Exodus 32:22-35 ▼

22 Aaron said, |Sir, don't be angry. You know the people—that they're intent on evil.

23 They told me, 'Make a god for us who will go before us because, as for this fellow Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what has become of him.'

24 So I told them, 'Whoever has gold ornaments, tear them off.' When they gave it to me, I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.|

25 When Moses saw that the people were out of control—since Aaron had let them get out of control, something that incited ridicule from their enemies —

26 he stood in the gate of the camp and called out: |Whoever is for the LORD come over to me,| and all the sons of Levi gathered around him.

27 He told them, |This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says, 'Every man put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and each of you kill his brother and friend and neighbor.'|

28 The descendants of Levi did just as Moses told them, and about 3,000 people died that day.

29 Moses said, |You have been ordained to serve the LORD today, and you have brought a blessing on yourselves today because every man opposed his son or brother.|

30 The next day Moses told the people, |You committed a great sin, and now I'll go up to the LORD, and perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.|

31 Moses returned to the LORD and said, |Please, LORD, this people committed a great sin by making a god of gold for themselves.

32 Now, if you will, forgive their sin—but if not, blot me out of your book which you have written.|

33 The LORD told Moses, |Whoever sins against me, I'll blot him out of my book.

34 Now, go, and lead the people where I told you, and now my angel will go before you, but on the day when I do punish, I'll punish them for their sin.|

35 Then the LORD sent a plague on the people because they made the calf (the one Aaron made).