Exodus 32:19

17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.

18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.

And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.

20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.

21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB
As Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, he burned with anger and threw the tablets out of his hands, shattering them at the base of the mountain.
KJV
And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
WEB
As 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.
ASV
And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing: and Moses` anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
DARBY
And it came to pass, when he came near the camp, and saw the calf and the dancing, that Moses' anger burned, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and shattered them beneath the mountain.
BLB
And it came to pass as soon as he came near to the camp that he saw the calf and the dancing; and the anger of Moses burned, and he cast from his hands the tablets, and he shattered them at the base of the mountain.
ÅB
Og da Moses kom nær til leiren, så han kalven og dansen; da ble hans vrede tent opp; han kastet tavlene fra seg og slo dem i stykker ved foten av fjellet.
OTB
Så snart Moses nærmet seg leiren og så kalven og dansen, brant hans vrede, og han kastet tavlene fra hendene sine og knuste dem ved foten av fjellet.
B1930
Og da Moses kom nær til leiren, så han kalven og dansen; da optendtes hans vrede; han kastet tavlene fra sig og slo dem i stykker ved foten av fjellet.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

  • Deuteronomy 9:16–17

    And I looked, and, behold, ye had sinned against the LORD your God, and had made you a molten calf: ye had turned aside quickly out of the way which the LORD had commanded you.

    Read in context
  • 2 Samuel 6:14

    And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod.

    Read in context
  • Deuteronomy 27:26

    Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.

    Read in context
  • Ephesians 4:26

    Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

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  • Exodus 32:4–6

    And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

    Read in context
  • Numbers 12:3

    (Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth.)

    Read in context
  • Exodus 15:20

    And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.

    Read in context
  • Jeremiah 31:32

    Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the LORD:

    Read in context