Why did Moses say the noise in the camp was not the voice of war?
Moses said the noise was not war because it was neither the shout of troops gaining mastery nor the cry of people being overcome. It was the sound of singing. When he came near the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing, which explained the unusual noise.
Les explains that Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting and assumed there was war in the camp, as if somebody were attacking. Moses corrected him, saying it was not the voice of them that shout for mastery—that is, not a victorious army—nor the voice of them that cry out as being overcome, meaning it was not the screaming of people being overrun. It was something different: the noise of those that sing. When Moses came near the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. The Hebrew word for dancing indicates seductive, lascivious dancing, which explains the singing and the noise.
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.
More Questions
What did Moses say the noise in the camp actually was?
Moses corrected Joshua, explaining that the noise was not the sound or voice of people crying out for being overcome, but the noise of people singing.