Page:History of Moses.pdf/16

16 the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. But so evil were their hearts, so ready to wander from God, so quick to forget his mercies, that having been left only for a few short days to themselves, they set up a golden calf to worship. And the Lord said unto Moses, “Go, get thee down for thy people have corrupted themselves: they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them molten calf, and have worshipped it: let me alone that my wrath may consume them, and will make of thee a great nation.” But Moses loved the people of Israel; and he prayed earnestly for them, unto the Lord his God. And the Lord who is abundant in mercy, graciously heard his prayer; so as not to destroy them altogether in a moment. And Moses went down from the mount, and as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, he saw the calf, and the dancing and his anger waxed hot, and he cast the table out of his hands, and break them beneath the mount. And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it into powder, and strewed it upon the water, and made them drink of it. And he 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. Then Moses, the command of God, desired the sons of Levi to take their swords and go in amongst the people and kill them: and they did so; and thero fell the people that day about three thousand. And the rest of the people Moses said, “Ye have sinned a great sin; and now will I go up unto the Lord peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.”