Exodus 32: The golden calf, the broken tablets, and Moses' prayer
A free study, verse by verse. Text: World English Bible. Notes come from the Hebrew. How to read a study
What happens?
While Moses is on the mountain, the people ask Aaron to make gods for them, and Aaron makes a molded calf from the gold rings they give him. Yahweh tells Moses what the people have done, Moses prays for them, and Yahweh turns away from (or: relents about) the harm he said he would do. Moses goes down, breaks the two tablets, burns the calf and makes the people drink it, and about three thousand men fall that day; then he goes back up to ask Yahweh to forgive the people, and Yahweh strikes the people because of the calf.
Who is speaking?
The narrator tells the story. God's own words are in 6 of the 35 verses: what Yahweh tells Moses about the people in verses 7 to 10, and what he says in verses 33 and 34. In verse 8 he repeats the people's words about the calf. The people speak in verses 1 and 4, Aaron in verses 2, 5 and 22 to 24, and Joshua in verse 17. Moses speaks to Yahweh in verses 11 to 13, 31 and 32, and to others in verses 18, 21, 26, 27, 29 and 30. In verse 27 Moses tells what "Yahweh, the God of Israel, says", so those are Moses' words repeating Yahweh's message, and they are not in gold. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1When the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.”
In plain English: When the people saw that Moses was taking a long time to come down from the mountain, they gathered to (or: against) Aaron and said to him, "Come, make us gods to go in front of us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him."
The Hebrew word: "To" in "gathered to Aaron" is al, which the dictionary gives as "above, over, upon, or against". The same two Hebrew words, "gathered" and al, are in and , where this Bible says the people "assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron".
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2Aaron said to them, “Take off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them to me.”
In plain English: Aaron said to them, "Take off the gold rings that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me."
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3All the people took off the golden rings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron.
In plain English: All the people took off the gold rings that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron.
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4He received what they handed him, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it a molded calf. Then they said, “These are your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
In plain English: He took what they handed him, shaped it with an engraving tool (or: tied it up in a cloth or bag), and made it a molded calf (a calf of cast metal). Then they said, "These are your gods, Israel, that brought you up out of the land of Egypt."
The Hebrew words: "Gods" is elohim, the same word that means "God" in . Here "these" and "brought you up" are plural in the Hebrew as well, so the people say "gods". In "will go" in front of them is plural too. The same plural words are in , where Yahweh repeats what the people said. tells of this calf in the singular: "This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt."
The Hebrew words: "Engraving tool" is cheret, which the dictionary gives as "a chisel or graver; also a style for writing". A related word, charit, means a pocket or bag, as in , "bound two talents of silver in two bags". The Jewish teacher Rashi gave both readings of this verse: that Aaron shaped the gold with an engraving tool, or that he tied it up in a cloth or bag. "Molded" is massekah, which the dictionary gives as "properly, a pouring over, i.e. fusion of metal (especially a cast image)".
How it is translated: This word is in 3 verses of Exodus: here, and . This Bible says "molded" in the two verses about the calf and "cast" in 34:17. It says "a molded calf" here, in verse 8, in and in . People often call this "the golden calf". Exodus 32 in this Bible says "a molded calf", and the gold is in the story: the rings of gold in verses 2 and 3, and "gods of gold" in .
Good to know: has the same Hebrew words from "your gods" on, "your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt", for the two calves of gold that King Jeroboam made.
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5When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made a proclamation, and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to Yahweh.”
In plain English: When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of it. Aaron made a proclamation (called out) and said, "Tomorrow will be a feast to Yahweh."
Good to know: Aaron names Yahweh here, one verse after the people call the calf "your gods". The text does not say how the two fit together.
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6They rose up early on the next day, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
In plain English: They got up early the next day, offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings. The people sat down to eat and to drink, and got up to play.
The Hebrew word: "Play" is tsachaq. The dictionary gives it as "to laugh outright (in merriment or scorn); by implication, to sport".
How it is translated: The word is in 12 verses of the Bible. This Bible says "play" only here. In the other 11 verses it says a form of "laugh" in 5 (for example ), a form of "mock" in 3 (for example ), and "caressing", "joking" and "entertain" in 1 each (, and ).
Good to know: The text does not say what the playing was. quotes this verse: "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play."
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7Yahweh spoke to Moses, “Go, get down; for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves!God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh spoke to Moses, "Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves!
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8They have turned away quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and have worshiped it, and have sacrificed to it, and said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.’”God speaks
In plain English: They have quickly turned away from the way I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, worshiped it (literally: bowed down to it), sacrificed to it, and said, 'These are your gods, Israel, that brought you up out of the land of Egypt.'"
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9Yahweh said to Moses, “I have seen these people, and behold, they are a stiff-necked people.God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Moses, "I have seen these people, and look, they are a stiff-necked (stubborn) people.
The Hebrew words: "Stiff-necked" is two Hebrew words, qasheh and oref, word for word "stiff of neck". The dictionary gives qasheh as "severe (in various applications)" and oref as "the nape or back of the neck (as declining); hence, the back generally (whether literal or figurative)".
Good to know: Yahweh calls Israel a stiff-necked people here, in and in , and Moses uses the same words in . These are the only 4 verses of Exodus with this phrase. It is also in and . In 9:13 Moses repeats Yahweh's words from this verse: "I have seen these people, and behold, they are a stiff-necked people."
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10Now therefore leave me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them, and that I may consume them; and I will make of you a great nation.”God speaks
In plain English: Now leave me alone, so that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make a great nation of you."
The Hebrew words: "Burn hot" is charah, which the dictionary gives as "to glow or grow warm; figuratively (usually) to blaze up, of anger, zeal, jealousy". "Wrath" is aph, which the dictionary gives as "properly, the nose or nostril; hence, the face, and occasionally a person; also (from the rapid breathing in passion) ire".
Good to know: Both words come back in this chapter. Moses asks why Yahweh's wrath should "burn hot" (), Moses' own anger "grew hot" (), and Aaron says, "Don't let the anger of my lord grow hot" (). The two words stand together in 6 verses of Exodus. The other two are and .
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11Moses begged Yahweh his God, and said, “Yahweh, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, that you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?
In plain English: Moses begged Yahweh his God and said, "Yahweh, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?
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12Why should the Egyptians talk, saying, ‘He brought them out for evil, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the surface of the earth’? Turn from your fierce wrath, and turn away from this evil against your people.
In plain English: Why should the Egyptians say, 'He brought them out for evil, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the surface of the earth'? Turn from your fierce wrath, and relent (or: turn away) from this evil against your people.
The Hebrew words: The first "turn", in "Turn from your fierce wrath", is shuv, to turn back. "Turn away" is a different verb, nacham, the verb explained at , where it is said of Yahweh.
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13Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of the sky, and all this land that I have spoken of I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’”
In plain English: Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self and said to them, 'I will multiply your offspring like the stars of the sky, and I will give your offspring all this land that I have spoken of, and they will inherit it forever.'"
Good to know: "Israel" here is Jacob, who is given the name Israel in and again in . When Yahweh names the same three men in , the third is "Jacob".
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14So Yahweh turned away from the evil which he said he would do to his people.
In plain English: So Yahweh turned away from (or: relented about) the evil that he said he would do to his people.
The Hebrew word: "Turned away from" is the verb nacham. The dictionary gives it as "properly, to sigh, i.e. breathe strongly; by implication, to be sorry, i.e. (in a favorable sense) to pity, console or (reflexively) rue; or (unfavorably) to avenge (oneself)".
How it is translated: The verb is in 100 verses of the Bible. This Bible says a form of "comfort" in 58 of them, "relent" in 13 and "repent" in 12. In Exodus it is in 3 verses: ("change their minds"), and this verse ("turn away").
What changes: Read as "relented", Yahweh changed his mind about the harm he had said he would do. Read as "turned away from", he turned away from doing it. Moses' prayer in verse 12 has the same choice.
Church tradition: Churches differ on what it means that Yahweh turns away from the harm (or relents). Some read it as God changing what he will do in answer to Moses' prayer. Others read it as a way of speaking about God, and point to , which says God is not "a son of man, that he should repent" (the same Hebrew verb). Exodus 32 does not explain it.
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15Moses turned, and went down from the mountain, with the two tablets of the covenant in his hand; tablets that were written on both their sides. They were written on one side and on the other.
In plain English: Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant (literally: the testimony) in his hand. The tablets were written on both of their sides: written on one side and on the other.
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16The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.
In plain English: The tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.
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17When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is the noise of war in the camp.”
In plain English: When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, "There is the noise of war in the camp."
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18He 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.”
In plain English: He said, "It is not the sound of those who shout for victory. It is not the sound of those who cry out in defeat. It is the sound of those who sing that I hear." (The same Hebrew verb is behind "shout", "cry", and "sing".)
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19As soon as he came near to the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. Then Moses’ anger grew hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mountain.
In plain English: As soon as he came near the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. Then Moses' anger grew hot (burned), and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them beneath the mountain.
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20He took the calf which they had made, and burned it with fire, ground it to powder, and scattered it on the water, and made the children of Israel drink it.
In plain English: He took the calf that they had made, burned it with fire, ground it to powder, scattered it on the water, and made the Israelites drink it.
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21Moses said to Aaron, “What did these people do to you, that you have brought a great sin on them?”
In plain English: Moses said to Aaron, "What did these people do to you, that you have brought a great sin on them?"
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22Aaron said, “Don’t let the anger of my lord grow hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.
In plain English: Aaron said, "Do not let the anger of my lord grow hot. You know the people, that they are set on evil.
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23For they said to me, ‘Make us gods, which shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.’
In plain English: For they said to me, 'Make us gods to go in front of us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'
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24I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them take it off.’ So they gave it to me; and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf.”
In plain English: I said to them, 'Whoever has any gold, take it off.' So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf."
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25When Moses saw that the people were out of control, (for Aaron had let them lose control, causing derision among their enemies),
In plain English: When Moses saw that the people were out of control (for Aaron had let them lose control, causing derision among their enemies),
The Hebrew words: "Out of control" and "lose control" are the same Hebrew verb, para, used twice in this verse. The dictionary gives it as "to loosen; by implication, to expose, dismiss; figuratively, absolve, begin". "Derision" is shimtsah, which the dictionary gives as "scornful whispering (of hostile spectators)". No other verse of the Bible has shimtsah.
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26then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, “Whoever is on Yahweh’s side, come to me!” All the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him.
In plain English: then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, "Whoever is on Yahweh's side, come to me!" All the sons of Levi gathered to him.
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27He said to them, “Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, ‘Every man put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and every man kill his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.’”
In plain English: He said to them, "Yahweh, the God of Israel, says, 'Every man put his sword on his thigh, and go back and forth from gate to gate throughout the camp, and every man kill his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.'"
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28The sons of Levi did according to the word of Moses. About three thousand men fell of the people that day.
In plain English: The sons of Levi did what Moses said (literally: according to the word of Moses). About three thousand men of the people fell that day.
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29Moses said, “Consecrate yourselves today to Yahweh, for every man was against his son and against his brother, that he may give you a blessing today.”
In plain English: Moses said, "Consecrate yourselves today to Yahweh, for every man was against his son and against his brother, so that he may give you a blessing today."
The Hebrew words: "Consecrate yourselves" is, word for word, "fill your hand": the verb male, to fill, and yad, hand.
How it is translated: These two words are used together in this way in 6 verses of Exodus, and this Bible says a form of "consecrate" in all 6: , , , , and this verse. In the other five it is about making Aaron and his sons priests. Here the verse says only "to Yahweh".
Good to know: The Hebrew of this verse is short. It has no verb in "for every man against his son and against his brother", and it ends "and to give a blessing on you today" without saying who gives it. The words "was" and "he" are added in English.
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30On the next day, Moses said to the people, “You have sinned a great sin. Now I will go up to Yahweh. Perhaps I shall make atonement for your sin.”
In plain English: On the next day, Moses said to the people, "You have sinned a great sin. Now I will go up to Yahweh. Perhaps I can make atonement for your sin."
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31Moses returned to Yahweh, and said, “Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made themselves gods of gold.
In plain English: Moses went back to Yahweh and said, "Oh, these people have sinned a great sin, and have made themselves gods of gold.
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32Yet now, if you will, forgive their sin—and if not, please blot me out of your book which you have written.”
In plain English: Yet now, if you will forgive their sin... and if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written."
The Hebrew word: "Blot me out" is the verb machah, which the dictionary gives as "properly, to stroke or rub; by implication, to erase".
Good to know: The sentence breaks off in the Hebrew too: after "if you will forgive their sin" it goes straight on to "and if not". The text does not say what "your book" is.
Church tradition: Many readers connect this book with the "book of life" named in and . Exodus 32 does not use that name.
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33Yahweh said to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot him out of my book.God speaks
In plain English: Yahweh said to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot him out of my book.
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34Now go, lead the people to the place of which I have spoken to you. Behold, my angel shall go before you. Nevertheless, in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin.”God speaks
In plain English: Now go, lead the people to the place I have spoken to you about. Look, my angel will go in front of you. Nevertheless, in the day when I punish, I will punish them for their sin."
Good to know: Yahweh speaks of an angel going in front of Israel here, in , and earlier in to . The text does not say who the angel is. The note at has more.
The Hebrew word: "Punish" is paqad, explained at , where this Bible says "visiting". The verb is said twice in this verse.
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35Yahweh struck the people, because of what they did with the calf, which Aaron made.
In plain English: Yahweh struck the people because of what they did with the calf that Aaron made.
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