Exodus 32:21
in Exodus 32“What did this people do to you,” Moses asked Aaron, “that you have led them into so great a sin?”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought a great sin upon them?
KJV
And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?
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This verse in Exodus 32
Commentary
3 notes on this verseThis site's exposition
What did this people unto thee
on Exodus 32:21-22
Moses puts the question to Aaron as a matter of what the people did to him, which offers Aaron the position of a man acted upon. Aaron takes it, saying the people are set on mischief, and Adam Clarke reads the reply as an excuse rather than an account. Deuteronomy 9:20 supplies what this chapter leaves out, that the LORD was angry with Aaron enough to destroy him and that Moses prayed for Aaron also.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
And Moses said unto Aaron,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
What did this people unto thee - It seems if Aaron had been firm, this evil might have been prevented.
The words behind it
14 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֤אמֶר | vaiyomer | and he said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| מֹשֶׁה֙ | mosheh | Moses | H4872 → | 765 times |
| אֶֽל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| אַהֲרֹ֔ן | ʾaharon | Aaron | H175 → | 347 times |
| מֶֽה־ | meh- | what? | H4100 → | 752 times |
| עָשָׂ֥ה | ʾasah | did it do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| לְךָ֖ | lekha | to <the> you | ||
| הָעָ֣ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| הַזֶּ֑ה | hazeh | <the> this | H2088 → | 1180 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| הֵבֵ֥אתָ | heveta | you have brought | H935 → | 2568 times |
| עָלָ֖יו | ʾalav | on it | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| חֲטָאָ֥ה | chataah | a sin | H2401 → | 8 times |
| גְדֹלָֽה׃ | gedolah | great | H1419 → | 526 times |
וַיֹּ֤אמֶרand he said
vaiyomerH559 →5305 times
מֹשֶׁה֙Moses
moshehH4872 →765 times
אֶֽל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
אַהֲרֹ֔ןAaron
ʾaharonH175 →347 times
מֶֽה־what?
meh-H4100 →752 times
עָשָׂ֥הdid it do
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
לְךָ֖to <the> you
lekha
הָעָ֣םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
הַזֶּ֑ה<the> this
hazehH2088 →1180 times
כִּֽי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
הֵבֵ֥אתָyou have brought
hevetaH935 →2568 times
עָלָ֖יוon it
ʾalavH5921 →5755 times
חֲטָאָ֥הa sin
chataahH2401 →8 times
גְדֹלָֽה׃great
gedolahH1419 →526 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Kings 21:22I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat and like that of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked My anger and caused Israel to sin.’
it leads to
- 1 Kings 16:3
So now I will consume Baasha and his house, and I will make your house like that of Jeroboam son of Nebat:
- 1 Kings 14:16
So He will give Israel over on account of the sins Jeroboam has committed and has caused Israel to commit.”
- 1 Kings 16:11
As soon as Zimri began to reign and was seated on the throne, he struck down the entire household of Baasha. He did not leave a single male, whether a kinsman or friend.
- 1 Kings 16:3
Through
Genesis 20:9Then Abimelech called Abraham and asked, “What have you done to us? How have I sinned against you, that you have brought such tremendous guilt upon me and my kingdom? You have done things…
it leads to
- Genesis 12:18
So Pharaoh summoned Abram and asked, “What have you done to me? Why didn’t you tell me she was your wife?
- Genesis 39:9
No one in this house is greater than I am. He has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do such a great evil and sin…
- Genesis 26:10
“What is this you have done to us?” asked Abimelech. “One of the people could easily have slept with your wife, and you would have brought guilt upon us.”
- 2 Samuel 13:12
“No, my brother!” she cried. “Do not humiliate me, for such a thing should never be done in Israel. Do not do this disgraceful thing!
- Leviticus 20:10
If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress must surely be put to death.
- Genesis 12:18
Where this verse is studied
About Exodus

Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.
