8 Even so, he saved them—

to defend the honor of his name

and to demonstrate his mighty power.

9 He commanded the Red Sea* to dry up.

He led Israel across the sea as if it were a desert.

10 So he rescued them from their enemies

and redeemed them from their foes.

11 Then the water returned and covered their enemies;

not one of them survived.

12 Then his people believed his promises.

Then they sang his praise.

13 Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done!

They wouldn’t wait for his counsel!

14 In the wilderness their desires ran wild,

testing God’s patience in that dry wasteland.

15 So he gave them what they asked for,

but he sent a plague along with it.

16 The people in the camp were jealous of Moses

and envious of Aaron, the Lord’s holy priest.

17 Because of this, the earth opened up;

it swallowed Dathan

and buried Abiram and the other rebels.

18 Fire fell upon their followers;

a flame consumed the wicked.

19 The people made a calf at Mount Sinai* ;

they bowed before an image made of gold.

20 They traded their glorious God

for a statue of a grass-eating bull.

21 They forgot God, their savior,

who had done such great things in Egypt—

22 such wonderful things in the land of Ham,

such awesome deeds at the Red Sea.

23 So he declared he would destroy them.

But Moses, his chosen one, stepped between the Lord and the people.

He begged him to turn from his anger and not destroy them.