And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.
Parallel translations
- WEB Aaron said, “Don’t let the anger of my lord grow hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.
- BSB “Do not be enraged, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know that the people are intent on evil.
- NKJV So Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord become hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.
- NASB And Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord burn; you know the people yourself, that they are prone to evil.
- NLT “Don’t get so upset, my lord,” Aaron replied. “You yourself know how evil these people are.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Aaron deflects blame, urging Moses not to be angry and pointing to the people's evil bent. He minimizes his own responsibility.
Overview
Aaron's response shifts fault onto the people's well-known sinfulness rather than owning his role. While his observation about the people is true, it functions as an excuse. The verse illustrates the human instinct, since Eden, to evade responsibility for sin rather than confess it.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Deut 9:24Ye have been rebellious against the LORD from the day that I knew you.
- Exod 15:24And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink?
- 1 Sam 15:24And Saul said unto Samuel, I have sinned: for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD, and thy words: because I feared the people, and obeyed their voice.
- Prov 4:16For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall.
- Ps 36:4He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.
- Exod 16:20Notwithstanding they hearkened not unto Moses; but some of them left of it until the morning, and it bred worms, and stank: and Moses was wroth with them.
- Exod 14:11And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
- Deut 9:7Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD.
- Exod 16:2–4And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:
- Exod 17:2–4Wherefore the people did chide with Moses, and said, Give us water that we may drink. And Moses said unto them, Why chide ye with me? wherefore do ye tempt the LORD?
- Exod 16:28And the LORD said unto Moses, How long refuse ye to keep my commandments and my laws?
- Deut 31:27For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death?
Themes, concepts, people & topics
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Christ at the center
The Passover lamb whose blood turns away death, the exodus through the sea, the manna, the rock, and the tabernacle where God dwells with his people all foreshadow Jesus — our Passover, our redemption, the bread from heaven, and God-with-us in the flesh.
How Exodus 32:22 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Hebrew word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.