Exodus 32 27

Exodus 32:27 kjv

And 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 neighbor.

Exodus 32:27 nkjv

And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel: 'Let every man put his sword on his side, and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.' "

Exodus 32:27 niv

Then he said to them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.'?"

Exodus 32:27 esv

And he said to them, "Thus says the LORD God of Israel, 'Put your sword on your side each of you, and go to and fro from gate to gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill his brother and his companion and his neighbor.'"

Exodus 32:27 nlt

Moses told them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: Each of you, take your swords and go back and forth from one end of the camp to the other. Kill everyone ? even your brothers, friends, and neighbors."

Exodus 32 verses

Exodus 32 27 Meaning

Exodus 32:27 conveys God's swift and severe judgment against the Israelite community for their blatant act of idolatry with the golden calf. Moses, as God's representative, communicates a direct divine command to the Levites. They are to take up their swords and systematically execute those among their own people – including brothers, companions, and neighbors – who had engaged in or supported the idolatry. This command highlights God's zealous holiness, the gravity of covenant infidelity, and the necessity of immediate, internal purging to prevent total destruction and restore the sanctity of the Israelite camp. It underscores that loyalty to God unequivocally supersedes all human relationships, ensuring the purity and survival of the chosen nation.

Exodus 32 27 Context

Exodus chapter 32 recounts the gravest betrayal by the Israelites after receiving the law at Mount Sinai. While Moses was on the mountain for forty days receiving God's commandments, the people grew impatient and pressured Aaron to make a god for them. Aaron yielded, crafting a golden calf, which the people declared to be the god that brought them out of Egypt. They then engaged in sacrifices, revelry, and likely immorality. Enraged by this rapid breach of their covenant vows, God informed Moses of their sin and threatened to destroy them. Moses interceded on their behalf and then descended the mountain, witnessing the debauchery firsthand. In a zealous response, Moses smashed the tablets of the Law, destroyed the calf by grinding it into powder, mixing it with water, and making the Israelites drink it. He then confronted Aaron. Following this, Moses issued a call for those loyal to the Lord, and only the Levites answered. Verse 27 then relays the direct, severe divine command to them as agents of God's immediate judgment upon the covenant breakers. This act of internal purging was critical to restoring holiness to the camp and allowing God's presence to remain among them, thus preventing complete annihilation of the nation.

Exodus 32 27 Word analysis

• "And he said": Refers to Moses, who is functioning as God's prophet and emissary. This emphasizes that the following, difficult instruction is a divine directive, not Moses' personal judgment or vengeance.
• "to them": Specifically indicates the Levites, who had answered Moses’ call in the previous verse: "Whoever is on the LORD’s side, come to me!" (Exod 32:26). Their faithful response set them apart.
• "Thus says the LORD" (כֹּה אָמַר יְהוָה - koh amar YHWH): A classic prophetic formula signaling a direct and authoritative divine utterance. It underscores that the command to execute judgment originates squarely with God Himself, providing unquestionable legitimacy for the harsh action.
• "Every man of you": Demands full and individual participation from each Levite who stood with Moses. It highlights their unified role as agents of divine justice.
• "put his sword on his side" (שִׂימוּ אִישׁ חַרְבּוֹ עַל יְרֵכוֹ - simu ish ḥarbo ʿal yerekho):
  • "sword" (חֶרֶב - ḥerev): Represents an instrument of divine execution and justice, not simply combat against an external enemy, but internal purification.
  • "on his side" (עַל יְרֵכוֹ - ʿal yerekho): Literally "on his thigh" or "flank," the conventional place to carry a weapon. This phrase denotes immediate readiness and a serious intent for lethal action.
• "and go to and fro" (וְעִבְרוּ וָשׁוּבוּ - ve'ivru vashuvu): Literally "pass through and return," implying a methodical, systematic, and exhaustive operation. This was not a chaotic mob action, but a divinely sanctioned purge.
• "from gate to gate" (מִשַּׁעַר לָשַׁעַר - misha'ar lasha'ar): Refers to traversing the full extent of the Israelite camp, indicating the widespread nature of the apostasy and the comprehensive scope of the judgment required. Gates were significant points of access, commerce, and judgment within ancient settlements.
• "throughout the camp" (בַּמַּחֲנֶה - bammaḥaneh): Emphasizes that the entire Israelite community, across its various sections, was subject to this judgment due to the pervasive nature of the golden calf sin.
• "and each man kill" (וְהִרְגוּ אִישׁ - vehargu ish): The verb "kill" (הָרַג - harag) means to slaughter or execute, highlighting the absolute and terminal nature of the divine punishment. Each Levite was individually responsible for carrying out the divine decree.
• "his brother and each man his companion and each man his neighbor" (אֶת אָחִיו וְאִישׁ אֶת רֵעֵהוּ וְאִישׁ אֶת קְרֹבוֹ - et aḥiv ve'ish et re'ehu ve'ish et qerovo):
  • "brother" (אָח - aḥ): Denotes fellow Israelite, often implying a close family or tribal bond.
  • "companion" (רֵעַ - re'a): Refers to a close friend, associate, or intimate.
  • "neighbor" (קָרוֹב - qarov): Signifies a relative in close proximity or general fellow Israelite. The cumulative list starkly reveals that no human relationship was to take precedence over loyalty and obedience to God’s command, even to the point of executing one's closest relations for the sake of divine justice.

Exodus 32 27 Bonus section

• The number of casualties reported in the following verse (Exod 32:28), "about three thousand men," suggests that this was a targeted, decisive purge of the most culpable, rather than an indiscriminate slaughter of everyone. This implies a precise, if difficult, divine judgment at play.
• The golden calf incident, along with the Levites' response, can be viewed as a foundational moment for the consecration of the tribe of Levi. Verse 29 implies that this act of extreme obedience "filled their hand" or consecrated them for the service of the Lord, making them worthy of priestly duties that were previously undefined.
• This intense judgment establishes a pattern of God's readiness to discipline His chosen people for covenant infidelity, emphasizing that being "His people" does not grant immunity from judgment for unrepentant sin. This foreshadows prophetic warnings and judgments throughout the Old Testament.
• The imagery of the sword wielded against a defiling element within the community appears elsewhere in scripture as an instrument of divine judgment (e.g., Num 25: Phinehas' spear; Ezek 9: the destroyers).
• From a theological perspective, this event underscores that God's grace and covenant love are always contingent on faithfulness and obedience. While Moses' intercession was crucial in averting total destruction, the sin still demanded a proportionate divine response for the maintenance of His holiness within the camp.

Exodus 32 27 Commentary

Exodus 32:27 presents a profound and disturbing turning point in Israel's relationship with God, illustrating the ultimate cost of covenant betrayal. This divine mandate, relayed by Moses, underscores God's absolute intolerance for idolatry and His fierce commitment to the holiness of His covenant people. The Levites, by embracing this brutal commission, became agents of divine surgery, severing the corrupt elements to prevent the entire body of Israel from perishing in apostasy. The specific command to "kill his brother...companion...neighbor" highlights the agonizing moral dilemma and the radical nature of the required obedience: human ties, no matter how sacred, must be secondary to ultimate allegiance to God. This was not a random act of violence, but a calculated, methodical execution of justice—a divinely sanctioned purging "from gate to gate" to re-establish the camp's purity and prepare it for God's continued presence. The Levites' unflinching obedience in this moment of crisis profoundly influenced their future role, serving as a basis for their later dedication to God's special service in the tabernacle and temple, setting them apart due to their uncompromising zeal for the Lord's honor. This event serves as an enduring, albeit extreme, biblical example of the demand for absolute loyalty to God and the severe consequences of corporate sin when covenant boundaries are transgressed.