Thematic Bible




Thematic Bible



I saw that you had indeed sinned against Jehovah your God. You made yourselves an idol, cast in the shape of a calf. You turned aside quickly from the way Jehovah had commanded you.

Even when they made for themselves a bull out of metal, and said: 'This is your God who took you up out of Egypt, and had done so much to make you angry.'

At Mount Horeb they made a statue of a calf. They worshiped an idol made of metal.

They made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.


They have already turned from the way I commanded them to live. They made a statue of a calf for themselves. They have bowed down to it and offered sacrifices to it. They said: Israel, here is your god who brought you out of Egypt.'

I saw that you had indeed sinned against Jehovah your God. You made yourselves an idol, cast in the shape of a calf. You turned aside quickly from the way Jehovah had commanded you.

Jehovah said to me: 'Go down from here quickly, for your people whom you brought out of Egypt have acted corruptly. They quickly turned aside from the way that I commanded them. They have made a cast-idol for themselves.'



I saw that you had indeed sinned against Jehovah your God. You made yourselves an idol, cast in the shape of a calf. You turned aside quickly from the way Jehovah had commanded you.

Even when they made for themselves a bull out of metal, and said: 'This is your God who took you up out of Egypt, and had done so much to make you angry.'

At Mount Horeb they made a statue of a calf. They worshiped an idol made of metal.

They made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.


Go to that land flowing with milk and honey. I will not be with you, because you are impossible to deal with. I would probably destroy you on the way.

He prayed: Jehovah, if you really are pleased with me, I pray that you will go with us. It is true that these people are sinful and rebellious. However, please forgive our sin and let us be your people.

Jehovah said to me: 'Go down from here quickly, for your people whom you brought out of Egypt have acted corruptly. They quickly turned aside from the way that I commanded them. They have made a cast-idol for themselves.' Jehovah spoke further to me: 'I have seen this people. They are a very stubborn people. Leave me alone that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.' read more.
So I turned and came down from the mountain while the mountain was burning with fire. I carried the two stone tablets of the covenant in my two hands. I saw that you had indeed sinned against Jehovah your God. You made yourselves an idol, cast in the shape of a calf. You turned aside quickly from the way Jehovah had commanded you. I took hold of the two tablets and threw them from my hands and smashed them before your eyes. I fell down before Jehovah. Like the first, forty days and nights I did not eat or drink. This was because of all your sin you committed in doing what was evil in the sight of Jehovah to provoke Him to anger. I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure from Jehovah. For he was wrathful against you to the point of destroying you! But Jehovah listened to me that time also. Jehovah was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him! So I also prayed for Aaron at the same time. I took your sinful thing, the calf that you had made, and burned it with fire and crushed it. I ground it very small until it was as fine as dust. I threw its dust into the brook that flowed down the mountain. Again at Taberah and at Massah and at Kibroth-hattaavah you provoked Jehovah to anger. Jehovah sent you from Kadesh-barnea. He said: 'Go up and possess the land I have given you.' Then you rebelled against the command of Jehovah your God. You did not believe him. You did not listen to his voice! You have rebelled against Jehovah from the day I knew you. So I fell down prostrate before Jehovah the forty days and forty nights. I did this because Jehovah said he would destroy you. I prayed to Jehovah and said: 'O Jehovah our God, do not destroy your people for they are your inheritance. You have redeemed them through your greatness. You brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Do not look at the stubbornness of this people or at their wickedness or their sin. The land from which you brought us may say: Jehovah was not able to bring them into the land he promised them and because he hated them he has brought them out to slay them in the desert wilderness. Even now they are your people, your inheritance, whom you brought out by your great power and outstretched arm.


The next day Moses said to the people: You have committed a serious sin. Now I will go up the mountain to Jehovah. Maybe I will be able to make a payment for your sin and make atonement with Jehovah for your sin.

Jehovah said to Moses: I will come to you in a thick cloud. The people will hear me speaking with you and will believe you from now on. Moses gave Jehovah the people's answer.

I will send an epidemic and destroy them. I will make you the father of a nation that is larger and more powerful than they are! Moses said to Jehovah: You brought these people out of Egypt by your power. When the Egyptians hear what you have done to your people, they will tell it to the people who live in this land. These people have already heard that you, Jehovah, are with us, that you appear in plain sight when your cloud stops over us, and that you go before us in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. read more.
But if you kill all these people at the same time the nations who have heard these reports about you will say, Jehovah was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them, so he slaughtered them in the desert. Jehovah, let your power be as great as when you said, Jehovah is patient, forever loving; He forgives wrongdoing and disobedience. He never lets the guilty go unpunished. In fact he punishes children for their parents' sins to the third and fourth generation. By your great love, please forgive these people's sins, as you have forgiven them from the time they left Egypt until now. Jehovah said: I forgive them, as you have asked.

Jehovah spoke further to me: 'I have seen this people. They are a very stubborn people. Leave me alone that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.' So I turned and came down from the mountain while the mountain was burning with fire. I carried the two stone tablets of the covenant in my two hands. read more.
I saw that you had indeed sinned against Jehovah your God. You made yourselves an idol, cast in the shape of a calf. You turned aside quickly from the way Jehovah had commanded you. I took hold of the two tablets and threw them from my hands and smashed them before your eyes. I fell down before Jehovah. Like the first, forty days and nights I did not eat or drink. This was because of all your sin you committed in doing what was evil in the sight of Jehovah to provoke Him to anger. I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure from Jehovah. For he was wrathful against you to the point of destroying you! But Jehovah listened to me that time also. Jehovah was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him! So I also prayed for Aaron at the same time. I took your sinful thing, the calf that you had made, and burned it with fire and crushed it. I ground it very small until it was as fine as dust. I threw its dust into the brook that flowed down the mountain. Again at Taberah and at Massah and at Kibroth-hattaavah you provoked Jehovah to anger. Jehovah sent you from Kadesh-barnea. He said: 'Go up and possess the land I have given you.' Then you rebelled against the command of Jehovah your God. You did not believe him. You did not listen to his voice! You have rebelled against Jehovah from the day I knew you. So I fell down prostrate before Jehovah the forty days and forty nights. I did this because Jehovah said he would destroy you. I prayed to Jehovah and said: 'O Jehovah our God, do not destroy your people for they are your inheritance. You have redeemed them through your greatness. You brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Do not look at the stubbornness of this people or at their wickedness or their sin. The land from which you brought us may say: Jehovah was not able to bring them into the land he promised them and because he hated them he has brought them out to slay them in the desert wilderness. Even now they are your people, your inheritance, whom you brought out by your great power and outstretched arm.


The next day Moses said to the people: You have committed a serious sin. Now I will go up the mountain to Jehovah. Maybe I will be able to make a payment for your sin and make atonement with Jehovah for your sin.

I will send an epidemic and destroy them. I will make you the father of a nation that is larger and more powerful than they are! Moses said to Jehovah: You brought these people out of Egypt by your power. When the Egyptians hear what you have done to your people, they will tell it to the people who live in this land. These people have already heard that you, Jehovah, are with us, that you appear in plain sight when your cloud stops over us, and that you go before us in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. read more.
But if you kill all these people at the same time the nations who have heard these reports about you will say, Jehovah was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them, so he slaughtered them in the desert. Jehovah, let your power be as great as when you said, Jehovah is patient, forever loving; He forgives wrongdoing and disobedience. He never lets the guilty go unpunished. In fact he punishes children for their parents' sins to the third and fourth generation. By your great love, please forgive these people's sins, as you have forgiven them from the time they left Egypt until now. Jehovah said: I forgive them, as you have asked.

Jehovah spoke further to me: 'I have seen this people. They are a very stubborn people. Leave me alone that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.' So I turned and came down from the mountain while the mountain was burning with fire. I carried the two stone tablets of the covenant in my two hands. read more.
I saw that you had indeed sinned against Jehovah your God. You made yourselves an idol, cast in the shape of a calf. You turned aside quickly from the way Jehovah had commanded you. I took hold of the two tablets and threw them from my hands and smashed them before your eyes. I fell down before Jehovah. Like the first, forty days and nights I did not eat or drink. This was because of all your sin you committed in doing what was evil in the sight of Jehovah to provoke Him to anger. I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure from Jehovah. For he was wrathful against you to the point of destroying you! But Jehovah listened to me that time also. Jehovah was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him! So I also prayed for Aaron at the same time. I took your sinful thing, the calf that you had made, and burned it with fire and crushed it. I ground it very small until it was as fine as dust. I threw its dust into the brook that flowed down the mountain. Again at Taberah and at Massah and at Kibroth-hattaavah you provoked Jehovah to anger. Jehovah sent you from Kadesh-barnea. He said: 'Go up and possess the land I have given you.' Then you rebelled against the command of Jehovah your God. You did not believe him. You did not listen to his voice! You have rebelled against Jehovah from the day I knew you. So I fell down prostrate before Jehovah the forty days and forty nights. I did this because Jehovah said he would destroy you. I prayed to Jehovah and said: 'O Jehovah our God, do not destroy your people for they are your inheritance. You have redeemed them through your greatness. You brought them out of Egypt with a mighty hand. Remember your servants, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Do not look at the stubbornness of this people or at their wickedness or their sin. The land from which you brought us may say: Jehovah was not able to bring them into the land he promised them and because he hated them he has brought them out to slay them in the desert wilderness. Even now they are your people, your inheritance, whom you brought out by your great power and outstretched arm.


You are just like your parents! You are a bunch of sinners trying to make Jehovah angry at Israel again.

Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation in front of the rock and said to them: Listen, you rebels, must we bring water out of this rock for you?

How can I alone bear your encumbrance, your burden, and your strife?

Moses and Aaron said to all the Israelites: This evening you will know that it was Jehovah who brought you out of Egypt. In the morning you will see the glory of Jehovah's presence. He hears your complaints against him. But what are we that you complain against us?

Moses came close enough to the camp at the foot of the mountain to see the bull-calf and to see the people dancing. He became furious! He threw down the tablets he was carrying and broke them. He took the bull-calf that they had made, melted it, ground it into fine powder, and mixed it with water. Then he made the people of Israel drink it. Moses asked Aaron: What did these people do to harm you? Why did you make them sin in this terrible way? read more.
Aaron said, Do not be angry with me. You know the people as well as I do. They are determined to do evil. They said to me: 'That man Moses led us out of Egypt, but now we do not know what has happened to him. Make us a god to lead us.' Then I asked them to bring me their gold earrings. They took them off and gave them to me. I threw the gold into a fire, and out came this bull. Moses saw that the people were naked. Aaron had made them naked to their shame among their enemies. Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said: Who is on Jehovah's side? Come to me. All the sons of Levi came to him. He said to them, Jehovah, the God of Israel says: 'Each man put his sword by his side. Go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp. Kill each one his brother, and each one his neighbor, and each one his kindred.' The sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. About three thousand men died that day. Moses said: Today you are ordained as Jehovah's. God gave you a blessing today. Each of you fought with your own sons and brothers. The next day Moses said to the people: You have committed a serious sin. Now I will go up the mountain to Jehovah. Maybe I will be able to make a payment for your sin and make atonement with Jehovah for your sin.

Moses asked: Why are you disobeying Jehovah's command? Your plan will not work!

Even so they were not willing to go. They rebelled against the command of Jehovah your God: You complained in your tents, and said: Jehovah hates us so he brought us out of the land of Egypt, to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites, to destroy us. Where can we go up? Our brothers caused us to lose heart. They said: The people are stronger and taller than we are. The cities are large and the walls go up to the sky. Moreover we have seen the sons of the Anakims there.' read more.
I said to you: 'Do not be afraid of them. Jehovah your God leads you. He will fight for you just as he did for you in Egypt before your eyes! You saw how Jehovah your God carried you like a father carries his son all the way until you reached this place.' Yet in all this you did not trust Jehovah your God. He went ahead of you to find places for you to camp. He offered fire by night and cloud by day to show you the way you should go. Jehovah heard what you said. He was angry and solemnly swore: Not one man of this evil generation will see that good land, which I swore to give your fathers, Except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see it. I will give him and his descendants the land he walks on. This is because he followed Jehovah wholeheartedly. Jehovah was angry with me because of you. He said to me: 'You will also not go there. Your assistant Joshua son of Nun will go there. He will lead the people into the land. Encourage him to go there. The little ones that you said would be taken captive will enter the land. Your children who do not know good from bad will go in. I will give it to them and they will possess it. But you must turn around and go back through the desert toward the Red Sea.' You answered: 'We have sinned against Jehovah. We will fight just as Jehovah our God commanded us.' When every man puts on his armor and weapons of war they will be ready to go to the mountain. But Jehovah said to me: 'Tell them, do not go and fight! I am not with you. Your enemies will defeat you.' I told you, but you would not listen. You disobeyed Jehovah's command and proudly invaded the mountainous region.

I saw that you had indeed sinned against Jehovah your God. You made yourselves an idol, cast in the shape of a calf. You turned aside quickly from the way Jehovah had commanded you. I took hold of the two tablets and threw them from my hands and smashed them before your eyes. I fell down before Jehovah. Like the first, forty days and nights I did not eat or drink. This was because of all your sin you committed in doing what was evil in the sight of Jehovah to provoke Him to anger. read more.
I was afraid of the anger and hot displeasure from Jehovah. For he was wrathful against you to the point of destroying you! But Jehovah listened to me that time also. Jehovah was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him! So I also prayed for Aaron at the same time. I took your sinful thing, the calf that you had made, and burned it with fire and crushed it. I ground it very small until it was as fine as dust. I threw its dust into the brook that flowed down the mountain. Again at Taberah and at Massah and at Kibroth-hattaavah you provoked Jehovah to anger. Jehovah sent you from Kadesh-barnea. He said: 'Go up and possess the land I have given you.' Then you rebelled against the command of Jehovah your God. You did not believe him. You did not listen to his voice! You have rebelled against Jehovah from the day I knew you.

Moses called together all the people of Israel and said: You saw for yourselves what Jehovah did to the king of Egypt, to his officials, and to his entire country. You saw the terrible plagues, the miracles, and the great wonders that Jehovah performed. To this very day Jehovah has not given you a heart to know, eyes to see, or ears to hear.

I know how rebellious you are. You are impossible to deal with. While I am alive and still with you, you are rebelling against Jehovah. How much more rebellious will you be after I die? Assemble all the elders of your tribes and your officers in front of me. As they listen, I will speak these words and call on heaven and earth to testify against them. I know that after I die you will become thoroughly corrupt and turn from the way I have commanded you to live. In the days to come disasters will happen to you because you will make Jehovah furious by doing what he considers evil.

Jeshurun (Israel) grew fat and disrespectful. You got fat! You were stuffed! You over eat! He abandoned the God who made him and scornfully treated the rock of his salvation. They made God furious because they worshiped foreign gods and angered him (stirred up his zeal) because they worshiped worthless idols. They sacrificed to demons that are not God. They served gods they did not know. These were new gods who came from nearby, gods your ancestors never worshiped. read more.
You ignored the rock that fathered you and forgot the God who gave you life.



I saw that you had indeed sinned against Jehovah your God. You made yourselves an idol, cast in the shape of a calf. You turned aside quickly from the way Jehovah had commanded you.

Even when they made for themselves a bull out of metal, and said: 'This is your God who took you up out of Egypt, and had done so much to make you angry.'

At Mount Horeb they made a statue of a calf. They worshiped an idol made of metal.

They made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.



I saw that you had indeed sinned against Jehovah your God. You made yourselves an idol, cast in the shape of a calf. You turned aside quickly from the way Jehovah had commanded you.

Even when they made for themselves a bull out of metal, and said: 'This is your God who took you up out of Egypt, and had done so much to make you angry.'

At Mount Horeb they made a statue of a calf. They worshiped an idol made of metal.

They made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice to the idol, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.