Exodus 32:18
New International Version
Moses replied: “It is not the sound of victory, it is not the sound of defeat; it is the sound of singing that I hear.”

New Living Translation
But Moses replied, “No, it’s not a shout of victory nor the wailing of defeat. I hear the sound of a celebration.”

English Standard Version
But he said, “It is not the sound of shouting for victory, or the sound of the cry of defeat, but the sound of singing that I hear.”

Berean Standard Bible
But Moses replied: “It is neither the cry of victory nor the cry of defeat; I hear the sound of singing!”

King James Bible
And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.

New King James Version
But he said: “It is not the noise of the shout of victory, Nor the noise of the cry of defeat, But the sound of singing I hear.”

New American Standard Bible
But he said, “It is not the sound of the cry of victory, Nor is it the sound of the cry of defeat; But I hear the sound of singing.”

NASB 1995
But he said, “It is not the sound of the cry of triumph, Nor is it the sound of the cry of defeat; But the sound of singing I hear.”

NASB 1977
But he said, “It is not the sound of the cry of triumph, Nor is it the sound of the cry of defeat; But the sound of singing I hear.”

Legacy Standard Bible
But he said, “It is not the sound of the cry of triumph, Nor is it the sound of the cry of defeat; But the sound of singing I hear.”

Amplified Bible
But Moses said, “It is not the sound of the cry of victory, Nor is it the sound of the cry of defeat; But I hear the sound of singing.”

Christian Standard Bible
But Moses replied, It’s not the sound of a victory cry and not the sound of a cry of defeat; I hear the sound of singing!

Holman Christian Standard Bible
But Moses replied: It’s not the sound of a victory cry and not the sound of a cry of defeat; I hear the sound of singing!

American Standard Version
And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome; but the noise of them that sing do I hear.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
And Yeshua heard the sound of people when fighting and he said to Moshe, “The sound of war is in the camp.”

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And Moses says, It is not the voice of them that begin the battle, nor the voice of them that begin the cry of defeat, but the voice of them that begin the banquet of wine do I hear.

Contemporary English Version
But Moses replied, "It doesn't sound like they are shouting because they have won or lost a battle. It sounds more like a wild party!"

Douay-Rheims Bible
But he answered: It is not the cry of men encouraging to fight, nor the shout of men compelling to flee: but I hear the voice of singers.

English Revised Version
And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
Moses replied, "It's not the sound of winners shouting. It's not the sound of losers crying. It's the sound of a wild celebration that I hear."

Good News Translation
Moses said, "That doesn't sound like a shout of victory or a cry of defeat; it's the sound of singing."

International Standard Version
Moses said, "It is not the sound of a victory shout, and it's not the sound of a shout of defeat, but it's the sound of singing that I hear."

JPS Tanakh 1917
And he said: 'It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome, but the noise of them that sing do I hear.'

Literal Standard Version
And he says, “It is not the voice of the crying of might, nor is it the voice of the crying of weakness—I am hearing a voice of singing.”

Majority Standard Bible
But Moses replied: “It is neither the cry of victory nor the cry of defeat; I hear the sound of singing!”

New American Bible
But Moses answered, “It is not the noise of victory, it is not the noise of defeat; the sound I hear is singing.”

NET Bible
Moses said, "It is not the sound of those who shout for victory, nor is it the sound of those who cry because they are overcome, but the sound of singing I hear."

New Revised Standard Version
But he said, “It is not the sound made by victors, or the sound made by losers; it is the sound of revelers that I hear.”

New Heart English Bible
He said, "It isn't the voice of those who shout for victory, neither is it the voice of those who cry for being overcome; but the noise of those who sing that I hear."

Webster's Bible Translation
And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.

World English Bible
He said, “It isn’t the voice of those who shout for victory. It is not the voice of those who cry for being overcome; but the noise of those who sing that I hear.”

Young's Literal Translation
and he saith, 'It is not the voice of the crying of might, nor is it the voice of the crying of weakness -- a voice of singing I am hearing.'

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
Moses Descends with the Tablets
17When Joshua heard the sound of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “The sound of war is in the camp.” 18But Moses replied: “It is neither the cry of victory nor the cry of defeat; I hear the sound of singing!”

Cross References
Exodus 32:17
When Joshua heard the sound of the people shouting, he said to Moses, "The sound of war is in the camp."

Exodus 32:19
As Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, he burned with anger and threw the tablets out of his hands, shattering them at the base of the mountain.


Treasury of Scripture

And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.

being overcome.

Exodus 15:1
Then sang Moses and the children of Israel this song unto the LORD, and spake, saying, I will sing unto the LORD, for he hath triumphed gloriously: the horse and his rider hath he thrown into the sea.

Daniel 5:4,23
They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone…

Jump to Previous
Cry Crying Defeat Ear Fight Hear Hearing Mastery Moses Noise Overcome Overcoming Shout Shouting Sing Singing Songs Sound Triumph Victory Voice Weakness
Jump to Next
Cry Crying Defeat Ear Fight Hear Hearing Mastery Moses Noise Overcome Overcoming Shout Shouting Sing Singing Songs Sound Triumph Victory Voice Weakness
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














(18) Shout . . . cry . . . sing.--The Hebrew verb is the same in all three clauses. Translate: It is not the voice of them that cry for victory, nor is it the voice of them that cry for defeat; the voice of them that cry do I hear. Moses' sense of hearing conveys to him no positive result. We must remember that the camp was still distant, and that the sound was conveyed circuitously, since the descent from the Ras Sufsafeh is by a side valley, from which the sight of the plain is shut out (Stanley, Sinai and Palestine, p. 44).

Verse 18. This verse is difficult to translate, being markedly antithetical and at the same time idiomatic. Perhaps it would be best to render - "It is not the voice of them who raise the cry of victory, nor is it the voice of them who raise the cry of defeat - the voice of them who raise a cry do I hear." The verb is the same in all the three clauses; and it would seem that Moses simply denied that there was any sound of war without making any clear suggestion as to the real character of the disturbance.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
But Moses replied:
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר (way·yō·mer)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“It is neither
אֵ֥ין (’ên)
Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

the cry
קוֹל֙ (qō·wl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

of victory
גְּבוּרָ֔ה (gə·ḇū·rāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 1369: Force, valor, victory

nor
וְאֵ֥ין (wə·’ên)
Conjunctive waw | Adverb
Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle

the cry
ק֖וֹל (qō·wl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

of defeat;
חֲלוּשָׁ֑ה (ḥă·lū·šāh)
Noun - feminine singular
Strong's 2476: Weakness, prostration

I
אָנֹכִ֖י (’ā·nō·ḵî)
Pronoun - first person common singular
Strong's 595: I

hear
שֹׁמֵֽעַ׃ (šō·mê·a‘)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently

the sound
ק֣וֹל (qō·wl)
Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 6963: A voice, sound

of singing!”
עַנּ֔וֹת (‘an·nō·wṯ)
Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct
Strong's 6030: To answer, respond


Links
Exodus 32:18 NIV
Exodus 32:18 NLT
Exodus 32:18 ESV
Exodus 32:18 NASB
Exodus 32:18 KJV

Exodus 32:18 BibleApps.com
Exodus 32:18 Biblia Paralela
Exodus 32:18 Chinese Bible
Exodus 32:18 French Bible
Exodus 32:18 Catholic Bible

OT Law: Exodus 32:18 He said It isn't the voice (Exo. Ex)
Exodus 32:17
Top of Page
Top of Page