24. So I told them, ‘Whoever is wearing gold, take it off.’ They gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and this calf came out.”
25. Moses saw that the people were running wild because Aaron had lost control—to the secret delight of their foes.
26. Moses stood at the gate of the camp and shouted, “Whoever is for the Lord, come to me!” All the Levites then rallied to him,
27. and he told them, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Each of you put your sword on your hip! Go back and forth through the camp, from gate to gate, and kill your brothers, your friends, your neighbors!”
28. The Levites did as Moses had commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people fell.
29. Then Moses said, “Today you are installed as priests for the Lord, for you went against your own sons and brothers, to bring a blessing upon yourselves this day.”
30. On the next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a grave sin. Now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I may be able to make atonement for your sin.”
31. So Moses returned to the Lord and said, “Ah, this people has committed a grave sin in making a god of gold for themselves!