Exodus 32

₁The Israelites saw that Moses stayed on the mountain for a very long time. They went to Aaron and said: ‘Come, make a god for us that can show us where we must go. Moses brought us out of Egypt but we do not know where he is now.’

₂Aaron told them: ‘Take off the golden rings from the ears of your wives, your sons and your daughters and bring them all to me.’

₃Then all the people took off the golden rings from their ears and they brought them to Aaron. ₄He took them, melted them and made an image of a bull-calf. Then the Israelites said: ‘This is our god. He brought us out of Egypt.’

₅When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before the image and said: ‘Tomorrow we will celebrate a feast for the Lord.’

₆They got up early the next morning and they sacrificed burnt-offerings and meal-offerings on the altar. The Israelites sat down to eat and drink wine. Then they got up and had a feast like wild people.

₇The Lord said to Moses: ‘Go down the mountain and go to your people that you brought out of Egypt. They have sinned badly. ₈It did not take them long to forget what I told them. They have made an image of a bull-calf for themselves and have bowed down before the image. They have given offerings to it and said: “Israel, here is your god who brought you out of Egypt.” ’

₉The Lord said to Moses: ‘I looked at these people and saw that they are very stubborn. ₁₀Do not try to stop Me. I am very angry with them and I want to kill all of them. Then I will make your descendants a great nation.’

₁₁Moses talked to the Lord and begged Him to change his plan. He said: ‘Lord, why are You angry with your people? You brought them out of Egypt. You have saved them with your great power. ₁₂If You kill them now, the Egyptians will say: “God saved the Israelites, but He had a cunning plan. He wanted to kill them in the mountains. He wanted to kill all of them and sweep them off the earth.”

Lord, please do not be angry with your people. Please change your plans and do not kill them. ₁₃You must remember what You promised your servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. You said to them: “I will make your descendants as many as the stars in the sky and I will give all this land to them and it will always be their land.” Lord, You Yourself were the Witness when You promised this to them.’

₁₄The Lord changed his plans and He decided not to punish his people. ₁₅Moses turned_around and went down the mountain. He was holding the 2 flat stones with the 10 commandments on them in his hands. The Lord had written on both sides of the stones, on the front and on the back. ₁₆This was God's work. God Himself had made the flat stones and He had written the words on them.

₁₇Joshua heard the Israelites shouting and making a noise and he said to Moses: ‘There is war in the camp.’ ₁₈But Moses said:

₁₉When Moses came near the camp, he saw the image of the bull-calf and he saw the Israelites dancing. He then became very angry and he threw the 2 flat stones on the ground. The stones broke into pieces at the foot of the mountain. ₂₀Moses took the bull-calf that the Israelites had made and he burnt it in a fire. Then he beat it until it was a powder like dust and he poured it into the water and he told the Israelites to drink it.

₂₁Moses said to Aaron: ‘These people have done nothing wrong to you. Why did you make them sin like this?’

₂₂Aaron answered: ‘Sir, do not be angry with me. You know that these people always want to do things that are wrong. ₂₃They said to me: “Make us a god that can show us where we must go, because Moses brought us out of Egypt but we do not know where he is.”

₂₄Then I told them to take off all the gold rings that they had and to give them to me. I threw them into the fire and this bull-calf came out.’

₂₅Moses saw that the people had become wild and that they wanted to do wrong because Aaron did what they wanted, and it was his fault. Moses knew that their enemies would laugh at them. ₂₆Moses went to the gate of the camp and he said: ‘Everyone who wants to do something for the Lord, come to me.’

All the Levites came to Moses. ₂₇He said to them: ‘The Lord God of Israel says: Everyone must take his sword and go from one end of the camp to the other. Kill everyone who is against the Lord, even if he is your brother, your friend or your neighbour.’

₂₈The Levites did what Moses said. They killed about 3 000 men on that day. ₂₉Moses said to the Levites: ‘Today you have consecrated yourselves to the Lord to be his priests and to do his work, because you have also killed your own sons and brothers.’

₃₀The next day Moses told the people: ‘You have done a terrible sin. But I will go to the Lord now and talk to Him. Maybe He will forgive your sin.’

₃₁Moses went back to the Lord and he said: ‘O Lord, the people have sinned very much. They made an idol from gold. ₃₂But I beg You: Please forgive their sin. If You do not want to do it, then please take out my name from your book.’

₃₃The Lord said to Moses: ‘No, I will take out the names from my book of those people who have sinned_against Me. ₃₄Go now, and take the Israelites to the place that I told you. My angel will show you the way that you must go. But I will decide when I will punish them for their sins.’

₃₅Then the Lord punished the people and He made them sick because they had worshipped the bull-calf that Aaron had made.