Exodus 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. - Free Bible Online

Exodus 32:4 And he took [this] from their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, and made it into a molten calf; and they said, "This is your god, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt."


      4. fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf--The words are transposed, and the rendering should be, "he framed with a graving tool the image to be made, and having poured the liquid gold into the mould, he made it a molten calf." It is not said whether it was of life size, whether it was of solid gold or merely a wooden frame covered with plates of gold. This idol seems to have been the god Apis, the chief deity of the Egyptians, worshipped at Memphis under the form of a live ox, three years old. It was distinguished by a triangular white spot on its forehead and other peculiar marks. Images of it in the form of a whole ox, or of a calf's head on the end of a pole, were very common; and it makes a great figure on the monuments where it is represented in the van of all processions, as borne aloft on men's shoulders.
      they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt--It is inconceivable that they, who but a few weeks before had witnessed such amazing demonstrations of the true God, could have suddenly sunk to such a pitch of infatuation and brutish stupidity, as to imagine that human art or hands could make a god that should go before them. But it must be borne in mind, that though by election and in name they were the people of God, they were as yet, in feelings and associations, in habits and tastes, little, if at all different, from Egyptians. They meant the calf to be an image, a visible sign or symbol of Jehovah, so that their sin consisted not in a breach of the FIRST [Ex 20:3], but of the SECOND commandment [Ex 20:4-6].

JFB.


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Exodus 32 Images and Notes

Brief Summary: It is a very lamentable interruption which the story of this chapter gives to the record of the establishment of the church, and of religion among the Jews. Things went on admirably well towards that happy settlement: God had shown himself very favourable, and the people also had seemed to be pretty tractable. Moses had now almost completed his forty days upon the mount, and, we may suppose, was pleasing himself with the thoughts of the very joyful welcome he should have to the camp of Israel at his return, and the speedy setting up of the tabernacle among them. But, behold, the measures are broken, the sin of Israel turns away those good things from them, and puts a stop to the current of God's favours; the sin that did the mischief (would you think it?) was worshipping a golden calf. The marriage was ready to be solemnized between God and Israel, but Israel plays the harlot, and so the match is broken, and it will be no easy matter to piece it again. Here is, I. The sin of Israel, and of Aaron particularly, in making the golden calf for a god (v. 1-4), and worshipping it (v. 5, v. 6). II. The notice which God gave of this to Moses, who was now in the mount with him (v. 7, v. 8), and the sentence of his wrath against them (v. 9, v. 10). III. The intercession which Moses immediately made for them in the mount (v. 11-13), and the prevalency of that intercession (v. 14). IV. His coming down from the mount, when he became an eye-witness of their idolatry (v. 15-19), in abhorrence of which, and as an expression of just indignation, he broke the tables (v. 19), and burnt the golden calf (v. 20). V. The examination of Aaron about it (v. 21-24). VI. Execution done upon the ring-leaders in the idolatry (v. 25-29). VII. The further intercession Moses made for them, to turn away the wrath of God from them (v. 30-32), and a reprieve granted thereupon, reserving them for a further reckoning (v. 33, etc.).

Outline
The people cause Aaron to make a golden calf. (1-6)
God's displeasure, The intercession of Moses. (7-14)
Moses breaks the tables of the law, He destroys the golden calf. (15-20)
Aaron's excuse, The idolaters slain. (21-29)
Moses prays for the people. (30-35)
 

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Free Bible Online Picture Study Bible, King James Version. New York: American Bible Society: www.free-bible.com, 1995-2013. Bible History Picture Study Bible. Dec 22, 2024.

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