Exodus 32 - Introduction

1 The people in the absence of Moses, cause Aaron to make a calfe.

7 God is angred thereby.

11 At the intreatie of Moses he is appeased.

15 Moses commeth downe with the Tables.

19 He breaketh them.

20 He destroyeth the calfe.

22 Aarons excuse for himselfe.

25 Moses causeth the Idolaters to bee slaine.

30 He prayeth for the people.

1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come downe out of the mount, the people gathered themselues together

[The molten calfe.]

vnto Aaron, and said vnto him, [Note: Acts 7:40.] Up, make vs gods which shall goe before vs: for as for this Moses, the man that brought vs vp out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

2 And Aaron saide vnto them, Breake off the golden earerings which are in the eares of your wiues, of your sonnes, and of your daughters, and bring them vnto me.

3 And all the people brake off the golden earerings, which were in their eares, and brought them vnto Aaron.

4 [Note: Psalms 106:19; 1 Kings 12:28.] And hee receiued them at their hand, and fashioned it with a grauing toole, after hee had made it a molten calfe: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee vp out of the land of Egypt.

5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it, and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the Lord.

6 And they rose vp early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings: and the [Note: 1 Corinthians 10:7.] people sate downe to eate and to drinke, and rose vp to play.

7 And the Lord said vnto Moses, [Note: Deuteronomy 9:12.] Goe, get thee downe: for thy people which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, haue corrupted themselues.

8 [Note: Deuteronomy 9:8.] They haue turned aside quickly out of the way which I commaunded them: they haue made them a molten Calfe, and haue worshipped it, and haue sacrificed thereunto, and saide, These bee thy gods, O Israel, which haue brought thee vp out of the land of Egypt.

9 And the Lord said vnto Moses, [Note: Exodus 33:3; Deuteronomy 9:13.] I haue seene this people, and behold, it is a stiffenecked people.

10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may waxe hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.

11 [Note: Psalms 106:25.] And Moses besought [Note: Hebrew: the face of the Lord.] the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doeth thy wrath ware hot against thy people, which thou hast brought foorth out of the land of Egypt, with great power, and with a mighty hand?

12 [Note: Numbers 14:13.] Wherefore should the Egyptians speake and say, For mischiefe did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountaines, & to consume them from the face of the earth? Turne from thy

[Tables broken.]

fierce wrath, and repent of this euill against thy people.

13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel thy seruants, to whom thou swarest by thine owne selfe, and saidest vnto them, [Note: Genesis 12:7; Genesis 15:7; Genesis 48:16.] I will multiply your seed as the starres of heauen: and all this land that I haue spoken of, will I giue vnto your seed, and they shall inherit it for euer.

14 And the Lord repented of the euill which he thought to doe vnto his people.

15 And Moses turned, and went downe from the Mount, and the two Tables of the Testimony were in his hand: the Tables were written on both their sides; on the one side, and on the other were they written.

16 And the [Note: Exodus 31:18.] Tables were the worke of God; and the writing was the writing of God, grauen vpon the Tables.

17 And when Ioshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, hee said vnto Moses, There is a noise of warre in the campe.

18 And he said, It is not the voyce of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voyce of them that cry for [Note: Hebrew: weaknesse.] being ouercome: but the noyse of them that sing doe I heare.

19 And it came to passe, assoone as he came nigh vnto the campe, that he saw the Calfe, and the dancing: and Moses anger waxed hot, and he cast the Tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.

20 [Note: Deuteronomy 9:21.] And he tooke the Calfe which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it vpon the water, and made the children of Israel drinke of it.

21 And Moses said vnto Aaron, What did this people vnto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sinne vpon them?

22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord waxe hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischiefe.

23 For they said vnto me, Make vs gods which shall goe before vs: for as for this Moses, the man that brought vs vp out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

24 And I said vnto them, Whosoeuer hath any gold, let them breake it off: So they gaue it mee: then I cast it into the fire, & there came out this Calfe.

[Moses prayer: He talketh with God.]

25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked, (for Aaron had made them naked vnto their shame, amongst [Note: Hebrew: those that rose vp against them.] their enemies)

26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the campe, and saide, Who is on the Lords side? let him come vnto mee. And all the sonnes of Leui gathered themselues together vnto him.

27 And hee said vnto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put euery man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the campe, and slay euery man his brother, and euery man his companion, and euery man his neighbour.

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

29 [Note: Or, And Moses said, Consecrate your selues to day to the Lord, because euery man hath bene against his sonne, and against his brother, etc.] For Moses had said, [Note: Hebrew: fill your hands.] Consecrate your selues to day to the Lord, euen euery man vpon his sonne, and vpon his brother, that he may bestow vpon you a blessing this day.

30 And it came to passe on the morrow, that Moses said vnto the people, Ye haue sinned a great sinne: And now I will goe vp vnto the Lord; peraduenture I shall make an atonement for your sinne.

31 And Moses returned vnto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people haue sinned a great sinne, and haue made them gods of gold.

32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgiue their sinne; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy Booke, which thou hast written.

33 And the Lord said vnto Moses, Whosoeuer hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my Booke.

34 Therefore now goe, leade the people vnto the place of which I haue spoken vnto thee: Behold, mine Angel shall goe before thee; Neuerthelesse in the day when I visit, I will visit their sinne vpon them.

35 And the Lord plagued the people, because they made the Calfe, which Aaron made.