Exodus 32:4

Translations

Modern

He took the gold from their hands, and with an engraving tool he fashioned it into a molten calf. And they said, “These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”

Traditional

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.

Literal

And he took it from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool and he made a molten calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!”

Latin

Quas cum ille accepisset, formavit opere fusorio, et fecit ex eis vitulum conflatilem: dixeruntque: Hi sunt dii tui Israël, qui te eduxerunt de terra Ægypti.

Original

Hebrew

English

He took the gold from their hands, and with an engraving tool he fashioned it into a molten calf. And they said, “These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!”

Notes

Exodus 32:4

fashioned it into a molten calf: The idol might have been a bull, similar to the Egyptian god Amon-Re, which the people knew from Egypt. The bull represented power, domination, and fertility. The writer might have said calf to despise the idol. Or, Aaron might have made a calf, thinking this sin was less severe than making a full-sized bull.
These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out: The people credited the idol with what they had just said Moses did (32:1). Idolatry shows the belief that the divine and visible worlds are continuous. This view suggests one can access divine power by manipulating the god through the idol.
God insisted the opposite is true. God's creation cannot contain or limit him. No one can receive his blessing by manipulating creation, either in a ceremony or otherwise. God's blessings are for those who give up their own efforts to feel secure and come to him in the ways he has revealed.

Exodus 32:2–4

Aaron, who served as a priest (religious leader), asked the people to bring gold rings. After that, he did not allow them to take part in the work.

This was very different from what God commanded for building the tabernacle. In that case, the people were invited to bring many kinds of offerings as they were willing (25:1–9; 35:4–36:7).

They also shared in the work under the direction of a skilled worker whom God filled with his Spirit, not under a priest acting alone (31:1–6; 36:1–2).

Exodus 32:1–6

The people were not willing to wait and see what God had been saying to Moses on the mountain for the 40 days while he was there (see 24:18).

Exodus 32:1–35

Moses had been gone for many days. While waiting at the bottom of Mount Sinai, the people wanted protection, guidance, and a way to show their worship. God understood this and wanted to help them (see chapters 25–31). But the Israelites tried to meet their needs on their own. Fellowship with God requires relying on him (see John 15:5; 2 Corinthians 3:5).

Theme notes and profiles

Aaron Moses Anger Dealing with Conflict God’s Faithfulness to His People Pure Worship Temple Design as a Picture of God's Truth The Bronze Snake The Plagues

Events

Tabernacle Builtc. 1490 BC

Related verses

Nehemiah 9:18
Even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and when they committed terrible blasphemies,
Deuteronomy 9:16
And I saw how you had sinned against the LORD your God; you had made for yourselves a molten calf. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the LORD had commanded you.
Acts 7:41
At that time they made a calf and offered a sacrifice to the idol, rejoicing in the works of their hands.
1 Kings 12:28
After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves and said to the people, “Going up to Jerusalem is too much for you. Here, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
Exodus 32:8
How quickly they have turned aside from the way that I commanded them! They have made for themselves a molten calf and have bowed down to it. They have sacrificed to it and said, ‘These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.’”
Isaiah 44:9–10
All makers of idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Their witnesses fail to see or comprehend, so they are put to shame.
Hosea 8:4–5
They set up kings, but not by Me. They make princes, but without My approval. With their silver and gold they make themselves idols, to their own destruction.
Hosea 13:2
Now they sin more and more and make for themselves cast images, idols skillfully made from their silver, all of them the work of craftsmen. People say of them, “They offer human sacrifice and kiss the calves!”
2 Kings 10:29
…but he did not turn away from the sins that Jeroboam son of Nebat had caused Israel to commit—the worship of the golden calves at Bethel and Dan.
Romans 1:21–23
For although they knew God, they neither glorified Him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and darkened in their foolish hearts.
Hosea 10:5
The people of Samaria will fear for the calf of Beth-aven. Indeed, its people will mourn over it with its idolatrous priests—those who rejoiced in its glory—for it has been taken from them into exile.
Psalm 106:19–21
At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped a molten image.

Parallels

Deuteronomy 9:7–29 Acts 7:39–43

People

Israel: Patriarch, son of Isaac, father of twelve tribes

Places

Egypt: Ancient nation; Israelites enslaved there; plagues and Exodus

Glossary

Aaron Amulet Book of Exodus Cattle Deuteronomy, Book of Gods and Goddesses Golden Calf History of Israel Idols, Idolatry Jeroboam Levi (Person) Leviticus, Book of Minerals and Metals Moses Tabernacle

Topics

Amusements and Worldly Pleasures: Formed a Part of Idolatrous Worship Calf of Gold was Made: To Represent God Calf of Gold: Fashioned with a Graven Tool Calf of Gold: Molten in the Fire Egypt: Idolatry of, Followed by Israel Engraving in Making Idols Falsehood: Aaron, in Attempting to Shift Responsibility for the Making of the Golden Calf Gold: Fusible Idol: Made of Gold Idol: Manufacture of Idolatry: Consists in Worshipping the True God by an Image Idolatry: Objects of Golden Calf Idolatry: The Jews: Often Mixed Up, with God's Worship Journey of Israel Through The Desert: To Mount Sinai: Golden Calf Made Molding of Images Offense: Aaron Wearing Earrings Worldly Amusements and Pleasures: Formed a Part of Idolatrous Worship

Exodus 32:4

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Original?

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Related verses?

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People

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Translations

Original

Notes

Events

Related verses

Parallels

Glossary

Topics