Exodus 32:21-35 ▼

21 And Moses said to Aaron, What has this people done to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?

22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord rage; you yourself know this people, that they are bad.

23 For they said to me, Make us gods that they shall go before us; as for this Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.

24 And I said to them, Whosoever has any gold bring it to me. So they brought it to me; then I cast it into the fire, and it became this calf.

25 And when Moses saw that the people had sinned; (for Aaron had caused them to sin, and to leave a bad name behind them);

26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, Who is on the LORD'S side? Let him come to me. And all the Levites gathered themselves together to him.

27 And Moses said to them, Thus says the LORD God of Israel: Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from door to door throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.

28 And the Levites did according to the word of Moses; and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.

29 And Moses said to them, Strengthen yourselves today before the LORD, every man with his son and with his brother; for a blessing shall come upon you today.

30 ?And it came to pass on the next day, Moses said to the people, You have sinned this great sin; and now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps he may forgive your transgressions.

31 So Moses returned to the LORD and said, I beseech thee, O LORD God, truly this people have sinned a great sin and have made for themselves gods of gold.

32 But now, if thou wilt, forgive their sins; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

33 And the LORD said to Moses, Whosoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

34 Therefore now go, lead the people to the place where I tell you; behold, my angel shall go before you; nevertheless in the day when I punish I will visit their sins upon them.

35 And the LORD smote the people because they worshipped the calf which Aaron made.