The Golden Calf
Exodus 32, verse 1. Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered against Aaron and said to him, “Rise up and make us gods that shall go before us. As for Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” Exodus 32, verse 2. Aaron then said to them, “Remove the golden earrings in the ears of your wives and daughters and bring them to me.” Exodus 32, verse 3. So all the people removed the golden earrings in their ears and brought them to Aaron. Exodus 32, verse 4. He received them from their hands; and he fashioned them with an engraving tool and made a molten calf. Then he said, “These are your gods, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt.” Exodus 32, verse 5. So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it. Aaron then made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.” Exodus 32, verse 6. Thus he rose early the next day and offered whole burnt offerings and peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Exodus 32, verse 7. But the Lord said to Moses, “Go quickly! Get down from here! For your people whom you brought out of the land of Egypt are transgressing the law. Exodus 32, verse 8. They turned aside quickly from the way I commanded them. They made themselves a calf and are worshiping and sacrificing to it, and are saying, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt.’ Exodus 32, verse 9. Now therefore, let Me be, that I may burn in wrath against them and consume them. Exodus 32, verse 10. Then I will make of you a great nation.” Exodus 32, verse 11. But Moses prayed before the Lord God and said, “Why, O Lord, does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? Exodus 32, verse 12. Why should the Egyptians speak and say, ‘He brought them out with evil intent, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce wrath and be merciful to the wickedness of Your people. Exodus 32, verse 13. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Your servants, to whom You swore by Yourself and said to them, ‘I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of heaven for multitude; and all this land I spoke about to give their seed, they shall inherit unto the ages.’” Exodus 32, verse 14. So the Lord granted mercy for the harm He said He would do to His people. Exodus 32, verse 15. Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands. They were stone tablets written on both sides, on one side and on the other. Exodus 32, verse 16. Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God engraved on the tablets. Exodus 32, verse 17. When Joshua therefore heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said to Moses, “There is a noise of war in the camp.” Exodus 32, verse 18. But Moses said, “It is not the noise of those that begin the battle, nor of those that begin the cry of defeat, but the noise of those that begin the banquet of wine that I hear.” Exodus 32, verse 19. So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. Thus Moses became very angry; and he cast the two tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain. Exodus 32, verse 20. Then he took the calf they had made, burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder; and he scattered it on the water and made the children of Israel drink it. Exodus 32, verse 21. Moses then spoke to Aaron, “What did this people do to you that you brought so great a sin upon them?” Exodus 32, verse 22. Aaron replied, “Do not be angry, my lord. You know how impulsive this people is. Exodus 32, verse 23. For they said to me, ‘Make us gods that shall go before us; as for this man Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’ Exodus 32, verse 24. So I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let him remove it.’ Thus they gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out.” Exodus 32, verse 25. Now when Moses saw the people were scattered (for Aaron scattered them, making them a prey to their enemies), Exodus 32, verse 26. Moses then stood in the entrance of the camp and said, “Whoever is on the Lord's side, come to me.” So all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together to him. Exodus 32, verse 27. He said to them, “Thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘Let every man put his sword on his side and go in and out from entrance to entrance throughout the camp, and let every man kill his brother, every man his companion, and every man his neighbor.’” Exodus 32, verse 28. So the sons of Levi did as Moses said to them, and about three thousand men of the people fell that day. Exodus 32, verse 29. Then Moses said, “You filled your hands to the Lord today, each one on his son or brother, that blessing be given you.” Exodus 32, verse 30. Now it came to pass on the next day that Moses said to the people, “You committed a great sin. So now I will go up to God to make atonement for your sin.” Exodus 32, verse 31. Then Moses returned to the Lord and said, “I pray, O Lord, these people have committed a great sin and have made for themselves a god of gold! Exodus 32, verse 32. Yet now, if You will forgive their sin, forgive it—but if not, blot me out of the book You have written.” Exodus 32, verse 33. Then the Lord said to Moses, “Whoever sins against Me, I will blot him out of My book. Exodus 32, verse 34. Now therefore, go down and lead the people to the place of which I spoke to you. Behold, My Angel shall go before your face. Nevertheless, in the day when I visit, I will strike them for their sin.” Exodus 32, verse 35. So the Lord struck the people for making the calf which Aaron made.