Exodus 32

1 And when the people saw that Moses (Mosheh) delayed to come down out of the mountain, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron (Aharon), and said unto him, “Up, make us 4god (elohim), which shall go before us; for as for this Moses (Mosheh), the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt (Mitsrayim), we know not what is become of him.”

2 And Aaron (Aharon) said unto them, “Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.”

3 And all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron (Aharon).

4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with an engraving tool, after he had made it a molten calf; and they said, “These be your 4god (elohim), O Yisrael, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt (Mitsrayim).

5 And when Aaron (Aharon) saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron (Aharon) made proclamation, and said, “Tomorrow is a feast to יהוה.”

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

7 And יהוה said unto Moses (Mosheh), “Go, get you down; for your people, whom you broughtest out of the land of Egypt (Mitsrayim), have corrupted themselves.

8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, ‘These be your god (elohim), O Yisrael, who have brought you up out of the land of Egypt (Mitsrayim)!’”

9 And יהוה said unto Moses (Mosheh), “I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people!

10 Now therefore let Me alone, that My wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them; and I will make of you a great nation.”

11 And Moses (Mosheh) besought יהוה his God (Elohim), and said, “יהוה, why doth Your wrath wax hot against Your people, whom You have brought forth out of the land of Egypt (Mitsrayim) with great power, and with a mighty hand?

12 Wherefore should the Egyptians (Mitsrayim) speak, and say, ‘For mischief did He bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth?’ Turn from Your fierce wrath, and regret of this disaster against Your people.

13 Remember Avraham, Isaac (Yitschaq), and Yisrael, Your servants, to whom You swarest by Your own self, and saidst unto them, ‘I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it forever.’”

14 And יהוה regretted of the disaster which He thought to do unto His people.

15 And Moses (Mosheh) turned, and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the Testimony were in his hand: the tablets were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.

16 And the tablets were the work of God (Elohim), and the writing was the writing of God (Elohim), graven upon the tablets.

17 And when Joshua (Yehoshua) heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses (Mosheh), “There is a noise of war in the camp.”

18 And he said, “It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome; but the noise of them that sing do I hear.”

19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came near unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing; and Moses (Mosheh)’s anger waxed hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mountain.

20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Yisrael drink of it.

21 And Moses (Mosheh) said unto Aaron (Aharon), “What did this people unto you, that you have brought so great a sin upon them?”

22 And Aaron (Aharon) said, “Let not the anger of my lord (adoni) wax hot; you knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.

23 For they said unto me, ‘Make us 4god (elohim), which shall go before us; for as for this Moses (Mosheh), the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt (Mitsrayim), we know not what is become of him.’

24 And I said unto them, ‘Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off.’ So they gave it me; then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.”

25 And when Moses (Mosheh) saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron (Aharon) had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies);

26 Then Moses (Mosheh) stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Who is on יהוה’s side? Let him come unto me.” And all the sons of Lewi gathered themselves together unto him.

27 And he said unto them, “Thus saith יהוה God of Israel (Elohei Yisrael), ‘Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.’”

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

29 For Moses (Mosheh) had said, “Consecrate yourselves today to יהוה, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.”

30 And it came to pass on the next day, that Moses (Mosheh) said unto the people, “You have sinned a great sin; and now I will go up unto יהוה; perhaps I shall make an atonement for your sin.”

31 And Moses (Mosheh) returned unto יהוה, and said, “Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them god (elohim) of gold.

32 Yet now, if You wilt forgive their sin–and if not, please blot me out of Your book which You have written.”

33 And יהוה said unto Moses (Mosheh), “Whosoever hath sinned against Me, him will I blot out of My book.

34 Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto you. Behold, My Angel shall go before you; nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.”

35 And יהוה plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron (Aharon) made.