Exodus 32:22
New International Version
“Do not be angry, my lord,” Aaron answered. “You know how prone these people are to evil.

New Living Translation
“Don’t get so upset, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know how evil these people are.

English Standard Version
And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.

Berean Standard Bible
“Do not be enraged, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know that the people are intent on evil.

King James Bible
And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.

New King James Version
So Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord become hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.

New American Standard Bible
And Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you know the people yourself, that they are prone to evil.

NASB 1995
Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you know the people yourself, that they are prone to evil.

NASB 1977
And Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you know the people yourself, that they are prone to evil.

Legacy Standard Bible
And Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you know the people yourself, that they are prone to evil.

Amplified Bible
Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you know the people yourself, that they are prone to evil.

Christian Standard Bible
“Don’t be enraged, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know that the people are intent on evil.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Don’t be enraged, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know that the people are intent on evil.

American Standard Version
And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on evil.

Contemporary English Version
Aaron answered: Don't be angry with me. You know as well as I do that they are determined to do evil.

English Revised Version
And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on evil.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Don't be angry, sir," Aaron answered. "You know that these people are evil.

Good News Translation
Aaron answered, "Don't be angry with me; you know how determined these people are to do evil.

International Standard Version
Aaron said, "Sir, don't be angry. You know the people—that they're intent on evil.

Majority Standard Bible
“Do not be enraged, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know that the people are intent on evil.

NET Bible
Aaron said, "Do not let your anger burn hot, my lord; you know these people, that they tend to evil.

New Heart English Bible
Aaron said, "Do not let the anger of my lord grow hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.

Webster's Bible Translation
And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people that they are set on mischief.

World English Bible
Aaron said, “Don’t let the anger of my lord grow hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
And Aaron says, “Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you have known the people, that it [is beset] with evil;

Young's Literal Translation
and Aaron saith, 'Let not the anger of my lord burn; thou -- thou hast known the people that it is in evil;

Smith's Literal Translation
And Aaron will say, The wrath of my lord shall not kindle: thou knowest the people that it is in sin.
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he answered him: Let not my lord be offended: for thou knowest this people, that they are prone to evil.

Catholic Public Domain Version
And he answered him: “Let not my lord be indignant. For you know this people, that they are prone to evil.

New American Bible
Aaron replied, “Do not let my lord be angry. You know how the people are prone to evil.

New Revised Standard Version
And Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord burn hot; you know the people, that they are bent on evil.
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord rage; you yourself know this people, that they are bad.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And Moshe said to Ahron, “What did this people do to you that you brought upon it great sin?”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And Aaron said: 'Let not the anger of my lord wax hot; thou knowest the people, that they are set on evil.

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Aaron said to Moses, Be not angry, my lord, for thou knowest the impetuosity of this people.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Moses Breaks the Tablets
21“What did this people do to you,” Moses asked Aaron, “that you have led them into so great a sin?” 22“Do not be enraged, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know that the people are intent on evil. 23They told me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him!’…

Cross References
Deuteronomy 9:18-20
Then I fell down before the LORD for forty days and forty nights, as I had done the first time. I did not eat bread or drink water because of all the sin you had committed in doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD and provoking Him to anger. / For I was afraid of the anger and wrath that the LORD had directed against you, enough to destroy you. But the LORD listened to me this time as well. / The LORD was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him, but at that time I also prayed for Aaron.

Acts 7:39-41
But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. / They said to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us! As for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’ / At that time they made a calf and offered a sacrifice to the idol, rejoicing in the works of their hands.

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, ...

1 Corinthians 10:6-7
These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did. / Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”

Nehemiah 9:18-19
Even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and when they committed terrible blasphemies, / You in Your great compassion did not forsake them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud never turned away from guiding them on their path; and by the night the pillar of fire illuminated the way they should go.

1 Kings 12:28-30
After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves and said to the people, “Going up to Jerusalem is too much for you. Here, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” / One calf he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan. / And this thing became a sin; the people walked as far as Dan to worship before one of the calves.

Galatians 4:8
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.

Romans 1:21-23
For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts. / Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools, / and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

Isaiah 44:9-20
All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame. / Who fashions a god or casts an idol which profits him nothing? / Behold, all his companions will be put to shame, for the craftsmen themselves are only human. Let them all assemble and take their stand; they will all be brought to terror and shame. ...

2 Kings 17:16-17
They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served Baal. / They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire and practiced divination and soothsaying. They devoted themselves to doing evil in the sight of the LORD, provoking Him to anger.

Hosea 8:4-6
They set up kings, but not by Me. They make princes, but without My approval. With their silver and gold they make themselves idols, to their own destruction. / He has rejected your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence? / For this thing is from Israel—a craftsman made it, and it is not God. It will be broken to pieces, that calf of Samaria.

2 Corinthians 11:3
I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ.

Jeremiah 10:3-5
For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut down a tree from the forest; it is shaped with a chisel by the hands of a craftsman. / They adorn it with silver and gold and fasten it with hammer and nails, so that it will not totter. / Like scarecrows in a cucumber patch, their idols cannot speak. They must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them, for they can do no harm, and neither can they do any good.”

1 John 5:21
Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

Ezekiel 20:8
But they rebelled against Me and refused to listen. None of them cast away the abominations before their eyes, and they did not forsake the idols of Egypt. So I resolved to pour out My wrath upon them and vent My anger against them in the land of Egypt.


Treasury of Scripture

And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: you know the people, that they are set on mischief.

knowest

Exodus 14:11
And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?

Exodus 15:24
And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?

Exodus 16:2-4,20,28
And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness: …

that they are

Deuteronomy 31:27
For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death?

1 Samuel 15:24
And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.

Psalm 36:4
He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.

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Aaron Anger Angry Burn Evil Grow Hot Mischief Purposes Thou Wax
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Aaron Anger Angry Burn Evil Grow Hot Mischief Purposes Thou Wax
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














Do not be enraged, my lord
In this phrase, Aaron addresses Moses with a plea for calmness. The Hebrew word for "enraged" is "charah," which conveys a deep, burning anger. Aaron's use of "my lord" (Hebrew: "adonai") is a term of respect and submission, acknowledging Moses' leadership and authority. This reflects the hierarchical structure of Israelite society, where Moses is seen as the mediator between God and the people. Aaron's attempt to pacify Moses highlights the tension and fear of divine retribution that permeates this narrative.

Aaron replied
Aaron's response is significant as it shows his role in the unfolding events. As the high priest and Moses' brother, Aaron holds a position of influence. His reply is not just a personal defense but an attempt to explain the collective actions of the Israelites. Historically, Aaron's leadership is crucial, yet here it is marred by his involvement in the golden calf incident, which serves as a cautionary tale about the responsibilities of spiritual leadership.

You yourself know
This phrase indicates Aaron's appeal to Moses' understanding and prior knowledge of the people's tendencies. The Hebrew word "yada" for "know" implies an intimate, experiential knowledge. Aaron is reminding Moses of the Israelites' past behavior, suggesting that their current actions are consistent with their established character. This appeal to shared knowledge underscores the communal nature of Israel's journey and the challenges of leading a people prone to rebellion.

that the people are intent on evil
The phrase "intent on evil" is a stark assessment of the Israelites' actions. The Hebrew word "ra" for "evil" encompasses moral wickedness and rebellion against God. Aaron's statement reflects the biblical theme of human sinfulness and the propensity to stray from divine commandments. This acknowledgment of the people's inclination towards evil serves as a reminder of the need for constant vigilance and reliance on God's guidance to overcome sinful tendencies. Historically, this moment is pivotal, as it leads to Moses' intercession and God's merciful response, illustrating the balance of justice and grace in the divine-human relationship.

(22-24) Aaron's conduct was really without excuse; but he attempts two pleas--the first insufficient, the second false and fatuous. (1) The people compelled him; they were "set on mischief;" they made the proposal--they would have it so. (2) He threw the gold into the furnace, and "it came out a calf," as if he had not ordered the construction of the mould. In Deuteronomy, Moses informs us that Aaron's whole conduct so angered God that God would have destroyed him but for his own intercession (Deuteronomy 9:20).

Verse 22. - Let not the anger of my lord wax hot. Aaron's humility is extreme, and the result of a consciousness of guilt. He nowhere else addresses Moses as "my lord." Set on mischief. Or "inclined to evil" (Kalisch).

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
“Do not
אַל־ (’al-)
Adverb
Strong's 408: Not

be enraged,
יִ֥חַר (yi·ḥar)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular
Strong's 2734: To glow, grow warm, to blaze up, of anger, zeal, jealousy

my lord,”
אֲדֹנִ֑י (’ă·ḏō·nî)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Strong's 113: Sovereign, controller

Aaron
אַהֲרֹ֔ן (’a·hă·rōn)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 175: Aaron -- an elder brother of Moses

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

“You
אַתָּה֙ (’at·tāh)
Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

yourself know
יָדַ֣עְתָּ (yā·ḏa‘·tā)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

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

are intent on evil.
בְרָ֖ע (ḇə·rā‘)
Preposition-b | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 7451: Bad, evil


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