“And the children of Leui did according to the word of Moses; and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.”
1611 King James Version (KJV)
32:28 And there fell of the people that day about three thousand men - Probably these were but few in comparison with the many that were guilty; but these were the men that headed the rebellion, and were therefore picked out to be made examples of; for terror to others.