The Golden Calf (Deuteronomy 9:7–29; Acts 7:39–43)
1 UEB When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, "Come, make us an idol that will 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 happened to him." BSB BSB: Now when the people saw that Moses was delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him!”
2 UEB So Aaron said to them, "Take off the golden rings that are on your wives' ears, and the ears of your sons and daughters, and bring them to me." BSB BSB: So Aaron told them, “Take off the gold earrings that are on your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.”
3 UEB All the people took off the golden rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron. BSB BSB: Then all the people took off their gold earrings and brought them to Aaron.
4 UEB He received the gold from them, fashioned it in a mold, and made it into a molded calf. Then the people said, "Israel, this is your god who brought you up out of the land of Egypt." BSB BSB: He took the gold from their hands, and with an engraving tool he fashioned it into a molten calf. And they said, “These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”
5 UEB When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before the calf and made a proclamation; he said, "Tomorrow will be a festival in Yahweh's honor." BSB BSB: When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before the calf and proclaimed: “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.”
6 UEB The people arose early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought fellowship offerings. Then they sat down to eat and to drink, and then got up to carouse in wild celebration. BSB BSB: So the next day they arose, offered burnt offerings, and presented peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.
7 UEB Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Go quickly, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. BSB BSB: Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go down at once, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.
8 UEB They have quickly left the way that I commanded them. They have molded for themselves a calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it. They have said, 'Israel, this is your god who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.'" BSB BSB: How quickly they have turned aside from the way that I commanded them! They have made for themselves a molten calf and have bowed down to it. They have sacrificed to it and said, ‘These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.’”
9 UEB Then Yahweh said to Moses, "I have seen this people. Look, they are a stiff-necked people. BSB BSB: The LORD also said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people.
10 UEB Now then, do not try to stop me. My anger will burn hot against them, so I will destroy them. Then I will make a great nation from you." BSB BSB: Now leave Me alone, so that My anger may burn against them and consume them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”
11 UEB But Moses tried to calm down Yahweh his God. He said, "Yahweh, why does your anger burn against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? BSB BSB: But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God, saying, “O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people, whom You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?
12 UEB Why should the Egyptians say, 'He led them out with evil intent, to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from the face of the earth?' Turn from your burning anger and relent from this punishment on your people. BSB BSB: Why should the Egyptians declare, ‘He brought them out with evil intent, to kill them in the mountains and wipe them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce anger and relent from doing harm to Your people.
13 UEB Call to mind Abraham and Isaac and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self and said to them, 'I will make your descendants as many as the stars in the heavens, and I will give to your descendants all this land of which I have spoken. They will inherit it forever.'" BSB BSB: Remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to whom You swore by Your very self when You declared, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give your descendants all this land that I have promised, and it shall be their inheritance forever.’”
14 UEB Then Yahweh relented from the punishment that he had said he would inflict on his people. BSB BSB: So the LORD relented from the calamity He had threatened to bring on His people.
15 UEB Then Moses turned around and went down the mountain, carrying the two tablets of the covenant decrees in his hand. The tablets were written on both their sides, on both the front and the back. BSB BSB: Then Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back.
16 UEB The tablets were God's own work, and the writing was God's own writing, engraved on the tablets. BSB BSB: The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.
17 UEB When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is the noise of combat in the camp." BSB BSB: When Joshua heard the sound of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “The sound of war is in the camp.”
18 UEB But Moses said, "It is not the sound of a victor, and not the sound of defeated people, but the sound of singing that I hear." BSB BSB: But Moses replied: “It is neither the cry of victory nor the cry of defeat; I hear the sound of singing!”
19 UEB When Moses approached the camp, he saw the calf and the people dancing. He became very angry. He threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the bottom of the mountain. BSB BSB: As Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, he burned with anger and threw the tablets out of his hands, shattering them at the base of the mountain.
20 UEB He took the calf that the people had made, burned it, ground it to powder, and poured it into the water. Then he made the people of Israel drink it. BSB BSB: Then he took the calf they had made, burned it in the fire, ground it to powder, and scattered the powder over the face of the water. Then he forced the Israelites to drink it.
21 UEB Then Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you, that you have brought such a great sin on them?" BSB BSB: “What did this people do to you,” Moses asked Aaron, “that you have led them into so great a sin?”
22 UEB Aaron said, "Do not let your anger burn hot, my master. You know these people, how they are set on doing evil. BSB BSB: “Do not be enraged, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know that the people are intent on evil.
23 UEB They said to me, 'Make us a god who will 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 happened to him.' BSB BSB: They told me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him!’
24 UEB So I said to them, 'Whoever has any gold, let him take it off.' They gave me the gold and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf." BSB BSB: So I said to them, ‘Whoever has gold, let him take it off,’ and they gave it to me. And when I threw it into the fire, out came this calf!”
25 UEB Moses saw that the people were running wild (for Aaron had let them get out of control, causing their enemies to mock them). BSB BSB: Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them run wild and become a laughingstock to their enemies.
26 UEB Then Moses stood at the entrance to the camp and said, "Whoever is on Yahweh's side, come to me." All the Levites gathered around him. BSB BSB: So Moses stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me.” And all the Levites gathered around him.
27 UEB He said to them, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, says this: 'Let each man fasten his sword on his side and go back and forth from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and kill his brother, his companion, and his neighbor.'" BSB BSB: He told them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each of you men is to fasten his sword to his side, go back and forth through the camp from gate to gate, and slay his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.’”
28 UEB The Levites did what Moses ordered. That day about three thousand of the people died. BSB BSB: The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people fell dead.
29 UEB Moses said to the Levites, "You have been placed into Yahweh's service today, for each of you has taken action against his son and his brother, so Yahweh might give you a blessing today." BSB BSB: Afterward, Moses said, “Today you have been ordained for service to the LORD, since each man went against his son and his brother; so the LORD has bestowed a blessing on you this day.”
30 UEB The next day Moses said to the people, "You have committed a very great sin. Now I will go up to Yahweh. Perhaps I can make atonement for your sin." BSB BSB: The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. Now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”
31 UEB Moses returned to Yahweh and said, "Oh, these people have committed a great sin and made themselves an idol of gold. BSB BSB: So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made gods of gold for themselves.
32 UEB But now, please forgive their sin; but if you do not, blot me out of the book that you have written." BSB BSB: Yet now, if You would only forgive their sin.... But if not, please blot me out of the book that You have written.”
33 UEB Yahweh said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me, that person I will blot out of my book. BSB BSB: The LORD replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot out of My book.
34 UEB So now go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. See, my angel will go before you. But on the day that I punish them, I will punish them for their sin." BSB BSB: Now go, lead the people to the place I described. Behold, My angel shall go before you. But on the day I settle accounts, I will punish them for their sin.”
35 UEB Yahweh sent a plague on the people because they had made the calf, the one that Aaron made. BSB BSB: And the LORD sent a plague on the people because of what they had done with the calf that Aaron had made.
Select verses for actions: Enter goes to them and Escape comes back.