The Real Ten Commandments (Facts Instead of Traditions) – Part 4

In Part I we followed Moses on his first three trips up and down the mountain – and each time he returned without the stone tablets. In Part 2 we followed Moses on his fourth trip, on which he was given the Law of the Altar and the MISHPATIM – but no stone tablets. In Part 3, on his fifth trip, Moses received the two stone tablets, but smashed them against the foot of the mountain. So, we will follow Moses again and see what happens on his sixth trip. We will pick up the account immediately after Moses smashed the stone tablets.

Then he took the calf which they had made, and burned it with fire, and ground it until it was fine (powder); and he scattered it on the face of the water and made he caused the sons of Israel to drink.

And Moses said to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you brought a great sin upon them?”

And Aaron said, “Do not let the anger of my lord become hot. You know the people, that they are in evil. And they said to me, ‘Make gods for us who may go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ And I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them break it off.’ And they gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and out came this calf.”

And Moses saw that the people were unloosed, for Aaron had let them loose, for a derision among their enemies. And Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Who is for YAHWEH — (come) to me!” And all the sons of Levi gathered to him. And he said to them, “Thus says YAHWEH, ELOHIYM of Israel: ‘Let each man put his sword on his thigh, pass over to and fro from gate to gate  in the camp, and let each one kill his brother, and each one his neighbor, and each one his relative.’”

And the sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. And about three thousand men of the people fell that day. And Moses said, “Fill your hand today for YAHWEH, for each one against his son and against his brother – in order to give you a blessing this day.” And it came to pass on the next day that Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. And now I will go up to YAHWEH. Perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.” (Exodus 32:20-30)

Trip #6

And Moses returned to YAHWEH and said, “Oh, the people have sinned a great sin, and they have made for themselves ELOHIYM of gold! And now, if You will forgive their sin, and if not, blot me out, I pray, of Your scroll which You have written.”

And YAHWEH said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot him from My scroll. And now, go, lead the people to what I have spoken to you. Behold, My messenger shall go before you. And in the day on My visiting, I will visit on them their sin.”  And YAHWEH plagued the people because of they made the calf which Aaron made.

And YAHWEH said to Moses, “Come and go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought from the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your seed I will give it.’ And I will send my messenger before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites -- to a land flowing with milk and honey. For I will not go up among your, for you are a stiff-necked people, lest I consume you in the way.” (Exodus 32:31-35; 33:1-3)

And the people heard this evil word. And they mourned, and no one put any ornaments on himself. And YAHWEH said to Moses, “Say to the sons of Israel, ‘You are a stiff-necked people. In one instant I will go up among you, and I will consume you. And now lay off your ornaments from you, that I may know what I shall do to you.’” And the sons of Israel pulled off their ornaments, from Mount Horeb.

And Moses took the tent and pitched it outside the camp, far off from the camp, and called it the tent of meeting. And it came to pass that everyone who seeking YAHWEH went to the tent of meeting which was outside the camp. And it was, as Moses went to the tent, all the people rose and stood, each one at the door of his tent, and looked after Moses until he had gone into the tent.

And it came to pass, as Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stand at the door of the tent. And He spoke with Moses. And all the people would see the pillar of cloud standing at the door of the tent; and all the people rose and bowed themselves, each man in the door of his tent. And YAHWEH would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, and his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not leave the middle of the tent. (Exodus 33:4-11)

Moses returned from his sixth trip without the stone tablets. So, we will have to wait and see if there is a seventh trip in-store for Moses. Keep in mind that “seven” is a very important number in the Bible.

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