The Lord gave Moses instructions to build the tabernacle and its furnishings (Exodus 25—30). God also indicated which men to assign for the work (Exodus 31). However, while Moses is hearing these decrees, the people are making a tragic error.

God called Moses onto Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:12), leaving Aaron and others in charge (Exodus 24:14). But Moses has been gone longer than the Israelites expected (Exodus 24:18). They aren't sure if he will ever come back. The people want a tangible connection to God like they had when Moses was there. So, they pressure Aaron to make them an idol (Exodus 32:1).

Aaron should have refused to cooperate. Even though the Israelites could be aggressive in their demands (Exodus 17:4), he knew that God had forbidden idols (Exodus 20:3–6). But Aaron succumbs to their demands. He collects gold earrings from the people. He crafts an idol, probably using wood overlaid with gold. The people proclaim this to be the same God who rescued them from Egypt. Even if that is not worshipping a different God (Exodus 20:3), it is still forbidden (Exodus 20:4). Aaron arranges an altar, sacrifices, and a feast to celebrate (Exodus 32:2–6).

The Lord tells Moses about this as they communicate on the mountain. God is furious at the Israelites' quick disobedience to His commands. To express this, God suggests He will destroy the entire nation and start over with Moses. This would be entirely within His power and His right as Creator. Yet, as Moses knows, this is not God's intent. He does not plan to wipe out Israel, and His words are understood for what they are. Moses explains why he knows this to be the case. In this, Moses is not trying to convince God; rather, he states the reasons for his faith in the Lord's plans. In response, God stops mentioning that consequence (Exodus 32:7–14).

Moses comes down from Sinai with two stone tablets (Exodus 24:12). Scripture does not describe their exact size or shape. Most likely, they were something reasonable for an eighty-year-old man to carry (Exodus 7:7). Joshua, who came as an assistant, hears noise from the Israelite camp. His first assumption is another enemy attack (Exodus 17:8–9). Moses recognizes it as worship. He sees the idol and Israelites dancing and singing around it. In rage, he smashes the stone tablets. Both symbolically and literally, the covenant has been broken (Exodus 32:15–19).

God's hatred for idols (Deuteronomy 27:15) needs a clear demonstration. Moses has the golden calf disintegrated. Burning would remove any wooden components, reducing them to ash. The gold can be ground into a fine powder. Moses throws the dusty remains of the idol into a brook flowing from Sinai (Deuteronomy 9:21). He makes the people drink this to represent their guilt in this incident. It's possible that this was part of a guilt-revealing ritual (Numbers 5:27–28) that factored into Moses' next actions (Exodus 32:20).

Moses confronts Aaron about his role in Israel's sin. He will be lucky to escape with his life (Deuteronomy 9:20). Moses' question is a combination of rhetoric and sharp sarcasm. In effect, he asks if Aaron is taking revenge on the people for some awful crime. How much does he hate them to watch them walk into this kind of sin? Aaron failed in his responsibilities as a leader. Aaron tries to excuse this mistake by pointing out how stubborn and insistent the people have been. Then he claims, absurdly, that he merely threw gold into the fire and it came out as an idol. This is much like a young child telling a parent, "it just happened!" (Exodus 32:21–24).

Ignoring this ridiculous claim, Moses returns his attention to the people. They are described using a phrase implying something out of control, violating boundaries, or running wild. This is humiliating. The nation has broken the commands of the God who just saved them from death (Exodus 12:40–41; 14:21–30). Israel recently celebrated how evil nations would fear their Lord (Exodus 15:14–16). Now, they embarrass themselves by ignoring His leadership (Proverbs 15:32; 29:18). The King James translation suggests the people were "naked." This has led to assumptions that the people were engaged in sexual sins as part of their idolatry, but nothing in the context supports this (Exodus 32:25).

Moses calls for men loyal to God. The tribe of Levi responds strongly, while the other tribes don't respond at all. Moses directs the Levites to move through the camp, executing their fellow men. Few details are given. It's possible they targeted ringleaders of the recent push for an idol. Perhaps the dusted water was used for some kind of guilt test. It's also possible that the killing resembled the "decimation" attributed to the Roman Empire. In that, mass guilt was punished by killing a set proportion of the offending group. In any case, Israel loses three thousand men because of their sin (Exodus 32:26–28).

This act sets the tribe of Levi apart from Israel. They have echoed the intense passion of their founder, who took brutal revenge on his sister's rapist (Genesis 34:1–2, 24–26). The tribe of Levi will be given special duties and restrictions (Numbers 1:49–53; 8:19, 26; Deuteronomy 14:27; Joshua 13:33) in their roles in the nation (Exodus 32:29).

Though there has been punishment, Moses still plans to ask God's forgiveness. He mirrors the Lord's prior rhetoric and asks to be condemned along with Israel. Some interpret this to mean Moses wishes eternal damnation. This seems very unlikely. More probable is that Moses does not want to be remembered in connection with wicked people. He would rather be left out of history (Exodus 17:14; Deuteronomy 29:20), and out of God's covenant (Exodus 32:30–32).

God's response is extremely important. The Lord only holds people accountable for their own sins. People may suffer from the natural consequences of another person's failures. But God only judges based on our individual thoughts and actions (Exodus 32:33).

The nation of Israel is ordered to leave Sinai. God will not be with them in the same way He was before (Exodus 33:3). In addition, the Lord promises some future penalty. The text notes a "plague" on the people but does not specify what it was or its outcome (Exodus 32:34–35).

In the next chapters, Moses meets with God in a tent outside the Israelite camp (Exodus 33). New stone tablets are made, and the Lord renews His covenant with the people (Exodus 34). The rest of the book of Exodus explains how the people made the tabernacle and its accessories. Their actions duplicate the instructions Moses received from God (Exodus 25—31).

Exodus 32:1–6 records one of the most infamous incidents in Israel's history. Moses is on Mount Sinai communicating with God (Exodus 24:12). During the long absence (Exodus 24:18), people start to think Moses will not return. They pressure Aaron to make a physical image for worship. This violates commandments which the Lord has already given (Exodus 20:3–6). But Aaron gives in and makes a golden idol. The people worship it as if it were God.

Exodus 32:7–14 describes the Lord's anger at Israel for their idolatry (Exodus 32:1–6). While Moses is away (Exodus 24:18), the people have begun to worship a golden statue. God suggests He will eradicate Israel and only spare Moses. Moses pleads with God, who stops discussing this reaction. This resembles how God graciously talked through the issue of Sodom with Abraham, to make a statement about divine justice (Genesis 18:27–33).

Exodus 32:15–24 reports Moses' confrontation with Israel over their recent idolatry (Exodus 32:1–6). His assistant, Joshua, hears the noises in camp as they approach. When Moses sees the extent of the people's sin, he smashes the engraved stone tablets which God gave Him (Exodus 24:12). Moses has the golden idol disintegrated. Aaron tries to avoid blame, claiming that the people made him do it, and that the calf idol simply appeared.

Exodus 32:25–35 describes Israel's initial punishment for idolatry (Exodus 32:1–6). Moses calls for loyal men; his own tribe of Levi responds. He assigns the men to put several thousand people to death. It seems likely that those executed are leaders who cooperated in making the idol. Moses continues to offer himself as a sacrifice in exchange for God's mercy on Israel. God refuses. Instead, the Lord commands the Israelites to break camp and head for their next destination.

During Moses' long absence (Exodus 24:18), the Israelites lose patience. They demand that Aaron (Exodus 24:14) make them a god they can see. Aaron makes a gold idol from donated jewelry and the people worship it as God. On the mountain, God is furious and sends Moses back. Moses arrives, breaks the stone tablets of God's law which he carried, and destroys the idol. Moses then calls on loyal men to execute those responsible. Aaron is spared, but Israel can anticipate more punishment.

Moses went onto Sinai to communicate with the Lord (Exodus 24:12) and has been gone a long time (Exodus 24:18). He is receiving instructions from God (Exodus 25—31). Meanwhile, Israel falls into idolatry. They break the first two commandments just given at Sinai (Exodus 20:3–6). After delivering initial consequences, God commands Israel to move along and discusses how He will renew His covenant (Exodus 33—34).

The book of Exodus establishes God's covenant relationship with the full-fledged nation of Israel. The descendants of Abraham prosper after settling in Egypt, only to be enslaved by a fearful, hateful Egyptian Pharaoh. God appoints Moses to lead the people out of this bondage. Moses serves as God's spokesman, as the Lord brings plagues and judgments on Egypt, leading to the release of Israel.

Accessed 8/12/2025 3:15:05 PM

© Copyright 2002-2025 Got Questions Ministries. All rights reserved.

Text from ESV, NIV, NASB, CSB, NLT, KJV, NKJV © Copyright respective owners, used by permission.

www.BibleRef.com