Now when the peoplesawthat Mosesdelayedto comedownfrom the mountain,the peopleassembledaboutAaronand saidto him, "Come,makeus a godwhowill gobeforeus; as for thisMoses,the manwhobroughtus up from the landof Egypt,we do not knowwhathas becomeof him."
Lotwentout and spoketo his sons-in-law,who were to marryhis daughters,and said,"Up, getout of thisplace,for the LORDwill destroythe city."But he appearedto his sons-in-lawto be jesting.
And Abimelechsaid,"I do not knowwhohas donethisthing;you did not tellme, nordid I hearof it untiltoday."
But he refusedand saidto his master'swife,"Behold,with me [here], my masterdoes not concernhimself with anythingin the house,and he has putallthat he ownsin my charge.
Josephsaidto them, "Whatis thisdeedthat you have done?Do you not knowthat sucha manas I can indeedpracticedivination?"
They had [just] goneout of the city,[and] were not faroff, when Josephsaidto his housesteward,"Up, followthe men;and when you overtakethem, sayto them, 'Whyhave you repaidevilfor good?
They madea calfin HorebAnd worshipeda moltenimage.
The LORDwas goingbeforethem in a pillarof cloudby dayto leadthem on the way,and in a pillarof fireby nightto givethem light,that they might travelby dayand by night.
Then they saidto Moses,"Is it becausetherewere nogravesin Egyptthat you have takenus away to diein the wilderness?Whyhave you dealtwith us in thisway,bringingus out of Egypt?
The sonsof Israelsaidto them, "Wouldthat we had diedby the LORD'Shandin the landof Egypt,when we satby the potsof meat,when we atebreadto the full;for you have broughtus out into thiswildernessto killthiswholeassemblywith hunger."
You shall not make[other gods] besidesMe; godsof silveror godsof gold,you shall not makefor yourselves.
Now the LORDsaidto Moses,"Comeup to Me on the mountainand remainthere,and I will giveyou the stonetabletswith the lawand the commandmentwhichI have writtenfor their instruction."
Mosesenteredthe midstof the cloudas he wentup to the mountain;and Moseswas on the mountainfortydaysand fortynights.
Then Mosesentreatedthe LORDhis God,and said,"O LORD,whydoes Your angerburnagainst Your peoplewhomYou have broughtout from the landof Egyptwith greatpowerand with a mightyhand?
Aaronsaid,"Do not let the angerof my lordburn;you knowthe peopleyourself,that they are prone to evil.
"For they saidto me, 'Makea godfor us whowill gobeforeus; for thisMoses,the manwhobroughtus up from the landof Egypt,we do not knowwhathas becomeof him.'
Then the LORDspoketo Moses,"Godownat once,for your people,whomyou broughtup from the landof Egypt,have corrupted[themselves].
"[Go up] to a landflowingwith milkand honey;for I will not goup in your midst,becauseyou are an obstinatepeople,and I mightdestroyyou on the way."
"But they rebelledagainst Me and were not willingto listento Me; they did not castawaythe detestablethingsof their eyes,nordid they forsakethe idolsof Egypt.Then I resolvedto pourout My wrathon them, to accomplishMy angeragainst them in the midstof the landof Egypt.
But by a prophetthe LORDbroughtIsraelfrom Egypt,And by a prophethe was kept.
"Indeed,I broughtyou up from the landof EgyptAnd ransomedyou from the houseof slavery,And I sentbeforeyou Moses,Aaronand Miriam.
"Surelyallthe menwho have seenMy gloryand My signswhichI performedin Egyptand in the wilderness,yet have putMe to the testthesetentimesand have not listenedto My voice,
"But be sureof this,that ifthe head of the househad knownat whattime of the nightthe thiefwas coming,he would have been on the alertand would not have allowedhis houseto be brokeninto.
"But ifthat evilslavesaysin his heart,My masteris not coming for a long time,'
"Beingthenthe childrenof God,we oughtnot to thinkthat the Divine Natureis likegoldorsilverorstone,an image formedby the artand thoughtof man.
"You seeand hearthat not onlyin Ephesus,but in almostallof Asia,thisPaulhas persuadedand turned awaya considerablenumber of people,sayingthat gods madewith handsare nogods[at all].
SAYINGTO AARON,'MAKEFOR US GODSWHOWILL GO BEFOREUS; FOR THISMOSESWHOLEDUS OUT OF THE LANDOF EGYPT--WE DO NOT KNOWWHATHAPPENEDTO HIM.'
"The LORDis the one who goesaheadof you; He will be with you. He will not failyou or forsakeyou. Do not fearor be dismayed."
"Hear,O Israel!You are crossingoverthe Jordantodayto goin to dispossessnationsgreaterand mightierthanyou, greatcitiesfortifiedto heaven,
"When I wentup to the mountainto receivethe tabletsof stone,the tabletsof the covenantwhichthe LORDhad madewith you, then I remainedon the mountainfortydaysand nights;I neitheratebreadnordrankwater.
"Riseup! Consecratethe peopleand say,'Consecrateyourselves for tomorrow,for thusthe LORD,the Godof Israel,has said,"There are thingsunderthe banin your midst,O Israel.You cannotstandbeforeyour enemiesuntilyou have removedthe thingsunderthe banfrom your midst."
and saying,"Whereis the promiseof His coming?For [ever] sincethe fathersfell asleep,allcontinuesjustas it was from the beginningof creation."
