Confronting the Israelites

19As soon as he came near to the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. Then Moses’ anger grew hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mountain.

20He took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, ground it to powder, and scattered it on the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

21Moses said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you have brought a great sin on them?”

22Aaron said, “Don’t let the anger of my lord grow hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.

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

24I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them take it off:’ so they gave it to me; and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”

25When Moses saw that the people had broken loose, (for Aaron had let them loose for a derision among their enemies),

26then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on Yahweh’s side, come to me!” All the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.

27He said to them, “Yahweh says, the God of Israel, ‘Every man put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and every man kill his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.’”

28The sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.

29Moses said, “Consecrate yourselves today to Yahweh, yes, every man against his son, and against his brother; that he may bestow on you a blessing this day.”

30On the next day, Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. Now I will go up to Yahweh. Perhaps I shall make atonement for your sin.”

31Moses returned to Yahweh, and said, “Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made themselves gods of gold.

32Yet now, if you will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out of your book which you have written.”

33Yahweh said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

34Now go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin.”

35Yahweh struck the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.