And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the Lord.
And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:
They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?
Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.
And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.
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.
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.
And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.
And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?
And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.
For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.
And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)
Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord’s side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.
And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.
For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the Lord, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.
And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.
And the Lord plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
Exodus 32, a pivotal chapter, unveils the frailty of human faithfulness contrasted against the backdrop of God's enduring covenant. It’s a sobering reminder of humanity's propensity to stray, even in the face of divine deliverance, and a powerful illustration of God's mercy mediated through intercession. This chapter is a crucial part of understanding the ongoing tension between law and grace that permeates the entire biblical narrative.
The People's Impatience and Idolatry (Exodus 32:1-6)
Exodus 32:1 marks the beginning of Israel's descent into idolatry. Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving God's law and instructions, a period that stretched to "forty days and forty nights" (Exodus 24:18). This extended absence proved too long for the Israelites. Impatience festered, and they began to doubt Moses' fate: "this Moses...we do not know what has become of him." Their anxiety morphed into a demand for a tangible god to lead them, a direct rejection of the first two commandments (Exodus 20:3-4) and a betrayal of their promise to obey the Lord (Exodus 24:7). They showed contempt for the very man God used to liberate them.
Tragically, Aaron, in a moment of weakness, yielded to their demands. Exodus 32:2-4 narrates how he instructed them to collect gold, which he then fashioned into a golden calf. This choice of a calf is particularly telling. Calf deities were prevalent in both Egyptian and Canaanite religions. By choosing this form, Israel turned away from the "I AM" (Exodus 3:14) who had dramatically rescued them, and embraced a false god mirroring the practices of the nations around them. The golden statue received the praise that was due to God alone.
Even more disturbing is Aaron’s attempt to cloak their idolatry in religious garb. Exodus 32:5-6 states that Aaron proclaimed "a festival to the LORD," and the people offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. They were attempting to syncretize idolatry with the worship of Yahweh, a dangerous and ultimately destructive act. Religious syncretism always leads to false religion. Mixing idolatry with true worship nullifies the truth. The people then "sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play" (Exodus 32:6). This was no innocent celebration. It was rooted in a rejection of the true God and likely involved corrupt cultic practices common in surrounding nations, including drunkenness and immorality. The Apostle Paul later references this event as a warning against idolatry in 1 Corinthians 10:7.
God's Wrath and Moses' Intercession (Exodus 32:7-14)
While Moses remained in God's presence, unaware of the events unfolding below, God revealed Israel's apostasy to him. In Exodus 32:7-8, God informs Moses that "your people" (notice the shift from "my people") have acted corruptly and quickly turned away from the path He commanded. The Lord declared them a "stiff-necked people" and threatened to destroy them completely, offering to make Moses the father of a new, great nation (Exodus 32:9-10).
Moses, however, does not seize this opportunity for personal glory. Instead, in Exodus 32:11-14, he passionately intercedes on behalf of the Israelites. He appeals not to their merit, but to God's own character and reputation. First, he argues that the Egyptians would misinterpret God's actions, claiming He brought Israel out of Egypt only to destroy them in the wilderness (Exodus 32:12). Second, he reminds God of His covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel to make their descendants a great nation (Exodus 32:13).
The result of Moses’s fervent prayer is profound: "the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people" (Exodus 32:14). This passage highlights the relational nature of God. He interacts with His people, and their prayers can influence His actions. Moses wasn't informing God of something He didn't already know; rather, he appealed to God based on His own revealed character and promises. This implies that when we engage with God based on His attributes, He is free to act in ways that might seem like a change in direction, without compromising His unchanging character. God’s relenting did not mean He condoned their sin. He would still hold them accountable.
Moses' Descent and the Tablets of the Law (Exodus 32:15-20)
Exodus 32:15-16 describes Moses descending the mountain, carrying the two tablets inscribed with God's own writing. Joshua, accompanying Moses, heard the commotion in the camp and initially mistook it for the sound of battle (Exodus 32:17-18). However, Moses recognized the true nature of the noise. Upon witnessing the golden calf and the idolatrous dancing, Moses was consumed by righteous anger. In a powerful display of grief and indignation, he smashed the tablets at the foot of the mountain (Exodus 32:19), symbolizing the broken covenant between God and Israel. He then destroyed the golden calf, grinding it to powder and forcing the Israelites to drink it (Exodus 32:20), a symbolic act of forcing them to ingest their sin.
Accountability and Cleansing (Exodus 32:21-29)
Moses confronts Aaron, the high priest, about his role in the debacle. Exodus 32:21 reveals Moses questioning Aaron about leading the people into "so great a sin." Instead of taking responsibility, Aaron shifts the blame to the people, claiming they forced him to make the idol (Exodus 32:22-23). He then offers the absurd excuse that the calf miraculously emerged from the fire (Exodus 32:24).
Seeing the people completely out of control (Exodus 32:25), Moses takes decisive action. He calls out, "Who is on the LORD's side? Come to me" (Exodus 32:26). The Levites rally to Moses, and he commands them to execute God's judgment on those who persisted in their idolatry (Exodus 32:27). As a result, three thousand men were killed (Exodus 32:28). This drastic measure underscores the seriousness of sin and the necessity of accountability.
Sin is not to be taken lightly. It brings death (Genesis 3:17, Romans 6:23, James 1:15). Sometimes it may result in untimely physical death. But if one does not receive God’s grace through Jesus Christ, it will result in the second death, which is much worse: eternal judgment in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14-15).
Moses' Continued Intercession and God's Justice (Exodus 32:30-35)
The following day, Moses acknowledges the people's sin and declares his intention to intercede with God on their behalf (Exodus 32:30). In a remarkable act of selflessness, Moses confesses the people’s sin and pleads for their forgiveness, even offering to have his own name blotted out of God’s book if necessary (Exodus 32:31-32). He was willing to lay down his life for this ungrateful, sinful people.
In response to Moses’s prayer, God affirms His justice. He refuses to absolve the guilty without consequence, declaring that He will hold each individual accountable for their own sin (Exodus 32:33-34). While He does not destroy the nation, He sends a plague upon them as a consequence of their idolatry (Exodus 32:35).
Even though Moses faithfully prayed and interceded for Israel, God would not allow him to take their sin upon himself and be punished in their place. Moses was himself a sinner, so he could not bear the sin of others. However, this foreshadows the coming of Jesus Christ. Without sin Himself, Jesus would be able to bear and take away the sin of the world (John 1:29, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 7:26-27, 9:14). Exodus 32 serves as a stark reminder of the human tendency to stray from God, the consequences of sin, and the power of intercession. It also points forward to the ultimate intercessor, Jesus Christ, who alone can fully atone for our sins.
And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the Lord.
And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:
They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
And Moses besought the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?
Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.
And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.
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.
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.
And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.
And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?
And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.
For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.
And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)
Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the Lord’s side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.
And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.
For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the Lord, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.
And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the Lord; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.
And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.
And the Lord plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
Exodus 32, a pivotal chapter, unveils the frailty of human faithfulness contrasted against the backdrop of God's enduring covenant. It’s a sobering reminder of humanity's propensity to stray, even in the face of divine deliverance, and a powerful illustration of God's mercy mediated through intercession. This chapter is a crucial part of understanding the ongoing tension between law and grace that permeates the entire biblical narrative.
The People's Impatience and Idolatry (Exodus 32:1-6)
Exodus 32:1 marks the beginning of Israel's descent into idolatry. Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving God's law and instructions, a period that stretched to "forty days and forty nights" (Exodus 24:18). This extended absence proved too long for the Israelites. Impatience festered, and they began to doubt Moses' fate: "this Moses...we do not know what has become of him." Their anxiety morphed into a demand for a tangible god to lead them, a direct rejection of the first two commandments (Exodus 20:3-4) and a betrayal of their promise to obey the Lord (Exodus 24:7). They showed contempt for the very man God used to liberate them.
Tragically, Aaron, in a moment of weakness, yielded to their demands. Exodus 32:2-4 narrates how he instructed them to collect gold, which he then fashioned into a golden calf. This choice of a calf is particularly telling. Calf deities were prevalent in both Egyptian and Canaanite religions. By choosing this form, Israel turned away from the "I AM" (Exodus 3:14) who had dramatically rescued them, and embraced a false god mirroring the practices of the nations around them. The golden statue received the praise that was due to God alone.
Even more disturbing is Aaron’s attempt to cloak their idolatry in religious garb. Exodus 32:5-6 states that Aaron proclaimed "a festival to the LORD," and the people offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. They were attempting to syncretize idolatry with the worship of Yahweh, a dangerous and ultimately destructive act. Religious syncretism always leads to false religion. Mixing idolatry with true worship nullifies the truth. The people then "sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play" (Exodus 32:6). This was no innocent celebration. It was rooted in a rejection of the true God and likely involved corrupt cultic practices common in surrounding nations, including drunkenness and immorality. The Apostle Paul later references this event as a warning against idolatry in 1 Corinthians 10:7.
God's Wrath and Moses' Intercession (Exodus 32:7-14)
While Moses remained in God's presence, unaware of the events unfolding below, God revealed Israel's apostasy to him. In Exodus 32:7-8, God informs Moses that "your people" (notice the shift from "my people") have acted corruptly and quickly turned away from the path He commanded. The Lord declared them a "stiff-necked people" and threatened to destroy them completely, offering to make Moses the father of a new, great nation (Exodus 32:9-10).
Moses, however, does not seize this opportunity for personal glory. Instead, in Exodus 32:11-14, he passionately intercedes on behalf of the Israelites. He appeals not to their merit, but to God's own character and reputation. First, he argues that the Egyptians would misinterpret God's actions, claiming He brought Israel out of Egypt only to destroy them in the wilderness (Exodus 32:12). Second, he reminds God of His covenant promise to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel to make their descendants a great nation (Exodus 32:13).
The result of Moses’s fervent prayer is profound: "the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people" (Exodus 32:14). This passage highlights the relational nature of God. He interacts with His people, and their prayers can influence His actions. Moses wasn't informing God of something He didn't already know; rather, he appealed to God based on His own revealed character and promises. This implies that when we engage with God based on His attributes, He is free to act in ways that might seem like a change in direction, without compromising His unchanging character. God’s relenting did not mean He condoned their sin. He would still hold them accountable.
Moses' Descent and the Tablets of the Law (Exodus 32:15-20)
Exodus 32:15-16 describes Moses descending the mountain, carrying the two tablets inscribed with God's own writing. Joshua, accompanying Moses, heard the commotion in the camp and initially mistook it for the sound of battle (Exodus 32:17-18). However, Moses recognized the true nature of the noise. Upon witnessing the golden calf and the idolatrous dancing, Moses was consumed by righteous anger. In a powerful display of grief and indignation, he smashed the tablets at the foot of the mountain (Exodus 32:19), symbolizing the broken covenant between God and Israel. He then destroyed the golden calf, grinding it to powder and forcing the Israelites to drink it (Exodus 32:20), a symbolic act of forcing them to ingest their sin.
Accountability and Cleansing (Exodus 32:21-29)
Moses confronts Aaron, the high priest, about his role in the debacle. Exodus 32:21 reveals Moses questioning Aaron about leading the people into "so great a sin." Instead of taking responsibility, Aaron shifts the blame to the people, claiming they forced him to make the idol (Exodus 32:22-23). He then offers the absurd excuse that the calf miraculously emerged from the fire (Exodus 32:24).
Seeing the people completely out of control (Exodus 32:25), Moses takes decisive action. He calls out, "Who is on the LORD's side? Come to me" (Exodus 32:26). The Levites rally to Moses, and he commands them to execute God's judgment on those who persisted in their idolatry (Exodus 32:27). As a result, three thousand men were killed (Exodus 32:28). This drastic measure underscores the seriousness of sin and the necessity of accountability.
Sin is not to be taken lightly. It brings death (Genesis 3:17, Romans 6:23, James 1:15). Sometimes it may result in untimely physical death. But if one does not receive God’s grace through Jesus Christ, it will result in the second death, which is much worse: eternal judgment in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14-15).
Moses' Continued Intercession and God's Justice (Exodus 32:30-35)
The following day, Moses acknowledges the people's sin and declares his intention to intercede with God on their behalf (Exodus 32:30). In a remarkable act of selflessness, Moses confesses the people’s sin and pleads for their forgiveness, even offering to have his own name blotted out of God’s book if necessary (Exodus 32:31-32). He was willing to lay down his life for this ungrateful, sinful people.
In response to Moses’s prayer, God affirms His justice. He refuses to absolve the guilty without consequence, declaring that He will hold each individual accountable for their own sin (Exodus 32:33-34). While He does not destroy the nation, He sends a plague upon them as a consequence of their idolatry (Exodus 32:35).
Even though Moses faithfully prayed and interceded for Israel, God would not allow him to take their sin upon himself and be punished in their place. Moses was himself a sinner, so he could not bear the sin of others. However, this foreshadows the coming of Jesus Christ. Without sin Himself, Jesus would be able to bear and take away the sin of the world (John 1:29, 2 Corinthians 5:21, Hebrews 7:26-27, 9:14). Exodus 32 serves as a stark reminder of the human tendency to stray from God, the consequences of sin, and the power of intercession. It also points forward to the ultimate intercessor, Jesus Christ, who alone can fully atone for our sins.