Exodus 32

In Exodus 25–31, Moses receives instructions on the mountain concerning the tabernacle, and at the end of chapter 31 he receives the two tablets of the testimony written by God. Chapters 32–34 tell how the covenant is broken and then renewed, and chapter 32 opens that account with the golden calf incident.

Outline

• Verses 1–6 When Moses delays in coming down from the mountain, the people demand that Aaron make them gods. Aaron gathers their golden earrings, fashions the image of a calf, builds an altar, and proclaims, "To morrow is a feast to the LORD." The next day the people offer burnt offerings and peace offerings, eat and drink, and rise up to play.
• Verses 7–14 The LORD declares that the people have corrupted themselves and says that He will consume them. Moses pleads with Him, appealing to the mockery of the Egyptians and to the oath sworn to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, and the LORD relents.
• Verses 15–20 Moses comes down with Joshua, sees the calf and the dancing, and casts the tablets from his hands, breaking them. He burns the calf, grinds it to powder, scatters it on the water, and makes the people drink it.
• Verses 21–24 Moses rebukes Aaron, who excuses himself by claiming that he cast the gold into the fire and out came the calf.
• Verses 25–29 Moses calls out, "Who is on the LORD's side?" The sons of Levi gather to him, and about three thousand of the people fall by their swords.
• Verses 30–35 Moses goes up again and asks that the people's sin be forgiven, and if not, that his own name be blotted out of God's book. The LORD replies that He will blot out whoever has sinned against Him, yet He commands Moses to lead the people, and He plagues the people.

Key Verses

• Exodus 32:4 "These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." In this scene the deliverance of the Exodus is attributed to a man-made image, making it one of the foremost biblical texts on idolatry.
• Exodus 32:14 "And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people." This verse is frequently discussed in connection with intercessory prayer and the will of God.
• Exodus 32:32 "Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin—; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written." This verse illustrates Moses' intercession, in which he offers himself on behalf of the people.

People and Places

• Moses: Comes down from the mountain, rebukes the people, and pleads for them before God.
• Aaron: Moses' brother, who makes the golden calf at the people's demand.
• Joshua: Moses' minister, who takes the noise coming from the camp to be the sound of war.
• The sons of Levi: The tribe that answers Moses' call and takes up the sword. See Levites.
• Abraham, Isaac, and Israel (Jacob): The patriarchs Moses invokes in reminding God of His oath.
• Egypt: The land out of which Israel came.
• Mount Sinai: The text refers only to "the mount," but the surrounding context indicates Mount Sinai.

Points for Reflection

• The nature of Aaron's calf: Because Aaron proclaimed "a feast to the LORD" (v. 5), some interpreters understand the incident not as the worship of another god but as an attempt to worship the LORD through an image, that is, a violation of the second of the Ten Commandments. Others, noting that the text calls it "gods of gold" (v. 31), read it as outright idolatry.
• "The LORD repented" (v. 14): Many traditional interpreters regard this expression as a description of the unchanging God in human terms. Others emphasize that it reveals the relational character of a God who genuinely answers prayer.
• The executions carried out by the sons of Levi (vv. 27–29): Interpretations of this passage diverge, reflecting broader disagreement over how to read the violent texts of the Old Testament.
• "Thy book" (vv. 32–33): This is often read in connection with the concept of the Book of Life found in later Scripture.
• Related passages: In 1 Kings 12:28, Jeroboam makes two golden calves and uses words like those of verse 4. In the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 10:7 quotes verse 6 as a warning against idolatry, and Stephen refers to the incident in Acts 7:39–41. Paul's confession in Romans 9:3 is often compared with verse 32.

In the Korean Church

The golden calf incident is commonly used in sermons and Sunday school lessons as a warning against idolatry. Moses' pleading (vv. 11–13, 32) is frequently cited as a model of intercessory prayer. Sermons also often contrast the three thousand who died in verse 28 with the three thousand who were baptized at Pentecost in Acts 2:41.