O bezerro de ouro
(Dt 9.7-21, 25-29)
1Vendo o povo que Moisés não desceu logo da montanha, foi ter com Aarão e disse-lhe: “Olha, faz-nos ídolos, para que tenhamos deuses que nos guiem, pois não sabemos o que foi feito desse Moisés que nos tirou do Egito.”
2“Deem-me os vossos brincos de ouro”, respondeu-lhes Aarão. 3Assim fizeram todos; as mulheres e os seus filhos e filhas. 4Aarão fundiu o ouro e moldou-o, dando-lhe a forma de um bezerro. E o povo exclamou: “Ó Israel, aqui tens os teus deuses que te fizeram sair do Egito!”
5Quando Aarão constatou o quanto o povo tinha ficado feliz com aquilo, construiu um altar defronte do bezerro e proclamou: “Amanhã haverá uma celebração dedicada ao Senhor!”
6Assim, logo de manhã cedo, levantaram-se e começaram a oferecer holocaustos e ofertas de paz, ao bezerro, o ídolo. Por fim, o povo descansou a comer e a beber, e levantou-se para se divertir.
7Então o Senhor disse a Moisés: “Depressa! Desce imediatamente, porque o teu povo que trouxeste do Egito está a corromper-se; 8desviou-se e rapidamente abandonou as minhas leis. Fizeram para si um bezerro. Estão a prestar-lhe culto e a sacrificar-lhe dizendo: ‘Aqui tens os teus deuses, ó Israel, que te fizeram sair do Egito!’ ”
9E o Senhor acrescentou: “Tenho visto como este povo é rebelde e obstinado. 10Portanto, agora vai-te, porque a minha ira se acenderá contra eles e destruí-los-ei. E de ti, Moisés, farei uma grande nação.”
11Contudo, Moisés implorou ao Senhor, seu Deus, que não fizesse isso. “Senhor”, rogou ele, “porque está a tua cólera tão ateada contra o teu próprio povo que tiraste da terra do Egito, com um poder tão grande e com tão formidáveis milagres? 12Os egípcios acabarão por dizer: ‘Deus levou-os até às montanhas para os assassinar, destruindo-os da face da Terra.’ Desiste da tua ira, desse tremendo mal que estás a planear contra o teu povo. 13Lembra-te do que prometeste aos teus servos Abraão, Isaque e Israel. Pois que juraste sobre ti mesmo: ‘Multiplicarei a vossa posteridade como as estrelas dos céus e dar-vos-ei toda esta terra que prometi aos vossos descendentes, e possuí-la-ão para sempre.’ ”
14Então o Senhor desistiu do seu intento e poupou-os.
15Assim, Moisés desceu da montanha, levando nas suas mãos os dez mandamentos escritos em ambas as faces das duas placas de pedra. 16Porque Deus mesmo escrevera os mandamentos nas pedras.
17Quando Josué ouviu o barulho lá em baixo, do povo que gritava, exclamou para Moisés: “Parece que se estão a preparar para a guerra!” 18Mas Moisés replicou-lhe: “Não, não são nem gritos de vitória nem de derrota; estão só a cantar.”
19Quando chegaram perto do campo, Moisés viu o bezerro e toda aquela gente a dançar e, encolerizado, lançou ao chão as placas de pedra, que se quebraram ali, no sopé da montanha. 20Pegou depois no bezerro e lançou-o no fogo. Quando o metal se fundiu, moeu-o em pó e espalhou-o na água, fazendo o povo bebê-la.
21Depois disse a Aarão: “Que foi que te fez este povo que trouxeste um tão grande pecado sobre ele?”
22“Não fiques assim tão indignado!”, respondeu-lhe Aarão. “Sabes bem como este povo é inclinado para o mal. 23Eles disseram-me: ‘Faz-nos ídolos, para que tenhamos deuses que nos guiem, pois não sabemos o que foi feito desse Moisés que nos tirou do Egito.’ 24E eu disse-lhes: Tragam-me o que tiverem em ouro. Eles assim fizeram e lancei tudo no fogo e saiu este bezerro!”
25Então Moisés, vendo que o povo estava desenfreado, servindo de escárnio aos seus inimigos, porque Aarão os tinha deixado chegar àquele estado, 26pôs-se à entrada do campo e exclamou: “Quem é do Senhor venha a mim!” Todos os filhos de Levi se juntaram a ele.
27E disse-lhes: “Assim diz o Senhor, o Deus de Israel: ‘Ponham as vossas espadas, percorram o campo duma ponta à outra e matem, mesmo que seja o vosso irmão, o vosso amigo, o vosso vizinho.’ ”
28Eles assim fizeram e morreram naquele dia cerca de 3000 homens. 29Moisés disse-lhes: “Hoje vocês consagraram-se para o serviço ao Senhor, porque souberam obedecer-lhe, mesmo quando isso significou matar os vossos filhos e irmãos. Por isso, ele vos abençoará grandemente.”
30No dia seguinte Moisés disse ao povo: “Vocês cometeram um grande pecado. Mas eu vou voltar à montanha, ao encontro do Senhor; talvez consiga obter-vos o seu perdão.”
31Assim, Moisés voltou ao encontro do Senhor e disse-lhe: “Este povo cometeu um grande pecado, chegando a fazer para si um deus de ouro. 32Mas agora peço-te que lhes perdoes; se não, risca-me do teu livro!”
33O Senhor replicou a Moisés: “Aquele que pecar contra mim é que será riscado do meu livro. 34Agora vai, leva o povo para o lugar que te disse e garanto-te que o meu anjo irá à vossa frente. Quando vier visitá-los, castigarei o povo pelo seu pecado.”
35E o Senhor enviou uma grande praga sobre o povo por causa de terem adorado o bezerro de Aarão.
1And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 2And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me. 3And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron. 4And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 5And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD. 6And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
7¶ And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: 8They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 9And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: 10Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. 11And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?32.11 the LORD: Heb. the face of the LORD 12Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. 13Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. 14And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
15¶ And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. 16And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables. 17And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp. 18And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.32.18 being…: Heb. weakness
19¶ And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount. 20And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.
21And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them? 22And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief. 23For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 24And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.
25¶ And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)32.25 their enemies: Heb. those that rose up against them 26Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD’s side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. 27And 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. 28And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. 29For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.32.29 For Moses…: or, And Moses said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the LORD, because every man hath been against his brother, etc32.29 Consecrate…: Heb. Fill your hands
30¶ And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin. 31And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. 32Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written. 33And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book. 34Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them. 35And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
