Exodus 32:25

²³ They told me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him!’

²⁴ So I said to them, ‘Whoever has gold, let him take it off,’ and they gave it to me. And when I threw it into the fire, out came this calf!”

Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them run wild and become a laughingstock to their enemies.

²⁶ So Moses stood at the entrance to the camp and said, “Whoever is for the LORD, come to me.” And all the Levites gathered around him.

²⁷ He told them, “This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: ‘Each of you men is to fasten his sword to his side, go back and forth through the camp from gate to gate, and slay his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.’”

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: Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them run wild and become a laughingstock to their enemies.
KJV: And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)
WEB: When Moses saw that the people were out of control, (for Aaron had let them lose control, causing derision among their enemies),
ASV: And when Moses saw that the people were broken loose, (for Aaron had let them loose for a derision among their enemies,)
DARBY: And Moses saw the people how they were stripped; for Aaron had stripped them to [their] shame before their adversaries.
BLB: And Moses saw the people, that they were unrestrained—for Aaron had not restrained them, unto derision among their enemies.

ÅB: Da Moses så at folket var ustyrlig - for Aron hadde sloppet det løs til spott for deres motstandere -
OTB: Da Moses så at folket var ute av kontroll—for Aron hadde latt dem komme ut av kontroll til det punktet at de ble til latter blant sine fiender—
B1930: Da Moses så at folket var ustyrlig - for Aron hadde sloppet det løs til spott for deres motstandere -

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

Isaiah 47:3
Your nakedness will be uncovered and your shame will be exposed. I will take vengeance; I will spare no one.”
Read in context
Micah 1:11
Depart in shameful nakedness, O dwellers of Shaphir. The dwellers of Zaanan will not come out. Beth-ezel is in mourning; its support is taken from you.
Read in context
Revelation 16:15
“Behold, I am coming like a thief. Blessed is the one who remains awake and clothed, so that he will not go naked and let his shame be exposed.”
Read in context
Hosea 2:3
Otherwise, I will strip her naked and expose her like the day of her birth. I will make her like a desert and turn her into a parched land, and I will let her die of thirst.
Read in context
Ezekiel 16:63
so that when I make atonement for all you have done, you will remember and be ashamed and never again open your mouth because of your disgrace, declares the Lord GOD.”
Read in context
Romans 6:21
What fruit did you reap at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? The outcome of those things is death.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 9:20
The LORD was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him, but at that time I also prayed for Aaron.
Read in context
Exodus 33:4–6
When the people heard these bad tidings, they went into mourning, and no one put on any of his jewelry.
Read in context