32:1–35 Exodus 32 recounts the episode of the Israelites’ apostasy involving the golden calf. Even Aaron, who will become Israel’s first high priest, is implicated. After Moses intercedes to save the people from obliteration, God gives them a chance to repent. The tribe of Levi is singled out for its loyalty to Yahweh, and the Levites become the instrument of punishment under the direction of Moses. The narrative continues in chs. 33–34 with Moses and the Israelites dealing with the consequences of the golden calf incident.

32:1 the people saw that Moses delayed This entire episode is in response to the Hebrew people’s assumption that something has happened to Moses, and he must be replaced. The people do not ask for Aaron to take Moses’ place, but to build a replacement for him by constructing the golden calf.

gods Israel’s sin here is improper and inappropriate worship, but the nature of their offense is open to interpretation. The incident could be understood as an instance of apostasy—Israel worshipping a god other than Yahweh. The Hebrew word used here, elohim, is grammatically plural, but the plural form is not only used to refer to multiple gods. For example, elohim is frequently used as a name for Yahweh, even in passages that also use elohim to refer to other gods (e.g., Gen 31:24–32). The plural can also be used for an individual foreign god (e.g., 1 Kgs 11:33). This ambiguity allows for either Israel worshiping Yahweh, somehow represented idolatrously by the image, or worshiping another god or gods.

who will go before us The Israelites seek leadership and direction toward the promised land.

this Moses This Hebrew phrase is often used to convey derision or disrespect (e.g., 1 Sam 10:27; 21:15; 25:21; 2 Sam 13:17), demonstrating the Israelites are not necessarily concerned that something has happened to Moses.

who brought us up Here, and throughout the chapter, Moses is credited with the exodus out of Egypt (e.g., Exod 32:7). Aaron and the people give this credit to the golden calf shortly (vv. 4, 8).

32:2 the rings of gold Likely goods plundered from Egypt (12:35–36).

32:4 a tool The Hebrew word used here, cheret, refers to a tool like a chisel or stylus (see Isa 8:1). The calf may have been a wooden object crafted using chisels or carving tools and then overlaid with gold. However, the image is called in Hebrew an egel massekhah (which may be literally rendered “cast-image calf”); massekhah typically refers to creating a molten object, which would not necessarily require a tool for carving or engraving. However, cheret may also have designated a tool used for shaping a metal object. Alternately, cheret might be related to charit, which means “bag.” In that case, cheret could refer to something into which the molten metal could be poured.

a cast-image bull calf The Hebrew word used here, egel, refers to a young bull or ox. In other ot passages referring to the golden calf episode, terms like shor—meaning “ox”—are used (Psa 106:19–20). The bull symbolized strength and fertility in the ancient Near East and was used to depict a range of gods throughout the region.

These are your gods Spoken by the Israelites while Aaron and others are fashioning the idol. See v. 1 and note; compare v. 8.

32:5 A feast for Yahweh Aaron’s proclamation has the single deity Yahweh as its focus (see note on v. 1).

32:6 burnt offerings, and they presented fellowship offerings These later become standard sacrifices prescribed in the biblical text (Lev 1; 3).

revel The Hebrew verb used here, tsachaq, commonly refers to laughing, joking, or mocking (Gen 17:17; 18:12; 19:14; 21:9). In this context, it may refer to dancing (Exod 32:19). However, usage of tsachaq in other contexts suggests that sexual connotations are possible (Gen 26:8; 39:14, 17).

32:7 Go, go down Moses has been on Mount Sinai, receiving instructions for the tabernacle (Exod 25–31) for forty days and nights, without provisions.

your people This phrase demonstrates God’s disgust with the Israelites, and their distance from fellowship with Him. Previously, God refers to the Israelites as my people (e.g., 3:7; 5:1; 7:4, 16; 9:1, 17; 10:3–4).

whom you brought up Here, God gives credit for the exodus out of Egypt to Moses, further distancing Himself from Israel due to their sin.

32:8 the way that I commanded them Referring to what is commonly called the Ten Commandments and the laws of the covenant (chs. 20–23), particularly the prohibitions against images (20:4–6, 23). The people accepted the terms of this covenant in 24:3.

32:9 a stiff-necked people A frequently used image that reflects the difficulty of turning a stubborn animal (e.g., an ox or horse).

32:10 I will make you into a great nation God could have destroyed the Israelites and started a new nation with Moses. Since Moses is a descendant of Abraham, God would still be honoring His covenant with Abraham.

32:11 a strong hand A reference to the plagues (chs. 7–11) and the crossing of the sea (ch. 14).

32:12 evil intent Moses appeals to God’s good reputation, as well as to the covenant with Abraham (v. 13). Moses’ appeal to reputation is most effective.

32:13 your offspring A reminder to Yahweh that these people he wants to “consume” (v. 10) are the beginning of the fulfillment of the promise He made to Abraham (Gen 12; 15).

they will inherit Referring to the promised land, from the Euphrates to the Nile Rivers (see Gen 12:1–3; 15:1–6).

32:14 Yahweh relented Repentant intercession elsewhere convinces Yahweh to turn away from punishment completely or lessen its severity (compare 2 Sam 24:10–25; Jonah 3:6–10; see note on Exod 32:31–35).

32:15 the two tablets of the testimony For other references to these tablets, see 24:12; 31:18; 32:15, 16; Deut 4:13; 5:22; 9:10, 11.

32:16 the writing of God Exodus 31:18 says the tablets were written by the finger of God, indicating that the Israelites likely presumed that the commandments were written on the tablets by Yahweh, or at least of divine origin.

32:17 And Joshua heard the sound of Joshua was on the mountain with Moses, although not in the cloud (24:13–18).

32:19 he threw the tablets Breaking tablets on which covenant stipulations were recorded signified that the covenant had been broken by one of its parties. In Akkadian legal contexts, the phrase “break the tablet” describes repudiation of the terms of the document.

32:20 he crushed it until it became fine Moses’ actions agree with 23:24, where the Israelites are commanded to destroy the sacred sites of other gods. Later in the ot, King Josiah destroys a pagan altar in the same fashion (2 Kgs 23:15).

he made the Israelites drink The closest parallel in the OT is the “trial by ordeal” (see Num 5:18–22)—a form of divination in which a woman accused of adultery is forced to drink “bitter waters.” If guilty, she would have intestinal and hip problems. However, the “trial by ordeal” mentions nothing about gold and is concerned about the “secret” sin of adultery, while Exod 32 mentions nothing about proving guilt because Moses saw the people in action.

32:21 you brought Moses accuses Aaron of intentionally sabotaging the people out of anger or revenge. This reflects a tension between the two brothers that runs throughout the books of Exodus and Numbers (e.g., Num 12).

32:22 Let not my lord become angry Aaron refers to Moses as “lord,” placing himself at Moses’ mercy. Aaron also recognizes the power of Moses’ anger when he uses the idiom of Moses’ anger burning hot (compare Exod 32:10, 19).

32:23 this Moses Again, Aaron and the people draw a direct correlation between Moses and the golden calf (compare v. 1).

32:24 out came this bull calf Aaron leaves out his own role in creating the calf (vv. 3–4). Moses does not respond to the ridiculous assertion that the calf made itself. In another telling of the story, Deuteronomy 9:12–22 demonstrates that Yahweh was so angry that Aaron could have been killed.

32:25 were running wild The people were out of control.

32:26 Whoever is for Yahweh Moses gives the people an ultimatum.

the sons of Levi were gathered to him The Levites, the tribe of Moses and Aaron (Exod 6:16–20), immediately respond to Moses’ ultimatum. The description here establishes that the Levites, who were set apart to Yahweh (chs. 28–29), were still loyal to Him.

32:27 his close relative The death penalty for violating the second commandment must not be carried out with any partiality.

32:28 did according to the word of Moses None of the punishments placed upon the people thus far, from the drinking of tainted water to the massacre of 3,000, are from Yahweh, who relented (Exod 32:14).

three thousand The fact that this is a round number suggests that it may be symbolic, as both three and 1,000 are significant numbers in the ot.

32:29 a blessing The tribe of Levi will later be set apart as the priestly workers who tend to the needs of the tabernacle and live scattered among the other tribes.

32:30 I will go up to Yahweh That is, back to the top of Mount Sinai.

I can make atonement for Here, atonement comes through Moses’ verbal intercession with Yahweh, not by means of sacrifice (see note on Lev 4:20).

32:31–35 Prior to Moses’ descent from the mountain, God had relented from His decision to destroy the Israelites (Exod 32:14–15). Furthermore, the guilty parties were punished with death (vv. 27–28). Even so, Moses tells the people that they sinned greatly in making the calf, and he returns to Yahweh to seek forgiveness on their behalf. God responds that He will punish the people, and He does so with a plague (vv. 34–35). The two intercessions may reflect two separate sources combined here by an editor. Alternatively, Moses may have interceded twice for the people because of corporate accountability: Moses’ statement in v. 30 refers not to the people who were already punished and dead, but to the rest of the Israelites (see 20:5) who participated corporately. Moses does not ask God to refrain from destroying the people, as he did in vv. 14–15. Rather, he wants God to forgive the people and is willing to substitute himself. God sends a plague on the other Israelites, a punishment that would reinforce the notion of corporate responsibility.

32:32 your scroll that you have written The term sepher “book, scroll” comes from the verb saphar “to count, recount.” Belief in heavenly books or recountings was common in the ancient Near East. In the nt, this concept appears again as the book of life (e.g., Phil 4:3; Rev 20:12, 15; 21:27).

32:33 I will blot Refers to the practice of lifting wet ink from parchment, which results in the illegibility of what was written, and also a visible smudge. Sometimes this area could be written over, but it would always appear as a blemish.

32:34 my angel will go before you The role of this angel is also described in Exod 23:20–23.

32:35 Yahweh We finally arrive at Yahweh’s punishment, the breadth of which is unknown.

that Aaron had made The specific inclusion of Aaron reinforces the corporate responsibility explanation for vv. 31–34 and confirms Aaron’s lie (v. 22).