The Meaning of Exodus 32:25 Explained

Exodus 32:25

KJV: And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)

YLT: And Moses seeth the people that it is unbridled, for Aaron hath made it unbridled for contempt among its withstanders,

Darby: And Moses saw the people how they were stripped; for Aaron had stripped them to their shame before their adversaries.

ASV: And when Moses saw that the people were broken loose, (for Aaron had let them loose for a derision among their enemies,)

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And when Moses  saw  that the people  [were] naked;  (for Aaron  had made them naked  unto [their] shame  among their enemies:  ) 

What does Exodus 32:25 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 32:25-35 - Moses Punishes Idolaters And Prays For The People
The heart of Moses was full of that wonderful new word, atonement. For many days Jehovah had been speaking to him about it. But he seemed to feel that on this occasion, the blood of goats and bulls could not avail to put away the black transgression of His people. Then there arose within him the noble resolve to which he gave expression, when he returned by the well-worn path to the summit of Sinai.
His voice was very broken as he commenced to plead. Mark that unfinished sentence, "If thou wilt forgive their sin-I." It was arrested by a burst of uncontrollable emotion. Can we finish it? "If thou wilt forgive, thou wilt act worthily of thyself and bind us to thee forever; but if not, and if the blood of beasts does not avail, let me be their atoning sacrifice, and blot me from thy book!" See Romans 9:1-3, r.v. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 32

1  The people in the absence of Moses, caused Aaron to make a calf
7  God informs Moses, who intercedes for Israel, and prevails
15  Moses comes down with the tablets
19  He breaks them
20  He destroys the calf
22  Aaron's excuse for himself
25  Moses causes the idolaters to be slain
30  He prays for the people

What do the individual words in Exodus 32:25 mean?

And when saw Moses - the people that unrestrained were for had not restrained them Aaron to [their] shame among their enemies
וַיַּ֤רְא מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶת־ הָעָ֔ם כִּ֥י פָרֻ֖עַ --ה֑וּא כִּֽי־ פְרָעֹ֣ה אַהֲרֹ֔ן לְשִׁמְצָ֖ה --בְּקָמֵיהֶֽם

וַיַּ֤רְא  And  when  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
מֹשֶׁה֙  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הָעָ֔ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
כִּ֥י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
פָרֻ֖עַ  unrestrained 
Parse: Verb, Qal, QalPassParticiple, masculine singular
Root: פָּרַע 
Sense: to lead, act as leader.
פְרָעֹ֣ה  had  not  restrained  them 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular, third person masculine singular
Root: פָּרַע 
Sense: to lead, act as leader.
אַהֲרֹ֔ן  Aaron 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַהֲרֹון  
Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.
לְשִׁמְצָ֖ה  to  [their]  shame 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, feminine singular
Root: שִׁמְצָה  
Sense: whisper, derision, whispering.
--בְּקָמֵיהֶֽם  among  their  enemies 
Parse: Preposition-b, Verb, Qal, Participle, masculine plural construct, third person masculine plural
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.