The Golden Calf

When the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and requested that he make gods to go before them (Exodus 32:1). Aaron instructed the people to take the gold earrings from their wives, sons, and daughters. He received the gold, fashioned it with a tool, and made it into a molten calf. The people declared these were the gods that brought them out of Egypt, and Aaron built an altar before the calf, proclaiming a feast to the Lord the following day (Exodus 32:4-5). The people rose early to offer burnt offerings and peace offerings, sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.

On Mount Sinai, the Lord told Moses to go down because the people had corrupted themselves and turned aside from the way he commanded them (Exodus 32:7-8). The Lord expressed his wrath and a desire to consume them, but Moses implored the Lord to turn from his fierce wrath and remember his servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. The text states the Lord relented from the evil he thought to do to his people (Exodus 32:14). Moses descended the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand. Joshua, hearing the noise of the people as they shouted, told Moses there was a noise of war in the camp, but Moses replied it was the sound of singing (Exodus 32:17-18).

Upon reaching the camp, Moses saw the calf and the dancing. He cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain (Exodus 32:19). He took the calf, burnt it in the fire, ground it to powder, strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink it. When Moses questioned him, Aaron claimed he threw gold into the fire and "there came out this calf" (Exodus 32:24). Seeing the people were naked, Moses stood in the gate of the camp and called for those on the Lord's side. The sons of Levi gathered to him and, at Moses' command, went through the camp slaying about three thousand men (Exodus 32:28).