Exodus 32:1-35

Exodus 32:1-35

Exodus 32

Exodus 32:1-35

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.

1. Videns antem populus quod moram faceret Moses ad descendendum e monte, tunc congregatus est contra Aharon, et dixerunt ei, Surge, fac nobis Deos qui praecedant nos: huic enim Mosi viro illi qui eduxit nos e terra Aegypti, nescimus quid acciderit.

2. And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden ear-rings which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.

2. Et dixit illis Aharon, Eripite, (vel, detrahite,) inaures aureas, quae sunt in auribus uxorum vestrarum, filiorum vestrorum et filiarum vestrarum, atque afferte.

3. And all the people brake off the golden ear-rings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.

3. Eripuerunt a se igitur totus populus inaures aureas, quae erant in auribus eorum, et attulerunt ad Aharon:

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.

4. Quas accepit de manu eorum, formavitque illud style, et fecit ex illo vitulum fusilem: et dixerunt, Isti sunt dii tui o Israel, qui eduxerunt te e terra Aegypti.

5. And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.

5. Quod videns Aharon, tunc aedificavit altare coram eo: et elamavit Aharon, dixitque, Solennitas Jehovae erit cras.

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.

6. Et summo mane surrexerunt sequenti die, atque obtulerunt holocausta, et adduxerunt hostias prosperitatum: seditque populus ut manducaret et biberet, postea surrexerunt ut luderent.

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:

7. Loquutusque est Jehova ad Mosen: Vade, descende, corrupit se populus tuus quem eduxisti e terra Aegypti.

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.

8. Recesserunt cito de via quam praecepi eis: fecerunt sibi vitulum fusilem, adoraveruntque illum, et sacrificaverunt ei, dixeruntque, Isti dii tui, Israel, qui eduxerunt te e terra Aegypti.

9. And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiff-necked people:

9. Dixit praeterea Jehova ad Mosen, Vidi populum hunc: et ecce populus durae cervicis est.

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.

10. Nunc igitur dimitte me, ut excandescat furor meus in eos, consumamque eos: te autem faciam in gentem magnam.

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?

11. Et precatus est Moses faciem Jehovae Dei sui, et dixit, Utquid, O Jehova, exardescet furor tuus in populum tuum quem eduxisti e terra Aegypti in fortitudine magna et manu forti?

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.

12. Utquid dicent Aegyptii dicendo, In malum eduxit eos, ut occideret eos in montibus, utque consumeret eos e superficie terrae? convertere ab ira furoris tui, et poeniteat te super malo populi tui.

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.

13. Recordare Abraham, Isaac et Israel servorum tuorum, quibus jurasti per teipsum, et dixisti eis, Multiplicabo semen vestrum sicut stellas coeli, et totam terram istam quam dixi dabo semini vestro, et haereditate accipient illam in seculum.

14. And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

14. Et poenituit Jehovam super malo quod dixerat se facturum populo suo.

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.

15. Tunc vertit se Moses, et descendit e monte: erantque dutc tabulae testimonii in mann ejus, tabulae scriptae ab utraque super-ficie sua, hinc et inde erant scriptae.

16. And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.

16. Et tabulae erant opus Dei, scriptura Dei, scriptura erat sculpta in tabulis.

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.

17. Audiens autem Jehosua vocem populi in vociferatione ejus, dixit ad Mosen, Vox praelii est in castris.

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.

18. Qui respondit, Non est vex respendens fortitudini, neque vex respendens infirmitati, sed vocem cantionum ego audio.

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.

19. Accidit quum appropinquasset ad castra, vidit vitulum et choros: et excanduit iracundia Mosis, abjecitque e manibus suis tabulas, et fregit eas sub monte.

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.

20. Tulit quoque vitulum quem fecerant, et combussit igni, contrivitque donec redegit in pulverem: et sparsit in superficiem aquarum, et potavit filios Israel.

21. And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?

21. Et dixit Moses ad Aharon, Quid fecit tibi populus iste, quod induxisti super eum hoc peccatum grande?

22. And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief.

22. Tunc dixit Aharon, Ne excandescat iracundia domini mei: tu nosti populum quod in malo sit.

23. For they said unto me, Make us gods which shall go before us: for asfor this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

23. Dixerunt autem mihi, Fac nobis deos qui nos praecedant: quia isti Mosi viro qui eduxit nos e terra AEgypti, nescimus quid acciderit.

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.

24. Quibus respondi, Cui est aurum, private vos. Et dederunt mihi: et projeci in ignem, egressusque est vitulus iste.

25. And when Moses saw that the people were naked, (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies,)

25. Vidit autem Moses quod populus discoopertus esset: (nam discooperuerat eum Aharon ad ignominiam inter hostes eorum,)

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.

26. Stetit ergo Moses in porta castrorum, et dixit, Quis est Jehovae? Ad me. Et eongregati sunt ad eum omnes filii Levi.

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 neighbor.

27. Quibus dixit, Sic dixit Jehova Deus Israel, Ponite quisque gladium suum super femur suum: transite et revertimini a porta ad portam in castris, et occidite quisque fratrem suum, et quisque amicum suum, et quisque propinquum suum.

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.

28. Fecerunt ergo filii Levi secundum sermonem Mosis: et ceciderunt e populo in die ilia circiter tria millia virorum.

29. For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to-day to the Lord, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.

29. Dixerat autem Moses, Consecrate manum vestram hodie Jehovae, nempe quisque in filio suo, et in fratre suo: ut detur hodie vobis benedictio.

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.

30. Fuit postridie ut diceret Moses populo, Vos peccastis peccato magno: nunc tamen ascendam ad Jehovam, si forte propitiem eum super peccato vestro.

31. And Moses returned unto the Lord, and said, Oh! this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold!

31. Reversus est itaque Moses ad Jehovam, et dixit: Obsecro: peccavit populus hic peccato magno: feterunt enim sibi deos aureos.

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.: Nunc si remiseris peccatum eorum: quod si non, dele me agedum e libro tuo, quem scripsisti.

33. And the Lord said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

33. Et dixit Jehova ad Mosen, qui peccavit mihi, delebo eum e libro meo.

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.

34. Nunc ergo vade, duc populum ad locum de quo loquutus sum tibi. Ecce, Angelus meus ibit ante te: in die autem visitationis meae etiam visitabo in eos peccatum eorum.

35. And the Lord plagued the people, because they made the calf which Aaron made.

35. Et percussit Jehova populum, eo quod fecissent vitulum quem fecerat Aharon.

1 And when the people saw that Moses. In this narrative we perceive the detestable impiety of the people, their worse than base ingratitude, and their monstrous madness, mixed with stupidity. For their sakes Moses had been carried up above the state of terrestrial life, that he might receive the injunctions of his mission, and that his authority might be beyond the reach of controversy. They perversely declare that they know not what has become of him, nay, they speak contemptuously of him as of a person unknown to them. It is for this that Stephen severely blames them, This is that Moses (he says) whom your fathers rejected, though he was the minister of their salvation. (Acts 7:35.) They confess that he had been their deliverer, yet they cannot tolerate his absence for a little time, nor are they affected with any reverence towards him, unless they have him before their eyes. Moreover, although God offered Himself as if present with them by day and by night in the pillar of fire, and in the cloud, they still despised so illustrious and lively an image of His glory and power, and desire to have Him represented to them in the shape of a dead idol. For what could they mean by saying, “make us gods which shall go before us?” Could they not see the pillar of fire and the cloud? Was not God’s paternal solicitude abundantly conspicuous every day in the manna? Was he not near them in ways innumerable

Note 324. It will be seen that C. does not give the actual words, but the sense of Stephen.

Note 325. “Mais qui pis est;” but what is worse. — Fr.

Yet, accounting as nothing all these true, and sure, and manifest tokens of God’s presence, they desire to have a figure which may satisfy their vanity. And this was the original source of idolatry, that men supposed that they could not otherwise possess God, unless by subjecting Him to their own imagination. Nothing, however, can be more preposterous; for since the minds of men and all their senses sink far below the loftiness of God, when they try to bring Him down to the measure of their own weak capacity, they travesty Him. In a word, whatever man’s reason conceives of Him is mere falsehood; and nevertheless, this depraved longing can hardly be repressed, so fiercely does it burst out. They are also influenced by pride and presumption, when they do not hesitate to drag down His glory as it were from heaven, and to subject it to earthly elements. We now understand what motive chiefly impelled the Israelites to this madness in demanding that a figure of God should be set before them, viz., because they measured Him by their own senses. Wonderful indeed was their stupidity, to desire that a God should be made by mortal men, as if he could be a god, or could deserve to be accounted such who obtains his divinity at the caprice of men. Still, it is not probable that they were so absurd as to desire a new god to be created for them; but they call “gods” by metonymy those outward images, by looking at which the superstitious imagine that God is near them. And this is evident from the fact, that not only the noun but the verb also is in the plural number; for although they were satisfied with one God, still they in a manner cut Him to pieces by their various representations of Him. Nevertheless, however they may deceive themselves under this or that pretext, they still desire to be creators of God.

Those who suppose that confusion is implied by the word “delayed,” are, in my opinion, mistaken; for, although the word בשש, boshesh, with its third radical doubled, is derived from בוש, bush, which means to be ashamed, still it is clear from Judges 5:28, that it is used simply for to delay, where it is said, in the address of the mother of Sisera, “Why does his chariot delay (or defer) to come?”

Note 326. “Why is his chariot so long in coming?” — A.V.

Hence we may understand that hypocrites so fear God as that religion vanishes from their hearts, unless there be some task-master (exactor) standing by them to keep them in the path of duty. They duly obeyed Moses and reverenced his person; but, because they were only influenced by his presence, as soon as they were deprived of it they ceased to fear God. Thus, whilst Joshua was alive, and the other holy Judges, they seemed to be faithful in the exercise of piety, but when they were dead, they straightway relapsed into disobedience.

2. And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden ear-rings. I doubt not but that Aaron, being overcome by the importunate clamor of the people, endeavored to escape by means of a subterfuge; still, this is no valid excuse for him, since he ought to have heartily opposed them in a direct reply, and sharply to have inveighed against their wicked renunciation of God. By commanding them to give him gold, he might have quieted their intemperate demands through dread of the expense; but it was a remedy more likely to be successful, to snatch from them those ornaments and trinkets of which women do not willingly allow themselves to be deprived. He therefore purposely requires of them a hateful, or at any rate a by no means pleasant thing, that he might thus impede their sinful design; but without success, for the power of superstition to carry people away is not less than that of lust. Perhaps also he had the tabernacle in view, lest they should sacrilegiously proceed to lay hands on the sacred vessels; and there was a probability that, if it remained uninjured, the sight of it might at length recall them to a better mind. Besides, the recollection of their recent profuse liberality might have extinguished or cooled their ardor, from the fear of being utterly drained. He says emphatically, “Break off the ear-rings from your wives and children,” that they may desist from the purpose out of dread of giving offense, since women are slow to part with such objects of gratification. But it is added immediately afterwards, that they were so blinded by the fervor of their foolish zeal, that they undervalued everything in comparison with their perverse desire, and thus the ornaments were taken from their ears. The readiness with which this was done was wonderful; and not by one person, or by a few, but by the whole people, as if in rivalry of each other. Even in these days ear-rings are worn by the Orientals, though it is not so common among us. Now, if unbelievers are so prodigal in their absurdities as to throw away thus carelessly and rashly whatever is precious to them, how shall their tenacity be excusable who are so niggardly in providing for the service of God? Hence let us learn to beware of foolishly squandering our possessions in unnecessary expenditure, and to be liberal where we ought; especially to be ready to spend ourselves, and what we have, when we know that our offerings are pleasing and acceptable to God.

Note 327. Auferte. — Lat.

Note 328. “The ear-rings now worn in the East are various in form and size. They are generally thick, sometimes fitting close to the ear, and in other instances very large, perhaps three or four inches in diameter, and so heavy as greatly to distend the lobe of the ear, at the same time enlarging in a very disagreeable manner the orifice made for the inserting of the ring.” — Illustrated Commentary in loco. For the ear-rings worn by the Egyptian Ladies, see Sir G. Wilkinson, “Popular Account of the Ancient Egyptians,” vol. 1, p. 145, where he figures a group of them from Thebes evidently talking about their ear-rings; and vol. 2, p. 335, etc.

4. And he received them at their hand. He briefly narrates this base and shameful deed; yet sufficiently shows, that whilst Aaron yielded to their madness, he still desired to cure it, though, at the same time, he was weak and frightened, so as to pretend to give his assent, because he feared the consequences of the tumult as regarded himself. For why does he not command the ear-rings to be thrown into some chest, lest he should pollute himself by the contagion of the sacrilege? Since, therefore, he received them into his own hands, it was a sign of a servile and effeminate mind; and thus he is said to have been the founder, or sculptor of the calf, when it is nevertheless probable that workmen were employed upon it. But the infamy of the crime is justly brought upon him, inasmuch as he was its main author, and by his guilt betrayed the religion and honor of God.

The Hebrew word חרט, cheret, some translate a stylus or graving-tool, some a mould; the former think that the rough mass was formed by sculpture into the shape of a calf; the latter, that the calf was cast or founded; as we say, jetter en mousle, to cast in a mould. Ridiculous, however, is the fable, that when the gold was thrown into a furnace, it came forth like a calf without human workmanship; but thus licentiously do the Jews trifle with their fond inventions. The more probable conjecture is, that Aaron designedly sought a remedy for the people’s folly.

Note 329. Professor Robinson says a graving tool; but more properly to be rendered a bag here. C. alludes to what S.M. tells us, that the Rabbins, wishing to excuse their forefathers, said that there came forth a calf, not wrought by any workmen, but produced by the magical arts, which some of the Egyptians, mixed with the people, now employed to introduce idolatry. — W. Lightfoot has a characteristic note on this: “Expositors cannot tell what to say of their intent, for they cannot think they were such calves, (as to turn the glory of God into a calf,) and yet what else can we say? Jonathan saith, ‘The devil got into the metal, and fashioned it into a calf.’ The devil, indeed, was too much there; but it was in their fancies more than in the metal.” Explan. of divers difficult passages of Scripture. Decad, 1. 4. He elsewhere also refers to the probability, stated below by C., that the idol was made after an Egyptian pattern: “Israel cannot be so long without Moses, as Moses can be without meat. The fire still burneth on the top of Mount Sinai, out of which they had so lately received the Law; and yet so suddenly do they break the greatest commandment of that Law to extremity; — of Egyptian jewels they make an Egyptian idol, because, thinking Moses had been lost, they intended to return for Egypt.” — A handful of gleanings out of Exod., sect. 32.

It was a disgraceful thing to prostrate themselves before a calf, in which there was no connection or affinity with the glory of God; and with this the Prophet expressly reproaches them, that “they changed their glory (i.e., God, in whom alone they should have gloried) into the similitude of an ox that eateth grass.” (Psalm 106:20.) For, if it be insulting to God to force Him into the likeness of men, with how much greater and more inexcusable ignominy is His majesty defiled, when He is compared to brute animals? Still it had no effect towards bringing them to repentance; and this is expressed with much force immediately afterwards, when they said to each other, “These be thy gods, O Israel.” Surely the hideousness of the spectacle should have struck them with horror, so as to induce them voluntarily to condemn their own madness; but, on the contrary, they mutually exhort one another to obstinacy; for there is no doubt but that Moses indicates that they were like fans to each other, and thus that their frenzy was reciprocally excited. For, as Isaiah and Micah exhort believers, that each of them should stretch out his hand to his brother, and that they should say to each other,

“Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord;” (Isaiah 2:3; Micah 4:2;)

thus does perverse rivalry provoke unbelievers mutually to excite each other to progress in sin. Still they neither speak ironically nor in mockery of God, nor have any intention of falling away from Him; but they cover their sin against Him under a deceitful pretext, as if they denied that by their new and unwonted mode of worship, they desired to detract from the honor of their Redeemer; but rather that it was thus magnified because they worshipped Himself under a visible image. Thus now-a-days do the Papists boldly obtrude their fictitious rites upon God; and boast that they do more for Him by their additions and inventions than as if they merely continued within the bounds prescribed by Himself. But let us learn from this passage, that whatever colouring superstition may give to its idols, and by whatever titles it may dignify them, they remain idols still; for, however those who corrupt the pure worship of God by their inventions, may pride themselves on their good intentions, they still deny the true God, and substitute devils in His place.