Exodus 32:27

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible

And he said to them - Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, Put ye every man his sword upon his thigh, - pass through and return from gate to gate in the camp, and slay ye every man his brother and every man his friend and every man his neighbour.

Parallel Translations

Geneva Bible (1587)
Then he said vnto them, Thus sayth ye Lord God of Israel, Put euery man his sworde by his side: go to and fro, from gate to gate, through the hoste, and slay euery man his brother, and euery man his companion, & euery man his neighbour.

George Lamsa Translation
And Moses said to them, Thus says the LORD God of Israel: Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from door to door throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.

Hebrew Names Version
He said to them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Yisra'el, 'Every man put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and every man kill his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor."

Easy-to-Read Version
Then Moses said to them, "I will tell you what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: ‘Every man must get his sword and go from one end of the camp to the other. You men must kill those who are against the Lord , even if they are your brothers, friends, or neighbors.'"

English Standard Version
And he said to them, "Thus says the Lord God of Israel, ‘Put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.'"

American Standard Version
And he said unto them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Put ye every man his sword upon his thigh, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.

Bible in Basic English
And he said to them, This is the word of the Lord, the God of Israel: Let every man take his sword at his side, and go from one end of the tents to the other, putting to death his brother and his friend and his neighbour.

Contemporary English Version
and he said to them, "The Lord God of Israel commands you to strap on your swords and go through the camp, killing your relatives, your friends, and your neighbors."

Complete Jewish Bible
He told them, "Here is what Adonai , the God of Isra'el, says: ‘Each of you, put his sword on his side; and go up and down the camp, from gate to gate; and every man is to kill his own kinsman, his own friend and his own neighbor!"

JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he said unto them: 'Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel: Put ye every man his sword upon his thigh, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.'

King James Version (1611)
And hee said vnto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put euery man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the campe, and slay euery man his brother, and euery man his companion, and euery man his neighbour.

Amplified Bible
He said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'Every man strap his sword on his thigh and go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and every man kill his brother, and every man his friend, and every man his neighbor [all who continue pagan worship].'"

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he says to them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every one his sword on his thigh, and go through and return from gate to gate through the camp, and slay every one his brother, and every one his neighbour, and every one him that is nearest to him.

English Revised Version
And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD, the God of Israel, Put ye every man his sword upon his thigh, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.

Berean Standard Bible
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.'"

Lexham English Bible
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.'"

Literal Translation
And he said to them, So says Jehovah, God of Israel, each one put his sword on his thigh; pass to and fro from gate to gate in the camp, and each one kill his brother, and each one his neighbor, and each one his kindred.

New Century Version
Then Moses said to them, "The Lord , the God of Israel, says this: ‘Every man must put on his sword and go through the camp from one end to the other. Each man must kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.'"

New English Translation
and he said to them, "Thus says the Lord , the God of Israel, ‘Each man fasten his sword on his side, and go back and forth from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and each one kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.'"

New King James Version
And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: "Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor."'

New Living Translation
Moses told them, "This is what the Lord , the God of Israel, says: Each of you, take your swords and go back and forth from one end of the camp to the other. Kill everyone—even your brothers, friends, and neighbors."

New Life Bible
He said to them, "This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘Every man put his sword on his thigh. And go from one end of the tents to the other, and each one kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.'"

Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said to them: Thus saith the Lord God of Israel: Put every man his sword upon his thigh: go, and return from gate to gate through the midst of the camp, and let every man kill his brother, and friend, and neighbour.

Revised Standard Version
And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'Put every man his sword on his side, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.'"

Good News Translation
and he said to them, "The Lord God of Israel commands every one of you to put on your sword and go through the camp from this gate to the other and kill your brothers, your friends, and your neighbors."

King James Version
And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.

Darby Translation
And he said to them, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel: Put every man his sword upon his hip; go and return from gate to gate through the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his friend, and every man his neighbour.

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
To whiche he seide, The Lord God of Israel seith these thingis, A man putte swerd on his hipe, go ye, and `go ye ayen fro yate `til to yate bi the myddil of the castels, and ech man sle his brother, freend, and neiybore.

Young's Literal Translation
and he saith to them, `Thus said Jehovah, God of Israel, Put each his sword by his thigh, pass over and turn back from gate to gate through the camp, and slay each his brother, and each his friend, and each his relation.'

World English Bible
He said to them, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, 'Every man put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and every man kill his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor."

Update Bible Version
And he said to them, This is what Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, You put every man his sword on his thigh, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said to them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, [and] go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And he said vnto them, Thus sayeth the Lord God of Israel: Put euery ma his sworde by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the hoast, and slay euery man his brother, & euery man his companion, and euery man his neighbour.

Christian Standard Bible®
He told them, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘Every man fasten his sword to his side; go back and forth through the camp from entrance to entrance, and each of you kill his brother, his friend, and his neighbor.’”

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
and he sayde vnto them: Thus sayeth the LORDE the God of Israel: Euery man put his swerde by his syde, and go thorow in and out from one gate to another in the hoost, and slaye euery man his brother, frende, & neghboure.

THE MESSAGE
He then told them, " God 's orders, the God of Israel: ‘Strap on your swords and go to work. Crisscross the camp from one end to the other: Kill brother, friend, neighbor.'"

New American Standard Bible
And he said to them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel says: 'Every man of you put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and kill every man his brother, and every man his friend, and every man his neighbor.'"

New Revised Standard
He said to them, "Thus says the Lord , the God of Israel, ‘Put your sword on your side, each of you! Go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill your brother, your friend, and your neighbor.'"

New American Standard Bible (1995)
He said to them, "Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, 'Every man of you put his sword upon his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and kill every man his brother, and every man his friend, and every man his neighbor.'"

Legacy Standard Bible
And he said to them, "Thus says Yahweh, the God of Israel, ‘Every man among you put his sword upon his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate in the camp, and kill every man his brother and every man his friend and every man his neighbor.'"

Contextual Overview

²¹ And Moses said unto Aaron, What had this people done to thee, - that thou shouldst have brought upon them a great sin? ²² And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord kindle, - thou thyself, knowest the people, that ready for mischief, they are. ²³ So they said to me - Make for us gods, who shall go before us, - for, as for this, Moses - the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we know not what hath befallen him. ²⁴ And I said to them - Whosoever hath gold let them break it off, So they gave it to me, - and I cast it into the fire, and there came out - this calf. ²⁵ And Moses saw the people, that unbridled, they were, - for Aaron had given them the rein, for a whispering, among their enemies. ²⁶ So Moses took his stand in the gate of the camp, and said - Who is for Yahweh? …To me! Then gathered unto him all the sons of Levi, ²⁷ And he said to them - Thus, saith Yahweh, God of Israel, Put ye every man his sword upon his thigh, - pass through and return from gate to gate in the camp, and slay ye every man his brother and every man his friend and every man his neighbour. ²⁸ So the sons of Levi did, according to the word of Moses, - and there fell from among the people on that day, about three thousand men. ²⁹ And Moses said - Install yourselves to-day, unto Yahweh, yea every man for his son and for his brother, - so will he bestow upon you to-day, a blessing.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

slay every man: Exodus 32:26, Exodus 32:29, Numbers 25:5, Numbers 25:7-12, Deuteronomy 33:8, Deuteronomy 33:9, Luke 14:26, 2 Corinthians 5:16

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 30:16 - eating 2 Samuel 21:14 - God 2 Kings 10:25 - Go in 2 Chronicles 15:16 - he removed Job 31:34 - the contempt Ezekiel 9:5 - Go Zechariah 13:3 - and his Hebrews 2:2 - every

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said unto them, thus saith the Lord God of Israel,.... The following orders are given by Moses, not of himself the chief magistrate, and as the effect of heat and passion, but there were from the Lord, who was Israel's God and King; he had them expressly from him, or by an impulse on his spirit, or in such a way and manner that he knew it was of God, and this was his will:

put every man his sword by his side; girt there, ready to be drawn upon order:

and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp; not into the tents, where good men might be bemoaning the sin committed, but throughout the streets, where many were loitering, it being a holy day with the idolaters:

and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour; who were idolaters; none were to be spared on account of relation, friendship, and acquaintance.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The faithfulness of Moses in the office that had been entrusted to him was now to be put to the test. It was to be made manifest whether he loved his own glory better than he loved the brethren who were under his charge; whether he would prefer that he should himself become the founder of a “great nation,” or that the Lord’s promise should be fulfilled in the whole people of Israel. This may have been especially needful for Moses, in consequence of his natural disposition. See Numbers 12:3; and compare Exodus 3:11. With this trial of Moses repeated in a very similar manner Numbers 14:11-23, may be compared the trial of Abraham Genesis 22:0 and of our Saviour Matthew 4:8-10.

Exodus 32:8

These be thy gods ... have brought - This is thy god, O Israel, who has brought ...

Exodus 32:10

Let me alone - But Moses did not let the Lord alone; he wrestled, as Jacob had done, until, like Jacob, he obtained the blessing Genesis 32:24-29.

Exodus 32:14

This states a fact which was not revealed to Moses until after his second intercession when he had come down from the mountain and witnessed the sin of the people Exodus 32:30-34. He was then assured that the Lord’s love to His ancient people would prevail God is said, in the language of Scripture, to “repent,” when His forgiving love is seen by man to blot out the letter of His judgments against sin (2 Samuel 24:16; Joel 2:13; Jonah 3:10, etc.); or when the sin of man seems to human sight to have disappointed the purposes of grace (Gen 6:6; 1 Samuel 15:35, etc.). The awakened conscience is said to “repent,” when, having felt its sin, it feels also the divine forgiveness: it is at this crisis that God, according to the language of Scripture, repents toward the sinner. Thus, the repentance of God made known in and through the One true Mediator reciprocates the repentance of the returning sinner, and reveals to him atonement.

Exodus 32:17-18

Moses does not tell Joshua of the divine communication that had been made to him respecting the apostasy of the people, but only corrects his impression by calling his attention to the kind of noise which they are making.

Exodus 32:19

Though Moses had been prepared by the revelation on the Mount, his righteous indignation was stirred up beyond control when the abomination was before his eyes.

Exodus 32:20

See Deuteronomy 9:21. What is related in this verse must have occupied some time and may have followed the rebuke of Aaron. The act was symbolic, of course. The idol was brought to nothing and the people were made to swallow their own sin (compare Micah 7:13-14).

Exodus 32:22

Aaron’s reference to the character of the people, and his manner of stating what he had done Exo. 5:24, are very characteristic of the deprecating language of a weak mind.

Exodus 32:23

Make us gods - Make us a god.

Exodus 32:25

Naked - Rather unruly, or “licentious”.

Shame among their enemies - Compare Psalms 44:13; Psalms 79:4; Deuteronomy 28:37.

Exodus 32:26-29

The tribe of Levi, Moses’ own tribe, now distinguished itself by immediately returning to its allegiance and obeying the call to fight on the side of Yahweh. We need not doubt that the 3,000 who were slain were those who persisted in resisting Moses. The spirit of the narrative forbids us to conceive that the act of the Levites was anything like an indiscriminate massacre. An amnesty had first been offered to all by the words: “Who is on the Lord’s side?” Those who were forward to draw the sword were directed not to spare their closest relations or friends; but this must plainly have been with an understood qualification as regards the conduct of those who were to be slain. Had it not been so, they who were on the Lord’s side would have had to destroy each other. We need not stumble at the bold, simple way in which the statement is made.

Exodus 32:29

Consecrate yourselves to day to the Lord ... - The margin contains the literal rendering. Our version gives the most probable meaning of the Hebrew, and is supported by the best authority. The Levites were to prove themselves in a special way the servants of Yahweh, in anticipation of their formal consecration as ministers of the sanctuary (compare Deuteronomy 10:8), by manifesting a self-sacrificing zeal in carrying out the divine command, even upon their nearest relatives.

Exodus 32:31

Returned unto the Lord - i. e. again he ascended the mountain.

Gods of gold - a god of gold.

Exodus 32:32

For a similar form of expression, in which the conclusion is left to be supplied by the mind of the reader, see Daniel 3:15; Luke 13:9; Luke 19:42; John 6:62; Romans 9:22. For the same thought, see Romans 9:3. It is for such as Moses and Paul to realize, and to dare to utter, their readiness to be wholly sacrificed for the sake of those whom God has entrusted to their love. This expresses the perfected idea of the whole burnt-offering.

Thy book - The figure is taken from the enrolment of the names of citizens. This is its first occurrence in the Scriptures. See the marginal references. and Isaiah 4:3; Daniel 12:1; Luke 10:20; Philippians 4:3; Revelation 3:5, etc.

Exodus 32:33, Exodus 32:34

Each offender was to suffer for his own sin. Compare Exodus 20:5; Ezekiel 18:4, Ezekiel 18:20. Moses was not to be taken at his word. He was to fulfill his appointed mission of leading on the people toward the land of promise.

Exodus 32:34

Mine Angel shall go before thee - See the marginal references and Genesis 12:7.

In the day when I visit ... - Compare Numbers 14:22-24. But though the Lord chastized the individuals, He did not take His blessing from the nation.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 32:27. From gate to gate — It is probable that there was an enclosed or intrenched camp, in which the chief rulers and heads of the people were, and that this camp had two gates or outlets; and the Levites were commanded to pass from one to the other, slaying as many of the transgressors as they could find.