Exodus 32:1–9

The Gold Calf

32When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god ^zwho will go before us because this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!” ^a

²Then Aaron replied to them, “Take off the gold rings ^bthat are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me.” ³So all the people took off the gold rings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron. ⁴He took the gold from their hands, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made it into an image of a calf.

Then they said, “Israel, this is your God, ^cwho brought you up from the land of Egypt!” ^d

⁵When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it; then he made an announcement: “There will be a festival ^eto the Lord tomorrow.” ⁶Early the next morning they arose, offered burnt offerings, and presented fellowship offerings. The people sat down to eat and drink, then got up to play. ^f

⁷The Lord spoke to Moses: “Go down at once! For your people you brought up from the land of Egypt have acted corruptly. ^g8They have quickly turned from the way I commanded them; they have made for themselves an image of a calf. They have bowed down to it, sacrificed to it, and said, ‘Israel, this is your God, ^hwho brought you up from the land of Egypt.’ ” ⁱ⁹The Lord also said to Moses: “I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked ^jpeople.