Moses -- a great Israelite leader, prophet and lawgiver

“The sound
ק֥וֹל (qō·wl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

of war
מִלְחָמָ֖ה (mil·ḥā·māh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 4421: A battle, war

[is] in the camp.”
בַּֽמַּחֲנֶה׃‪‬ (bam·ma·ḥă·neh)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - common singular
Strong's 4264: An encampment, an army


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OT Law: Exodus 32:17 When Joshua heard the noise (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 32:16
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