Exodus 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.
Exodus 32:1 in other translations
| BSB | Now when the people saw that Moses was delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him!” |
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| WEB | When the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered themselves together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.” |
| ASV | And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from 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 know not what is become of him. |
| YLT | And the people see that Moses is delaying to come down from the mount, and the people assemble against Aaron, and say unto him, ‘Rise, make for us gods who go before us, for this Moses--the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt--we have not known what hath happened to him.' |
| DARBY | And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people collected together to Aaron, and said to him, Up, make us agod, who will go before us; for this Moses, the man that has brought us up out of the land of Egypt, — we do not know what is become of him! |
| BBE | And when the people saw that Moses was a long time coming down from the mountain, they all came to Aaron and said to him, Come, make us a god to go before us: as for this Moses, who took us up out of the land of Egypt, we have no idea what has become of him. |
| Webster | And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mount, the people assembled themselves to Aaron, and said to him, Arise, make us gods which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him. |
What does Exodus 32:1 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Ex 32:1-35. The Golden Calf.
1. when the people saw that Moses delayed--They supposed that he had lost his way in the darkness or perished in the fire. the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron--rather, "against" Aaron in a tumultuous manner, to compel him to do what they wished. The incidents related in this chapter disclose a state of popular sentiment and feeling among the Israelites that stands in singular contrast to the tone of profound and humble reverence they displayed at the giving of the law. Within a space of little more than thirty days, their impressions were dissipated. Although they were still encamped upon ground which they had every reason to regard as holy; although the cloud of glory that capped the summit of Sinai was still before their eyes, affording a visible demonstration of their being in close contact, or rather in the immediate presence, of God, they acted as if they had entirely forgotten the impressive scenes of which they had been so recently the witnesses. said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us--The Hebrew word rendered "gods" is simply the name of God in its plural form. The image made was single, and therefore it would be imputing to the Israelites a greater sin than they were guilty of, to charge them with renouncing the worship of the true God for idols. The fact is, that they required, like children, to have something to strike their senses, and as the Shekinah, "the glory of God," of which they had hitherto enjoyed the sight, was now veiled, they wished for some visible material object as the symbol of the divine presence, which should go before them as the pillar of fire had done.Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Introduction
The Israelites, finding that Moses delayed his return, desire Aaron to make them gods to go before them, Exo 32:1. Aaron consents, and requires their ornaments, Exo 32:2. They deliver them to him, and he makes a molten calf, Exo 32:3, Exo 32:4. He builds an altar before it, Exo 32:5; and the people offer burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, Exo 32:6. The Lord commands Moses to go down, telling him that the people had corrupted themselves, Exo 32:7, Exo 32:8. The Lord is angry, and threatens to destroy them, Exo 32:9, Exo 32:10. Moses intercedes for them, Exo 32:11-13; and the Lord promises to spare them, Exo 32:14. Moses goes down with the tables in his hands, Exo 32:15, Exo 32:16. Joshua, hearing the noise they made at their festival, makes some remarks on it, Exo 32:17, Exo 32:18. Moses, coming to the camp, and seeing their idolatrous worship, is greatly distressed, throws down and breaks the two tables, Exo 32:19. Takes the calf, reduces it to powder, strews it upon the water, and causes them to drink it, Exo 32:20. Moses expostulates with Aaron, Exo 32:21. Aaron vindicates himself, Exo 32:22-24. Moses orders the Levites to slay the transgressors, Exo 32:25-27. They do so, and 3,000 fall, Exo 32:28, Exo 32:29. Moses returns to the Lord on the mount, and makes supplication for the people, Exo 32:30-32. God threatens and yet spares, Exo 32:33. Commands Moses to lead the people, and promises him the direction of an angel, Exo 32:34. The people are plagued because of their sin, Exo 32:35. Verse 1 When the people saw that Moses delayed - How long this was before the expiration of the forty days, we cannot tell; but it certainly must have been some considerable time, as the ornaments must be collected, and the calf or ox, after having been founded, must require a considerable time to fashion it with the graving tool; and certainly not more than two or three persons could work on it at once. This work therefore, must have required several days. The people gathered themselves together - They came in a tumultuous and seditious manner, insisting on having an object of religious worship made for them, as they intended under its direction to return to Egypt. See Act 7:39, Act 7:40. As for this Moses, the man that brought us up - This seems to be the language of great contempt, and by it we may see the truth of the character given them by Aaron, Exo 32:22, they were set on mischief. It is likely they might have supposed that Moses had perished in the fire, which they saw had invested the top of the mountain into which he went.Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Exodus 32:1-6
Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain
Exodus 32:1 in the original Hebrew
Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Exodus 32:1
- Acts 7:40
Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.
- Deuteronomy 9:9
When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the Lord made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water:
- Matthew 24:48
But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
- Exodus 24:18
And Moses went into the midst of the cloud, and gat him up into the mount: and Moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights.
- 2 Peter 3:4
And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.
- Deuteronomy 9:11-12
And it came to pass at the end of forty days and forty nights, that the Lord gave me the two tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant. And the Lord said unto me, Arise, get thee down quickly from hence; for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of Egypt have corrupted themselves; they are quickly turned aside out of the way which I commanded them; they have made them a molten image.
- Exodus 13:21
And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night:
- Deuteronomy 4:15-18
Take ye therefore good heed unto yourselves; for ye saw no manner of similitude on the day that the Lord spake unto you in Horeb out of the midst of the fire: Lest ye corrupt yourselves, and make you a graven image, the similitude of any figure, the likeness of male or female, The likeness of any beast that is on the earth, the likeness of any winged fowl that flieth in the air, The likeness of any thing that creepeth on the ground, the likeness of any fish that is in the waters beneath the earth:
- Acts 17:29
Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.
- Exodus 14:11
And they said unto Moses, Because there were no graves in Egypt, hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness? wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us, to carry us forth out of Egypt?
- Micah 6:4
For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam.
- Hosea 12:13
And by a prophet the Lord brought Israel out of Egypt, and by a prophet was he preserved.
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Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7 God informs Moses, who intercedes for Israel, and prevails.
15 Moses comes down with the tables.
19 He breaks them.
20 He destroys the calf.
22 Aaron's excuse for himself.
25 Moses causes the idolaters to be slain.
30 He prays for the people.
A.M. 2513. B.C. 1491. An. Ex. Is. 1. Ab. delayed.
24:18; De 9:9; Mt 24:43; 2Pe 3:4
Up.
Ge 19:14; 44:4; Jos 7:13
make.
20:3-5; De 4:15-18; Ac 7:40; 17:29; 19:26
which shall.
13:21; 33:3,14,15
the man.
7,11; 14:11; 16:3; Ho 12:13; Mic 6:4
we wot.
Ge 21:26; 39:8; 44:15; Mt 24:48; 2Pe 3:4
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Exodus 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.
- Exodus 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.
Exodus 32:1 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | MAS viendo el pueblo que Moisés tardaba en descender del monte, allegóse entonces á Aarón, y dijéronle: Levántate, haznos dioses que vayan delante de nosotros; porque á este Moisés, aquel varón que nos sacó de la tierra de Egipto, no sabemos qué le haya acontecido. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | *Et quand le peuple vit que Moïse tardait à descendre de la montagne, le peuple s’assembla auprès d’Aaron, et ils lui dirent: Lève-toi, fais-nous un dieu qui aille devant nous; car ce Moïse, cet homme qui nous a fait monter du pays d’Égypte, nous ne savons ce qui lui est arrivé. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Und als das Volk sah, daß Mose verzog, von dem Berge herabzukommen, da versammelte sich das Volk zu Aaron, und sie sprachen zu ihm: Auf! mache uns einen Gott, der vor uns hergehe! denn dieser Mose, der Mann, der uns aus dem Lande Ägypten heraufgeführt hat, -wir wissen nicht, was ihm geschehen ist. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Videns autem populus quod moram faceret descendendi de monte Moyses, congregatus adversus Aaron, dixit: Surge, fac nobis deos, qui nos præcedant: Moysi enim huic viro, qui nos eduxit de terra Ægypti, ignoramus quid acciderit. |