Now when Moses saw that the people were out of control—for Aaron had let them get out of control to the point of being an object of ridicule among their enemies—
Parallel translations
- WEB When Moses saw that the people had broken loose, (for Aaron had let them loose for a derision among their enemies),
- KJV And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)
- BSB Moses saw that the people were out of control, for Aaron had let them run wild and become a laughingstock to their enemies.
- NKJV Now when Moses saw that the people were unrestrained (for Aaron had not restrained them, to their shame among their enemies),
- NLT Moses saw that Aaron had let the people get completely out of control, much to the amusement of their enemies.
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
Moses sees the people running wild, a disgrace before their enemies, because Aaron let them loose. Unrestrained sin brings shame and reproach.
Overview
The phrase 'broken loose' pictures a people without restraint, exposed to mockery by surrounding nations. Aaron's failure to restrain them is again highlighted. The verse shows that godly leadership exists in part to guard God's people from the public dishonor that sin invites upon the Lord's name.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 12
- Isa 47:3Your nakedness will be uncovered. Yes, your shame will be seen. I will take vengeance, and will spare no one.”
- Mic 1:11Pass on, inhabitant of Shaphir, in nakedness and shame. The inhabitant of Zaanan won’t come out. The wailing of Beth Ezel will take from you his protection.
- Rev 16:15“Behold, I come like a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his clothes, so that he doesn’t walk naked, and they see his shame.”
- Dan 12:2Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
- Hos 2:3Lest I strip her naked, and make her bare as in the day that she was born, and make her like a wilderness, and set her like a dry land, and kill her with thirst.
- Exod 33:4–6When the people heard this evil news, they mourned: and no one put on his jewelry.
- Gen 3:10The man said, “I heard your voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself.”
- Rom 6:21What fruit then did you have at that time in the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death.
- Ezek 16:63that you may remember, and be confounded, and never open your mouth any more, because of your shame, when I have forgiven you all that you have done,” says the Lord Yahweh.’”
- Deut 9:20Yahweh was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him. I prayed for Aaron also at the same time.
- 2 Chr 28:19For Yahweh brought Judah low because of Ahaz king of Israel, because he acted without restraint in Judah and trespassed severely against Yahweh.
- Rev 3:17–18Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked;
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 32:25 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.