Study Desk

Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them get out of control, making them a laughingstock to their enemies.

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

The following day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a grave sin. Now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I will be able to atone for your sin.”

So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Oh, these people have committed a grave sin; they have made a god of gold for themselves.

Now go, lead the people to the place I told you about; see, my angel will go before you. But on the day I settle accounts, I will hold them accountable for their sin.”

And the Lord inflicted a plague on the people for what they did with the calf Aaron had made.

For the Lord said to Moses: “Tell the Israelites: You are a stiff-necked people. If I went up with you for a single moment, I would destroy you. Now take off your jewelry, and I will decide what to do with you.”

The Lord answered Moses, “I will do this very thing you have asked, for you have found favor with me, and I know you by name.”

But he added, “You cannot see my face, for humans cannot see me and live.”

And the Lord responded: “Look, I am making a covenant. I will perform wonders in the presence of all your people that have never been done in the whole earth or in any nation. All the people you live among will see the Lord’s work, for what I am doing with you is awe-inspiring.

Because the Lord is jealous for his reputation, you are never to bow down to another god. He is a jealous God.

Then you will take some of their daughters as brides for your sons. Their daughters will prostitute themselves with their gods and cause your sons to prostitute themselves with their gods.

“Do not make cast images of gods for yourselves.

“Observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread. You are to eat unleavened bread for seven days at the appointed time in the month of Abib, as I commanded you, for you came out of Egypt in the month of Abib.

For I will drive out nations before you and enlarge your territory. No one will covet your land when you go up three times a year to appear before the Lord your God.

“Do not present the blood for my sacrifice with anything leavened. The sacrifice of the Passover Festival must not remain until morning.

The Lord also said to Moses, “Write down these words, for I have made a covenant with you and with Israel based on these words.”

For six days work is to be done, but on the seventh day you are to have a holy day, a Sabbath of complete rest to the Lord. Anyone who does work on it must be executed.

Take up an offering among you for the Lord. Let everyone whose heart is willing bring this as the Lord’s offering: gold, silver, and bronze;

oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense;