Exodus 32:17
ESV
When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is a noise of war in the camp."
NIV
When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, "There is the sound of war in the camp."
NASB
Now when Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, 'There is a sound of war in the camp.'
CSB
When Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is a sound of war in the camp."
NLT
When Joshua heard the boisterous noise of the people shouting below them, he exclaimed to Moses, 'It sounds like war in the camp!'
KJV
And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.
NKJV
And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “ There is a noise of war in the camp.”
What does Exodus 32:17 mean?
God called Moses onto Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:12) to receive tablets containing the Ten Commandments (Exodus 31:18; Deuteronomy 4:12). Now, Moses is returning to the people after God told him about acts of idolatry the people were committing (Exodus 32:7–10).Joshua hears the people of Israel participating in immoral worship (Exodus 32:4–6). When Moses went to meet God, he took Joshua as an assistant (Exodus 24:13). This was the same man who led Israel in battle against Amalekites (Exodus 17:8–10). It's not surprising that Joshua would hear noise from Israel and assume it was a military situation. He hasn't heard the news which God recently gave to Moses. Moses will quickly explain that the people are not under attack (Exodus 32:18).
