Christian Standard Bible

English Standard Version

1When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, "Come, make gods for us who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt--we don't know what has happened to him!"

1When the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, “Up, make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

2Aaron replied to them, "Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me."

2So Aaron said to them, “Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.”

3So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron.

3So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron.

4He took the gold from them, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf. Then they said, "Israel, these are your gods, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!"

4And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”

5When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of it and made an announcement: "There will be a festival to the LORD tomorrow."

5When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.”

6Early the next morning they arose, offered burnt offerings, and presented fellowship offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to party.

6And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.

7The LORD spoke to Moses: "Go down at once! For your people you brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly.

7And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.

8They have quickly turned from the way I commanded them; they have made for themselves an image of a calf. They have bowed down to it, sacrificed to it, and said, 'Israel, these are your gods, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.'"

8They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’”

9The LORD also said to Moses: "I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people.

9And the LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people.

10Now leave me alone, so that my anger can burn against them and I can destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation."

10Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.”

11But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God: "LORD, why does your anger burn against your people you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a strong hand?

11But Moses implored the LORD his God and said, “O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?

12Why should the Egyptians say, 'He brought them out with an evil intent to kill them in the mountains and eliminate them from the face of the earth'? Turn from your fierce anger and relent concerning this disaster planned for your people.

12Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people.

13Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel--you swore to them by yourself and declared, 'I will make your offspring as numerous as the stars of the sky and will give your offspring all this land that I have promised, and they will inherit it forever.'"

13Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’”

14So the LORD relented concerning the disaster he had said he would bring on his people.

14And the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.

15Then Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides--inscribed front and back.

15Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand, tablets that were written on both sides; on the front and on the back they were written.

16The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was God's writing, engraved on the tablets.

16The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.

17When Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is a sound of war in the camp."

17When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.”

18But Moses replied: It's not the sound of a victory cry and not the sound of a cry of defeat; I hear the sound of singing!

18But he said, “It is not the sound of shouting for victory, or the sound of the cry of defeat, but the sound of singing that I hear.”

19As he approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses became enraged and threw the tablets out of his hands, smashing them at the base of the mountain.

19And as soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses’ anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.

20He took the calf they had made, burned it up, and ground it to powder. He scattered the powder over the surface of the water and forced the Israelites to drink the water.

20He took the calf that they had made and burned it with fire and ground it to powder and scattered it on the water and made the people of Israel drink it.

21Then Moses asked Aaron, "What did these people do to you that you have led them into such a grave sin?"

21And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you have brought such a great sin upon them?”

22"Don't be enraged, my lord," Aaron replied. "You yourself know that the people are intent on evil.

22And Aaron said, “Let not the anger of my lord burn hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.

23They said to me, 'Make gods for us who will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt--we don't know what has happened to him!'

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

24So I said to them, 'Whoever has gold, take it off,' and they gave it to me. When I threw it into the fire, out came this calf!"

24So I said to them, ‘Let any who have gold take it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”

25Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them get out of control, making them a laughingstock to their enemies.

25And when Moses saw that the people had broken loose (for Aaron had let them break loose, to the derision of their enemies),

26And Moses stood at the camp's entrance and said, "Whoever is for the LORD, come to me." And all the Levites gathered around him.

26then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Who is on the LORD’s side? Come to me.” And all the sons of Levi gathered around him.

27He told them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says, 'Every man fasten his sword to his side; go back and forth through the camp from entrance to entrance, and each of you kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.'"

27And he said to them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.’”

28The Levites did as Moses commanded, and about three thousand men fell dead that day among the people.

28And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And that day about three thousand men of the people fell.

29Afterward Moses said, "Today you have been dedicated to the LORD, since each man went against his son and his brother. Therefore you have brought a blessing on yourselves today."

29And Moses said, “Today you have been ordained for the service of the LORD, each one at the cost of his son and of his brother, so that he might bestow a blessing upon you this day.”

30The following day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a grave sin. Now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I will be able to atone for your sin."

30The next day Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”

31So Moses returned to the LORD and said, "Oh, these people have committed a grave sin; they have made a god of gold for themselves.

31So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold.

32Now if you would only forgive their sin. But if not, please erase me from the book you have written."

32But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.”

33The LORD replied to Moses: "Whoever has sinned against me I will erase from my book.

33But the LORD said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book.

34Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about; see, my angel will go before you. But on the day I settle accounts, I will hold them accountable for their sin."

34But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will visit their sin upon them.”

35And the LORD inflicted a plague on the people for what they did with the calf Aaron had made.

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

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission.

ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved.