FocusRebellion, intercession, and mercy
Connection to the wholeIsrael's idolatry interrupts the sanctuary instructions. Moses intercedes, and renewed covenant words prepare the people to carry out the work.
interpretation Exodus 32:2
KJVAnd Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
Read it in context
The Golden Calf
Start reading at Exodus 32:1 (Exodus 32:1 to Exodus 32:35).
An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
Israel's idolatry interrupts the sanctuary instructions. Moses intercedes, and renewed covenant words prepare the people to carry out the work.
- 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
- 32:2 And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
- 32:3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
- 32:4 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.
- 32:5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD.
- 32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
- 32:7 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:
- 32:8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
- 32:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
- 32:10 Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation.
- 32:11 And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?
- 32:12 Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
- 32:13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever.
- 32:14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
- 32:15 And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.
- 32:16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.
- 32:17 And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.
- 32:18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.
- 32:19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
- 32:20 And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.
- 32:21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?
- 32:22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.
- 32:23 For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
- 32:24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.
- 32:25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:)
- 32:26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD's side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
- 32:27 And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.
- 32:28 And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.
- 32:29 For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves today to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.
- 32:30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, Ye have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.
- 32:31 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
- 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.
- 32:33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
- 32:34 Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.
- 32:35 And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
Who
- Who wrote the book? Moses is the traditional author. Exodus explicitly records him writing covenant words and other material; that supports his central role without identifying every stage in the book's final compilation. Biblical references: Exodus 17:14; Exodus 24:4; Exodus 34:27. Historical source: Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 14b–15a (record of Jewish attribution, not contemporary proof). traditionally held
- Who was present or being addressed in this passage? In the surrounding chapter context (Exodus 32:1–32:35): Moses, Aaron, the Israelites, and the Levites are involved in the golden-calf crisis. Moses intercedes before the LORD for the people. stated in the text
- Who was the book written to? The Israelites delivered from Egypt, and succeeding generations of Israel who were to remember the deliverance and keep the covenant. Biblical references: Exodus 12:24; Exodus 12:26; Exodus 24:7. stated in the text
What
- What is the topic of this reading unit? The Golden Calf. Read Exodus 32:1 through Exodus 32:35 as a connected unit. interpretation
- How does it contribute to the book? Israel's idolatry interrupts the sanctuary instructions. Moses intercedes, and renewed covenant words prepare the people to carry out the work. interpretation
When
- When are the events or message set? Events follow Israel's growth in Egypt and continue through the exodus, arrival at Sinai, and erection of the tabernacle. Exodus 40:17 dates the erection within that journey. book background
Where
- What is the book’s geographic setting? The book moves from Egypt, through the sea and wilderness, to Sinai. Do not confuse the place of a narrated event with the place where the final book was written. book background
- Where does the context start? This passage sits in The Golden Calf (Exodus 32:1 to Exodus 32:35). Start reading at Exodus 32:1. An editorial reading unit, not a claim that the surrounding context stops here. Book background below applies to the shared passage; individual verses may need more specific explanation.
How
- How does this book connect with Jesus Christ? Paul explicitly calls Christ our Passover. Hebrews compares sanctuary worship with Christ's work. These later connections should be cited rather than treating every tabernacle detail as a self-explanatory symbol. See 1 Corinthians 5:7, Hebrews 9:11, Hebrews 9:12. interpretation
- How should this book guide our response? Respond to deliverance with worship and obedience. When applying a covenant command, identify whom it addresses and its purpose before deciding how it relates to life under the new covenant. interpretation
Cited: Exodus 32:1, Exodus 32:35, 1 Corinthians 5:7, Hebrews 9:11, Hebrews 9:12
Who wrote it, and how we know
Moses (traditional)
Named in Scripture
What Scripture saysThe book states that Moses wrote what the LORD commanded.
Exodus 17:14Exodus 24:4Exodus 34:27
Early traditionUniform Jewish and Christian tradition names Moses.
What is debatedSource-critical theories propose later editing of the material.
Other accounts of this event
Moses recounts the golden calf and renewed tablets
Later retelling included
Deuteronomy is a retrospective appeal, with a different selection and arrangement of details.
Related passages
- And Aaron said unto them, Break off the g… Exod 12:35-36 Gen 24:22,47 Judg 8:24-27 Ezek 16:11-12,17 Hos 2:8
Cross references from CrossReferences-org (CC BY 4.0).
Macro-Structure
See how this passage fits the chapter and the book.
Macro-Structure of Exodus 32
Exodus follows the children of Israel from oppression in Egypt to covenant and tabernacle worship. The text records commands to Moses and Israel; instructions for that covenant must not be silently turned into identical commands to every later reader. Local headings and stanza divisions are editorial reading aids adapted from public-domain BSB headings; verse boundaries and Scripture links use the KJV. Connections describe the surrounding book movement.
Exodus 1:1 Exodus 19:3 Exodus 24:4
Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.
Macro-Structure of Exodus
Exodus follows the children of Israel from oppression in Egypt to covenant and tabernacle worship. The text records commands to Moses and Israel; instructions for that covenant must not be silently turned into identical commands to every later reader.
Exodus 1:1 Exodus 19:3 Exodus 24:4
Oppression and the call of Moses
Exodus 1:1–6:30FocusDeliverance announced
Connection to the wholeIsrael's bondage and God's commission to Moses establish the need for deliverance and introduce the confrontation with Pharaoh.
interpretation Deliverance from Egypt
Exodus 7:1–15:21FocusJudgment, Passover, and the sea
Connection to the wholeThe plagues, Passover, departure, and crossing of the sea display the deliverance celebrated in the song that closes this movement.
interpretation The journey to Sinai
Exodus 15:22–18:27FocusProvision and ordering the people
Connection to the wholeWilderness needs, conflict, and the administration of justice prepare Israel for the covenant encounter at Sinai.
interpretation Covenant at Sinai
Exodus 19:1–24:18FocusGod's words and Israel's response
Connection to the wholeGod addresses the delivered people, gives covenant commands, and the covenant is confirmed before instructions for the sanctuary begin.
interpretation Instructions for the tabernacle
Exodus 25:1–31:18FocusDwelling among the people
Connection to the wholeThe sanctuary, priesthood, and associated work are specified as part of Israel's covenant worship.
interpretation FocusRebellion, intercession, and mercy
Connection to the wholeIsrael's idolatry interrupts the sanctuary instructions. Moses intercedes, and renewed covenant words prepare the people to carry out the work.
interpretation The tabernacle completed
Exodus 35:1–40:38FocusObedient work and God's glory
Connection to the wholeThe people supply and construct the sanctuary according to the commands, and the book ends with the glory of the LORD filling it.
interpretation Suggested literary divisions. Headings summarize the passage; they are not part of the biblical text.