Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



Then I saw how you had really sinned against the LORD your God! You had made for yourselves a calf, a cast idol. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the LORD your God had commanded.

Moreover, after they had cast a golden calf for themselves, they said, "This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!" and committed terrible blasphemies.

They fashioned a calf at Horeb and worshipped a carved image.

"At that time they even made a calf to be their idol, offered a sacrifice to it, and delighted in what they had made with their hands.


They have been quick to turn aside from the way I commanded them, and they have made for themselves a molten calf. They have bowed down to it in worship, they have offered sacrifices to it, and they have said, "This, Israel, is your god who brought you out of the land of Egypt.'"

Then I saw how you had really sinned against the LORD your God! You had made for yourselves a calf, a cast idol. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the LORD your God had commanded.

"Then the LORD told me, "Get going! Go down from here at once! Your people whom you brought out of Egypt have become corrupt. They have turned quickly from the way that I commanded them, and have cast an idol for their use.'


He took them from them and, using a tool, fashioned them into a molten calf. The people said, "This, Israel, is your god who brought you out of the land of Egypt."

Then I saw how you had really sinned against the LORD your God! You had made for yourselves a calf, a cast idol. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the LORD your God had commanded.

Moreover, after they had cast a golden calf for themselves, they said, "This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!" and committed terrible blasphemies.

They fashioned a calf at Horeb and worshipped a carved image.

"At that time they even made a calf to be their idol, offered a sacrifice to it, and delighted in what they had made with their hands.


Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey, but I won't go up among you, because you are an obstinate people, and otherwise I might consume you along the way."

He said, "If I've found favor in your sight, Lord, please, Lord, walk among us. Certainly this is an obstinate people, but pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for your own inheritance."

"Then the LORD told me, "Get going! Go down from here at once! Your people whom you brought out of Egypt have become corrupt. They have turned quickly from the way that I commanded them, and have cast an idol for their use.' "Then the LORD told me, "I have examined this people, and they are stubborn indeed. Let me alone! I will destroy them and blot out their name under heaven. Then I'll make you into a nation that will be mighty and more numerous than they are.' read more.
"So I turned and went down from the mountain while the mountain was on fire. The two Tablets of the Covenant were in both of my hands. Then I saw how you had really sinned against the LORD your God! You had made for yourselves a calf, a cast idol. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the LORD your God had commanded. So I grabbed the two tablets and then threw them out of my hands, breaking them before your eyes. I fell down in the LORD's presence, just as I had the first 40 days and nights. I did not eat food or drink water because of your sin. You had sinned by committing this evil in the sight of the LORD, thereby provoking him to anger. I feared the anger and wrath of the LORD against you, because he was irate enough to destroy you. But the LORD also listened to me at that time. It was as had been the case with Aaron, the LORD was very angry and about to destroy him, but I prayed for Aaron at that time. Now, when you made the calf that made you sin, I grabbed it, burned it with fire, crushed it, and ground it thoroughly until it was pulverized to powder. Then I threw the powder into the river that was flowing from the mountain." "You provoked the LORD again at Taberah, Massah, and Kibroth-hattaavah. When the LORD sent you from Kadesh-barnea and told you, "Go possess the land that I gave you,' instead you disobeyed what the LORD your God said. You didn't trust him or listen to his voice. You have been rebelling against the LORD since the day I knew you. I fell down in the LORD's presence for 40 days and nights, because the LORD said he was ready to destroy you. So I prayed to the LORD and said, "Oh LORD my God, don't destroy your people and your inheritance whom you redeemed by your power. You brought them out from Egypt in a powerful way. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Don't pay attention to the stubbornness, wickedness, and sinfulness of this people. Otherwise, the people of the land from which you brought us will say, "The LORD wasn't able to bring them out of the land that he had promised them. So he brought them out to kill them in the desert because he hated them." But they are your people and inheritance, whom you brought out by your mighty strength and awesome power.'"


The next day Moses told the people, "You committed a great sin, and now I'll go up to the LORD, and perhaps I can make atonement for your sin."

Then Moses reported all the words of the people back to the LORD. The LORD told Moses, "Look, I'm coming to you in a thick cloud, so that the people may listen when I speak with you and always believe you." Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD.

"That's why I'm going to attack them with pestilence and disinherit them. Instead, I'll make you a great nation even mightier than they are!" But Moses responded to the LORD, "When Egypt hears that you've brought this people out from among them with a mighty demonstration of power, they'll also proclaim to the inhabitants of this land that they've heard you're among this people, LORD, whom they've seen face to face, since your cloud stands guard over them. You've guided them with a pillar of cloud by day and with a pillar of fire by night. read more.
But if you slaughter this people all at the same time, then the nations who heard about your fame will say, "The LORD slaughtered this people in the wilderness because he wasn't able to bring them to the land that he promised them.' "Now, let the power of the LORD be magnified, just as you promised when you said, "The LORD is slow to anger and abundant in faithful love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he won't acquit the guilty. He recalls the iniquity of fathers to the third and fourth generation.' "Forgive, please, the iniquity of this people, according to your great, faithful love, in the same way that you've carried this people from Egypt to this place." The LORD responded, "I've forgiven them based on what you've said.

"Then the LORD told me, "I have examined this people, and they are stubborn indeed. Let me alone! I will destroy them and blot out their name under heaven. Then I'll make you into a nation that will be mighty and more numerous than they are.' "So I turned and went down from the mountain while the mountain was on fire. The two Tablets of the Covenant were in both of my hands. read more.
Then I saw how you had really sinned against the LORD your God! You had made for yourselves a calf, a cast idol. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the LORD your God had commanded. So I grabbed the two tablets and then threw them out of my hands, breaking them before your eyes. I fell down in the LORD's presence, just as I had the first 40 days and nights. I did not eat food or drink water because of your sin. You had sinned by committing this evil in the sight of the LORD, thereby provoking him to anger. I feared the anger and wrath of the LORD against you, because he was irate enough to destroy you. But the LORD also listened to me at that time. It was as had been the case with Aaron, the LORD was very angry and about to destroy him, but I prayed for Aaron at that time. Now, when you made the calf that made you sin, I grabbed it, burned it with fire, crushed it, and ground it thoroughly until it was pulverized to powder. Then I threw the powder into the river that was flowing from the mountain." "You provoked the LORD again at Taberah, Massah, and Kibroth-hattaavah. When the LORD sent you from Kadesh-barnea and told you, "Go possess the land that I gave you,' instead you disobeyed what the LORD your God said. You didn't trust him or listen to his voice. You have been rebelling against the LORD since the day I knew you. I fell down in the LORD's presence for 40 days and nights, because the LORD said he was ready to destroy you. So I prayed to the LORD and said, "Oh LORD my God, don't destroy your people and your inheritance whom you redeemed by your power. You brought them out from Egypt in a powerful way. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Don't pay attention to the stubbornness, wickedness, and sinfulness of this people. Otherwise, the people of the land from which you brought us will say, "The LORD wasn't able to bring them out of the land that he had promised them. So he brought them out to kill them in the desert because he hated them." But they are your people and inheritance, whom you brought out by your mighty strength and awesome power.'"


The next day Moses told the people, "You committed a great sin, and now I'll go up to the LORD, and perhaps I can make atonement for your sin."

"That's why I'm going to attack them with pestilence and disinherit them. Instead, I'll make you a great nation even mightier than they are!" But Moses responded to the LORD, "When Egypt hears that you've brought this people out from among them with a mighty demonstration of power, they'll also proclaim to the inhabitants of this land that they've heard you're among this people, LORD, whom they've seen face to face, since your cloud stands guard over them. You've guided them with a pillar of cloud by day and with a pillar of fire by night. read more.
But if you slaughter this people all at the same time, then the nations who heard about your fame will say, "The LORD slaughtered this people in the wilderness because he wasn't able to bring them to the land that he promised them.' "Now, let the power of the LORD be magnified, just as you promised when you said, "The LORD is slow to anger and abundant in faithful love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he won't acquit the guilty. He recalls the iniquity of fathers to the third and fourth generation.' "Forgive, please, the iniquity of this people, according to your great, faithful love, in the same way that you've carried this people from Egypt to this place." The LORD responded, "I've forgiven them based on what you've said.

"Then the LORD told me, "I have examined this people, and they are stubborn indeed. Let me alone! I will destroy them and blot out their name under heaven. Then I'll make you into a nation that will be mighty and more numerous than they are.' "So I turned and went down from the mountain while the mountain was on fire. The two Tablets of the Covenant were in both of my hands. read more.
Then I saw how you had really sinned against the LORD your God! You had made for yourselves a calf, a cast idol. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the LORD your God had commanded. So I grabbed the two tablets and then threw them out of my hands, breaking them before your eyes. I fell down in the LORD's presence, just as I had the first 40 days and nights. I did not eat food or drink water because of your sin. You had sinned by committing this evil in the sight of the LORD, thereby provoking him to anger. I feared the anger and wrath of the LORD against you, because he was irate enough to destroy you. But the LORD also listened to me at that time. It was as had been the case with Aaron, the LORD was very angry and about to destroy him, but I prayed for Aaron at that time. Now, when you made the calf that made you sin, I grabbed it, burned it with fire, crushed it, and ground it thoroughly until it was pulverized to powder. Then I threw the powder into the river that was flowing from the mountain." "You provoked the LORD again at Taberah, Massah, and Kibroth-hattaavah. When the LORD sent you from Kadesh-barnea and told you, "Go possess the land that I gave you,' instead you disobeyed what the LORD your God said. You didn't trust him or listen to his voice. You have been rebelling against the LORD since the day I knew you. I fell down in the LORD's presence for 40 days and nights, because the LORD said he was ready to destroy you. So I prayed to the LORD and said, "Oh LORD my God, don't destroy your people and your inheritance whom you redeemed by your power. You brought them out from Egypt in a powerful way. Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Don't pay attention to the stubbornness, wickedness, and sinfulness of this people. Otherwise, the people of the land from which you brought us will say, "The LORD wasn't able to bring them out of the land that he had promised them. So he brought them out to kill them in the desert because he hated them." But they are your people and inheritance, whom you brought out by your mighty strength and awesome power.'"


And now, look! You're acting just like your ancestors, like a brood of sinful men, who are provoking the fierce anger of the LORD against the Israelis one step at a time.

Then Moses and Aaron gathered the community together in front of the rock. "Pay attention, you rebels!" Moses told them. "Are we to bring you water from this rock?"

How can I bear the burden of you and your bickering all by myself?

So Moses and Aaron addressed the entire congregation of the Israelis: "This evening you will know that the LORD has brought you out of the land of Egypt, and in the morning you will see the glory of the LORD, because he has heard your complaints against him. After all, who are we that you complain against us?"

As Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, he became angry. He threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the base of the mountain. He took the calf that they had made, burned it with fire, and ground it into powder. He scattered it on the water and made the Israelis drink it. Then Moses asked Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you brought such great sin upon them?" read more.
Aaron said, "Sir, don't be angry. You know the people that they're intent on evil. They told me, "Make a god for us who will go before us because, as for this fellow Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we don't know what has become of him.' So I told them, "Whoever has gold ornaments, tear them off.' When they gave it to me, I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf." When Moses saw that the people were out of control since Aaron had let them get out of control, something that incited ridicule from their enemies he stood in the gate of the camp and called out: "Whoever is for the LORD come over to me," and all the sons of Levi gathered around him. He told them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says, "Every man put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and each of you kill his brother and friend and neighbor.'" The descendants of Levi did just as Moses told them, and about 3,000 people died that day. Moses said, "You have been ordained to serve the LORD today, and you have brought a blessing on yourselves today because every man opposed his son or brother." The next day Moses told the people, "You committed a great sin, and now I'll go up to the LORD, and perhaps I can make atonement for your sin."

But Moses asked them, "Why do you continue to sin against what the LORD said? Don't you know that you can never succeed?

"However, your ancestors didn't go up. Instead, they rebelled against the command of the LORD your God. You murmured in your tents, "The LORD hates us. He brought us out of the land of Egypt in order to deliver us to the Amorites so he could destroy us. Where can we go? Our brothers discouraged us when they said that the people are bigger and taller than we are. Their cities are tall and fortified to the sky, and we also saw the Anakim there.' read more.
"Then I told you, "Don't be terrified or afraid of them. The LORD your God is the One who will be going ahead of you. He'll fight for you just as he did in Egypt before your eyes. In the desert you saw that the LORD carried you like a man carries his son, on every road you traveled until you reached this place.' But despite this, you didn't trust in the LORD your God, who walked ahead of you along the way to scout a place for you to pitch camp by fire at night and cloud by day to lead you on the way you should go." "When the LORD heard your complaints, he became angry and declared, "I swear that not one man of this evil generation will see the good land that I promised to give to your ancestors, except Jephunneh's son Caleb. He will see it and I will give to him and to his descendants the land on which he has walked because he wholeheartedly followed the LORD.' "The LORD was also furious with me because of you. He said: "You will not enter the land. However, Nun's son Joshua, your assistant, will go there. Encourage him, for he will cause Israel to take possession of it. Your little ones whom you said would be taken captive and your children who do not yet know right from wrong will enter the land. I will give it to them and they themselves will possess it. But as for you, prepare to set out for the desert on the way to the Reed Sea.' "You responded to me and said, "We have sinned against the LORD. We will now go up and fight according to what the LORD our God commanded.' So each man put on his weapon for battle and recklessly started out for the hill country." "Then the LORD told me: "Tell them not to go up and fight because I will not be in their midst, or else you will be defeated before your enemies.' "I spoke to you but you didn't listen. Instead you rebelled against the command of the LORD and went up to the hill country.

Then I saw how you had really sinned against the LORD your God! You had made for yourselves a calf, a cast idol. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the LORD your God had commanded. So I grabbed the two tablets and then threw them out of my hands, breaking them before your eyes. I fell down in the LORD's presence, just as I had the first 40 days and nights. I did not eat food or drink water because of your sin. You had sinned by committing this evil in the sight of the LORD, thereby provoking him to anger. read more.
I feared the anger and wrath of the LORD against you, because he was irate enough to destroy you. But the LORD also listened to me at that time. It was as had been the case with Aaron, the LORD was very angry and about to destroy him, but I prayed for Aaron at that time. Now, when you made the calf that made you sin, I grabbed it, burned it with fire, crushed it, and ground it thoroughly until it was pulverized to powder. Then I threw the powder into the river that was flowing from the mountain." "You provoked the LORD again at Taberah, Massah, and Kibroth-hattaavah. When the LORD sent you from Kadesh-barnea and told you, "Go possess the land that I gave you,' instead you disobeyed what the LORD your God said. You didn't trust him or listen to his voice. You have been rebelling against the LORD since the day I knew you.

Moses called all Israel together and addressed them: "You saw everything that the LORD did before your eyes in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his servants, and to his whole country. Those great feats that you saw with your own eyes are signs and great wonders. Yet to this day, the LORD hasn't given you a heart that understands, eyes that perceive, and ears that discern.

because indeed I know your rebellion and stubbornness. Note that even while I'm still alive, you've been rebelling against the LORD how much more so after my death! Gather together the leaders of your tribes and your foremen so I can speak these words in their hearing and call heaven and the earth as witnesses against them, because I know that after my death, you'll surely act wickedly and turn from the road that I've instructed you. As a result, evil will fall on you in days to come, because you'll act wickedly in the sight of the LORD, causing him to become angry due to your behavior."

Jacob dined until satisfied; Jeshurun grew fat and kicked. He grew fat, coarse, and gross, so that he abandoned the God who made him and spurned the Rock that was his salvation. They provoked him to jealousy over foreigners and to anger over detestable things. They sacrificed to demons not to the real God gods whom they didn't know, new neighbors who had recently appeared, whom your ancestors never feared. read more.
You neglected the Rock that fathered you; you abandoned God, who was awaiting your birth.


He took them from them and, using a tool, fashioned them into a molten calf. The people said, "This, Israel, is your god who brought you out of the land of Egypt."

Then I saw how you had really sinned against the LORD your God! You had made for yourselves a calf, a cast idol. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the LORD your God had commanded.

Moreover, after they had cast a golden calf for themselves, they said, "This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!" and committed terrible blasphemies.

They fashioned a calf at Horeb and worshipped a carved image.

"At that time they even made a calf to be their idol, offered a sacrifice to it, and delighted in what they had made with their hands.


He took them from them and, using a tool, fashioned them into a molten calf. The people said, "This, Israel, is your god who brought you out of the land of Egypt."

Then I saw how you had really sinned against the LORD your God! You had made for yourselves a calf, a cast idol. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the LORD your God had commanded.

Moreover, after they had cast a golden calf for themselves, they said, "This is your god who brought you out of Egypt!" and committed terrible blasphemies.

They fashioned a calf at Horeb and worshipped a carved image.

"At that time they even made a calf to be their idol, offered a sacrifice to it, and delighted in what they had made with their hands.