Thematic Bible
Thematic Bible
Cowardice » Instances of » Aaron, in yielding to the israelites, when they demanded an idol
And Aaron said, "{Let not my lord become angry}. You yourself know the people, that {they are intent on evil}. And they said to me, 'Make for us gods who will go before us, because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' And I said to them, 'Whoever [has] gold, take [it] off.' And they gave [it] to me, and I threw it in the fire, and out came this bull calf."
Excuses » To justify wrongdoing » Aaron for making the golden calf
And I said to them, 'Whoever [has] gold, take [it] off.' And they gave [it] to me, and I threw it in the fire, and out came this bull calf."
Falsehood » Instances of » Aaron, in attempting to shift responsibility for the making of the golden calf
And the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, and the people gathered opposite Aaron, and they said to him, "Come, make for us gods who will go before us, because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him." And Aaron said to them, "Take off the rings of gold that [are] on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring [it] to me." And all the people took off the rings of gold that [were] on their ears and brought [it] to Aaron. read more.
And he took from their hand, and he shaped it with a tool, and he made it a cast-image bull calf, and they said, "These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt." And Aaron saw, and he built an altar before it, and Aaron called, and he said, "A feast for Yahweh tomorrow." And they started early the next day, and they offered burnt offerings, and they presented fellowship offerings, and the people sat to eat and drink, and they rose up to revel. And Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Go, go down because your people behave corruptly, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt. They have turned aside quickly from the way that I commanded them; they have made for themselves a cast-image bull calf, and they bowed to it, and they sacrificed to it, and they said, 'These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.'" And Yahweh said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and, indeed, they [are] a stiff-necked people. And now leave me [alone] so that {my anger may blaze} against them, and let me destroy them, and I will make you into a great nation." And Moses {implored Yahweh} his God, and he said, "Why, Yahweh, should {your anger blaze} against your people whom you brought up from the land of Egypt with great power and with a strong hand? Why should [the] Egyptians {say}, 'With evil [intent] he brought them out to kill them in the mountains and wipe them from the face of the earth'? Turn from {your fierce anger} and relent concerning the disaster for your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by yourself, and you told them, 'I will multiply your offspring like the stars of the heavens, and all this land that I promised I will give to your offspring, and they will inherit [it] forever.'" And Yahweh relented concerning the disaster that he had {threatened} to do to his people. And Moses turned and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the testimony [were] in his hand, tablets written on their two sides; {on the front and on the back} they were written. And the tablets, they [were] the work of God; and the writing, it [was] the writing of God engraved on the tablets. And Joshua heard the sound of the people in their shouting, and he said to Moses, "A sound of war [is] in the camp." But he said, "There is not a sound of shouting of victory, and there is not a sound of shouting of defeat. I hear a sound of singing." {And} as he came near to the camp, he saw the bull calf and dancing, and {Moses became angry}, and he threw the tablets from his hand, and he broke them under the mountain. And he took the bull calf that they had made, and he burned [it] with the fire, and he crushed [it] until it became fine, and he scattered [it] on the surface of the water, and he made the {Israelites} drink. And Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you brought on them [such] a great sin?" And Aaron said, "{Let not my lord become angry}. You yourself know the people, that {they are intent on evil}. And they said to me, 'Make for us gods who will go before us, because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' And I said to them, 'Whoever [has] gold, take [it] off.' And they gave [it] to me, and I threw it in the fire, and out came this bull calf."
And he took from their hand, and he shaped it with a tool, and he made it a cast-image bull calf, and they said, "These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt." And Aaron saw, and he built an altar before it, and Aaron called, and he said, "A feast for Yahweh tomorrow." And they started early the next day, and they offered burnt offerings, and they presented fellowship offerings, and the people sat to eat and drink, and they rose up to revel. And Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Go, go down because your people behave corruptly, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt. They have turned aside quickly from the way that I commanded them; they have made for themselves a cast-image bull calf, and they bowed to it, and they sacrificed to it, and they said, 'These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.'" And Yahweh said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and, indeed, they [are] a stiff-necked people. And now leave me [alone] so that {my anger may blaze} against them, and let me destroy them, and I will make you into a great nation." And Moses {implored Yahweh} his God, and he said, "Why, Yahweh, should {your anger blaze} against your people whom you brought up from the land of Egypt with great power and with a strong hand? Why should [the] Egyptians {say}, 'With evil [intent] he brought them out to kill them in the mountains and wipe them from the face of the earth'? Turn from {your fierce anger} and relent concerning the disaster for your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by yourself, and you told them, 'I will multiply your offspring like the stars of the heavens, and all this land that I promised I will give to your offspring, and they will inherit [it] forever.'" And Yahweh relented concerning the disaster that he had {threatened} to do to his people. And Moses turned and went down from the mountain, and the two tablets of the testimony [were] in his hand, tablets written on their two sides; {on the front and on the back} they were written. And the tablets, they [were] the work of God; and the writing, it [was] the writing of God engraved on the tablets. And Joshua heard the sound of the people in their shouting, and he said to Moses, "A sound of war [is] in the camp." But he said, "There is not a sound of shouting of victory, and there is not a sound of shouting of defeat. I hear a sound of singing." {And} as he came near to the camp, he saw the bull calf and dancing, and {Moses became angry}, and he threw the tablets from his hand, and he broke them under the mountain. And he took the bull calf that they had made, and he burned [it] with the fire, and he crushed [it] until it became fine, and he scattered [it] on the surface of the water, and he made the {Israelites} drink. And Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you brought on them [such] a great sin?" And Aaron said, "{Let not my lord become angry}. You yourself know the people, that {they are intent on evil}. And they said to me, 'Make for us gods who will go before us, because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' And I said to them, 'Whoever [has] gold, take [it] off.' And they gave [it] to me, and I threw it in the fire, and out came this bull calf."
Israel » moses » Indignation » death
{And} as he came near to the camp, he saw the bull calf and dancing, and {Moses became angry}, and he threw the tablets from his hand, and he broke them under the mountain. And he took the bull calf that they had made, and he burned [it] with the fire, and he crushed [it] until it became fine, and he scattered [it] on the surface of the water, and he made the {Israelites} drink. And Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you brought on them [such] a great sin?" read more.
And Aaron said, "{Let not my lord become angry}. You yourself know the people, that {they are intent on evil}. And they said to me, 'Make for us gods who will go before us, because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' And I said to them, 'Whoever [has] gold, take [it] off.' And they gave [it] to me, and I threw it in the fire, and out came this bull calf." And Moses saw the people, that they [were] running wild because Aaron had allowed them to run wild, for a laughingstock among {their enemies}. And Moses stood at the entrance of the camp, and he said, "Whoever [is] for Yahweh, to me." And all the sons of Levi were gathered to him. And he said to them, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, 'Put each his sword on his side. Go {back and forth} from gate to gate in the camp, and kill, each his brother and each his friend and each his close relative.'" And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses, and from the people on that day about three thousand persons fell. And Moses said, "{You are ordained} today for Yahweh, because each [has been] against his son and against his brother and so bringing on you today a blessing." {And} the next day Moses said to the people, "You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to Yahweh. Perhaps I can make atonement for your sin." And Moses returned to Yahweh, and he said, "Alas, this people has sinned a great sin and made for themselves gods of gold. And now if you will forgive their sin--and if not, please blot me from your scroll that you have written." And Yahweh said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot him from my scroll. And now go, lead the people to where I spoke to you. Look, my angel will go before you, and on the day [when] I punish I will punish them [for] their sin." And Yahweh afflicted the people because they had made the bull calf that Aaron had made.
And Aaron said, "{Let not my lord become angry}. You yourself know the people, that {they are intent on evil}. And they said to me, 'Make for us gods who will go before us, because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' And I said to them, 'Whoever [has] gold, take [it] off.' And they gave [it] to me, and I threw it in the fire, and out came this bull calf." And Moses saw the people, that they [were] running wild because Aaron had allowed them to run wild, for a laughingstock among {their enemies}. And Moses stood at the entrance of the camp, and he said, "Whoever [is] for Yahweh, to me." And all the sons of Levi were gathered to him. And he said to them, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, 'Put each his sword on his side. Go {back and forth} from gate to gate in the camp, and kill, each his brother and each his friend and each his close relative.'" And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses, and from the people on that day about three thousand persons fell. And Moses said, "{You are ordained} today for Yahweh, because each [has been] against his son and against his brother and so bringing on you today a blessing." {And} the next day Moses said to the people, "You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to Yahweh. Perhaps I can make atonement for your sin." And Moses returned to Yahweh, and he said, "Alas, this people has sinned a great sin and made for themselves gods of gold. And now if you will forgive their sin--and if not, please blot me from your scroll that you have written." And Yahweh said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot him from my scroll. And now go, lead the people to where I spoke to you. Look, my angel will go before you, and on the day [when] I punish I will punish them [for] their sin." And Yahweh afflicted the people because they had made the bull calf that Aaron had made.
Justification » Of self attempted, to justify wrongdoing » Aaron for making the golden calf
And I said to them, 'Whoever [has] gold, take [it] off.' And they gave [it] to me, and I threw it in the fire, and out came this bull calf."
Reproof » Faithfulness in » Instances of » Moses, of the israelites
Behold, you stand in the place of your fathers, a brood of sinful men, to increase still more {Yahweh's fierce anger} against Israel.
and Moses and Aaron summoned the assembly to the presence of the rock, and he said to them, "Please listen, you rebels; can we bring out water for you from this rock?"
And Moses and Aaron said to all the {Israelites}, "[In the] evening, you will know that Yahweh has brought you out from the land of Egypt, and [in the] morning, you will see the glory of Yahweh, {for he hears} your grumblings against Yahweh, and what [are] we that you grumble against us?"
{And} as he came near to the camp, he saw the bull calf and dancing, and {Moses became angry}, and he threw the tablets from his hand, and he broke them under the mountain. And he took the bull calf that they had made, and he burned [it] with the fire, and he crushed [it] until it became fine, and he scattered [it] on the surface of the water, and he made the {Israelites} drink. And Moses said to Aaron, "What did this people do to you that you brought on them [such] a great sin?" read more.
And Aaron said, "{Let not my lord become angry}. You yourself know the people, that {they are intent on evil}. And they said to me, 'Make for us gods who will go before us, because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' And I said to them, 'Whoever [has] gold, take [it] off.' And they gave [it] to me, and I threw it in the fire, and out came this bull calf." And Moses saw the people, that they [were] running wild because Aaron had allowed them to run wild, for a laughingstock among {their enemies}. And Moses stood at the entrance of the camp, and he said, "Whoever [is] for Yahweh, to me." And all the sons of Levi were gathered to him. And he said to them, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, 'Put each his sword on his side. Go {back and forth} from gate to gate in the camp, and kill, each his brother and each his friend and each his close relative.'" And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses, and from the people on that day about three thousand persons fell. And Moses said, "{You are ordained} today for Yahweh, because each [has been] against his son and against his brother and so bringing on you today a blessing." {And} the next day Moses said to the people, "You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to Yahweh. Perhaps I can make atonement for your sin."
And Aaron said, "{Let not my lord become angry}. You yourself know the people, that {they are intent on evil}. And they said to me, 'Make for us gods who will go before us, because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' And I said to them, 'Whoever [has] gold, take [it] off.' And they gave [it] to me, and I threw it in the fire, and out came this bull calf." And Moses saw the people, that they [were] running wild because Aaron had allowed them to run wild, for a laughingstock among {their enemies}. And Moses stood at the entrance of the camp, and he said, "Whoever [is] for Yahweh, to me." And all the sons of Levi were gathered to him. And he said to them, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, 'Put each his sword on his side. Go {back and forth} from gate to gate in the camp, and kill, each his brother and each his friend and each his close relative.'" And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses, and from the people on that day about three thousand persons fell. And Moses said, "{You are ordained} today for Yahweh, because each [has been] against his son and against his brother and so bringing on you today a blessing." {And} the next day Moses said to the people, "You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to Yahweh. Perhaps I can make atonement for your sin."
But Moses said, "Why [are] you going against the command of Yahweh? It will not succeed.
But you were not willing to go up, and you rebelled against the {command} of Yahweh your God. And you grumbled in your tents, and you said, 'Because of the hatred of Yahweh [toward] us he has brought us out from the land of Egypt to give us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us. Where [can] we go up? Our brothers have {made our hearts melt}, {saying}, "The people are greater and taller than we are, [and there are] great fortified cities [reaching] up to heaven, and we saw the sons of the Anakites [living] there." ' read more.
"And so I said to you, 'Do not be terrified, and do not fear them. Yahweh your God, who is going {before you}, will himself fight for you, {just as} he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and [just as he did] in the wilderness when you saw that Yahweh your God carried you, just as someone carries his son, all [along] the way [that] you traveled until {you reached} this place.' But through all of this you did not trust in Yahweh your God, {who goes} {before you} on your way, seeking a place for your encampment, in fire at night and in a cloud by day, to show you the way that {you should go}. "Then Yahweh heard the sound of your words, and he was angry, and he swore, {saying}, 'No one of these men of this evil generation will see the good land that I swore to give to your ancestors, except Caleb, the son of Jephunneh; he himself shall see it, and to him I will give the land upon which he has trodden and to his sons because {he followed Yahweh unreservedly}.' Even with me Yahweh was angry because of you, saying, 'Not even you shall enter there. Joshua, the son of Nun, {your assistant}, will go there; encourage him because he will cause Israel to inherit it. And your little children, who you thought shall become plunder, and your sons, who do not today know good or bad, shall themselves go there, and I will give it to them, and they shall take possession of it. But you turn and set out [in the direction of] the wilderness by way of the {Red Sea}.' "You replied and said to me, 'We have sinned against Yahweh, [and now] we will go up and fight according to all that Yahweh our God commanded us'; and [so] each man fastened on {his battle gear}, and you regarded [it] as easy to go up [into] the hill country. So Yahweh said to me, 'Say to them, "You shall not go up, and you shall not fight because I am not in your midst; you will be defeated {before} your enemies." ' So I spoke to you, but you did not listen; you rebelled against the {command of Yahweh}; you behaved presumptuously, and you went up into the hill country.
"And so I said to you, 'Do not be terrified, and do not fear them. Yahweh your God, who is going {before you}, will himself fight for you, {just as} he did for you in Egypt before your eyes, and [just as he did] in the wilderness when you saw that Yahweh your God carried you, just as someone carries his son, all [along] the way [that] you traveled until {you reached} this place.' But through all of this you did not trust in Yahweh your God, {who goes} {before you} on your way, seeking a place for your encampment, in fire at night and in a cloud by day, to show you the way that {you should go}. "Then Yahweh heard the sound of your words, and he was angry, and he swore, {saying}, 'No one of these men of this evil generation will see the good land that I swore to give to your ancestors, except Caleb, the son of Jephunneh; he himself shall see it, and to him I will give the land upon which he has trodden and to his sons because {he followed Yahweh unreservedly}.' Even with me Yahweh was angry because of you, saying, 'Not even you shall enter there. Joshua, the son of Nun, {your assistant}, will go there; encourage him because he will cause Israel to inherit it. And your little children, who you thought shall become plunder, and your sons, who do not today know good or bad, shall themselves go there, and I will give it to them, and they shall take possession of it. But you turn and set out [in the direction of] the wilderness by way of the {Red Sea}.' "You replied and said to me, 'We have sinned against Yahweh, [and now] we will go up and fight according to all that Yahweh our God commanded us'; and [so] each man fastened on {his battle gear}, and you regarded [it] as easy to go up [into] the hill country. So Yahweh said to me, 'Say to them, "You shall not go up, and you shall not fight because I am not in your midst; you will be defeated {before} your enemies." ' So I spoke to you, but you did not listen; you rebelled against the {command of Yahweh}; you behaved presumptuously, and you went up into the hill country.
And I looked, and indeed you had sinned against Yahweh your God; you [had] made for yourselves an image of a calf [of] cast metal; you [had] turned quickly from the way that Yahweh had commanded [for] you. And I took hold of the two tablets, and I threw them out {of} my two hands and smashed them before your eyes. And [then] I lay prostrate {before} Yahweh, as earlier, forty days and forty nights; I did not eat food and I did not drink water because of all your sins that you committed, by doing evil in the eyes of Yahweh [and so] provoking him. read more.
For {I was in dread} from [being in] the presence of the anger and the wrath [with] which Yahweh was angry with you [so as] to destroy you, but Yahweh listened to me also {at that time}. And with Aaron Yahweh was {angry enough} to destroy him, and I prayed also for Aaron at that time. And your sinful thing that you had made, the molten calf, I took and I burned it with fire, and I crushed it, grinding it thoroughly until it was crushed to dust, and I threw its dust into {the stream that flowed down the mountain}. "And [also] at Taberah and at Massah and at Kibroth Hattaavah you provoked Yahweh to anger. And when Yahweh sent you [out] from Kadesh Barnea, {saying}, 'Go up and take possession of the land that I have given you,' you rebelled against the command of Yahweh your God, and you did not believe him, and you did not listen to his voice. You have been rebellious toward Yahweh {from the day I have known you}.
For {I was in dread} from [being in] the presence of the anger and the wrath [with] which Yahweh was angry with you [so as] to destroy you, but Yahweh listened to me also {at that time}. And with Aaron Yahweh was {angry enough} to destroy him, and I prayed also for Aaron at that time. And your sinful thing that you had made, the molten calf, I took and I burned it with fire, and I crushed it, grinding it thoroughly until it was crushed to dust, and I threw its dust into {the stream that flowed down the mountain}. "And [also] at Taberah and at Massah and at Kibroth Hattaavah you provoked Yahweh to anger. And when Yahweh sent you [out] from Kadesh Barnea, {saying}, 'Go up and take possession of the land that I have given you,' you rebelled against the command of Yahweh your God, and you did not believe him, and you did not listen to his voice. You have been rebellious toward Yahweh {from the day I have known you}.
And Moses summoned all of Israel and said to them, "You saw all that Yahweh did before your eyes in the land of Egypt and to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land; [that is], the great trials that your eyes saw, [and] those great signs and wonders. But Yahweh has not given to you a heart to understand, or eyes to see, or ears to hear, [even] {to this day}.
For I know your rebellion and your stiff neck [even now] while I [am] still alive with you {today}, rebelling against Yahweh, and {how much more} after my death. Assemble to me all the elders of your tribes and your officials, so that I may speak in their ears these words, and [that] I may call as witness against them heaven and earth. For I know that after my death you will certainly act corruptly, and you will turn aside from the way that I have commanded you, and the disaster in the future days will befall you, because you will do evil in the eyes of Yahweh, {provoking him with the work of your hands}."
And Jeshurun grew fat, and he kicked; you grew fat, you bloated, and you became obstinate; and he abandoned God, his maker, and he scoffed [at] the rock of his salvation. They made him jealous with strange [gods]; with detestable things they provoked him. They sacrificed to the demons, not God, [to] gods whom they had not known, new [gods] [who] came from recent times; {their ancestors had not known them}. read more.
[The] rock who bore you, you neglected, and you forgot God, [the one] giving you birth.
[The] rock who bore you, you neglected, and you forgot God, [the one] giving you birth.
Responsibility » Attempts to shift » Aaron
And Aaron said, "{Let not my lord become angry}. You yourself know the people, that {they are intent on evil}. And they said to me, 'Make for us gods who will go before us, because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.' And I said to them, 'Whoever [has] gold, take [it] off.' And they gave [it] to me, and I threw it in the fire, and out came this bull calf."
Sin » Excuses offered for » Aaron for making the golden calf
And I said to them, 'Whoever [has] gold, take [it] off.' And they gave [it] to me, and I threw it in the fire, and out came this bull calf."