Exodus 32:21-35 ▼

21 And Moses says to Aaron, “What has this people done to you, that you have brought in a great sin on it?”

22 And Aaron says, “Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you have known the people, that it [is beset] with evil;

23 and they say to me, Make gods for us, who go before us, for this Moses—the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt—we have not known what has happened to him;

24 and I say to them, Whoever has gold, let them break [it] off, and they give [it] to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf comes out.”

25 And Moses sees the people, that it [is] unbridled, for Aaron has made it unbridled for contempt among its withstanders,

26 and Moses stands in the gate of the camp and says, “Who [is] for YHWH? [Come] to me!” And all the sons of Levi are gathered to him;

27 and he says to them, “Thus said YHWH, God of Israel: Each put his sword by his thigh, pass over and turn back from gate to gate through the camp, and each slay his brother, and each his friend, and each his relation.”

28 And the sons of Levi do according to the word of Moses, and there falls of the people on that day about three thousand men,

29 and Moses says, “Consecrate your hand to YHWH today, for a man [is] against his son, and against his brother, so as to bring a blessing on you today.”

30 And it comes to pass, on the next day, that Moses says to the people, “You have sinned a great sin, and now I go up to YHWH, perhaps I can atone for your sin.”

31 And Moses turns back to YHWH and says, “Ah, now this people has sinned a great sin, that they make a god of gold for themselves;

32 and now, if You take away their sin—and if not—please blot me out of Your scroll which You have written.”

33 And YHWH says to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me—I blot him out of My scroll;

34 and now, go, lead the people wherever I have spoken to you of; behold, My Messenger goes before you, and in the day of my charging—then I have charged their sin on them.”

35 And YHWH plagues the people because they made the calf which Aaron made.