What did Joshua think the noise from the Israelite camp was?
Joshua thought the noise rising from the Israelite camp was the sound of war—an army attacking or battle in the camp. When he heard the people shouting as he and Moses came down Mount Sinai, he told Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.”
Les explains that Joshua evidently accompanied Moses partway up Mount Sinai but stayed back when Moses entered God’s presence. As Moses and Joshua came down and resumed their companionship, Joshua heard the people shouting. He interpreted the sound as war, saying, “There is a noise of war in the camp,” meaning somebody is attacking us. Moses corrected that it was not the voice of those shouting for mastery, nor the voice of those crying for being overcome, but the noise of those that sing, connected with the seductive dancing around the calf.
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.
More Questions
Why did Joshua think there was war in the camp at the golden calf?
When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he told Moses there was noise of war in the camp, because he thought the people were being attacked and were screaming and yelling, running for their lives.
What did Moses say the noise from the camp actually was?
Moses corrected Joshua, saying the sound was not the voice of those who shout for mastery (a victorious army) nor the voice of those crying out for being overcome (people being overrun), but something different — the noise of those who sing.