Bible Strands
Deuteronomy 9:20
The LORD was angry enough with Aaron to destroy him, but at that time I also prayed for Aaron.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — Moses speaks to Israel in the plains of Moab, recounting the golden calf incident while standing between Yahweh’s threatened destruction of the people and his own prayer for Aaron.
The words — The Hebrew הִתְאַנַּף (hit.'a.Naf) records Yahweh’s intense anger toward Aaron, while וָאֶתְפַּלֵּל (va.'et.pa.Lel) documents Moses’ direct intercession on Aaron’s behalf.
The thread — This moment links to Moses’ earlier plea for Israel in Deuteronomy 9:19 and traces back to the Aaronic failure detailed in Exodus 32:21 and Exodus 32:35.
Why it lands — The text states that divine wrath is halted by human prayer, requiring readers to acknowledge mediation as the mechanism that prevents destruction.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
And the Lord was very angry with Aaron to have destroyed him: and I prayed for Aaron also the same time.
Cross-references
- Exodus 32:21 “What did this people do to you,” Moses asked Aaron, “that you have led them into so great a sin?”
- Exodus 32:35 And the LORD sent a plague on the people because of what they had done with the calf that Aaron had made.
- Hebrews 7:26 Such a high priest truly befits us—One who is holy, innocent, undefiled, set apart from sinners, and exalted above the heavens.
- Exodus 32:2 So Aaron told them, “Take off the gold earrings that are on your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.”