Exodus 32:1-6 NIV

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 32:1-6

While Moses was in the mount, receiving the law from God, the people had time to meditate upon what had been delivered, and prepare themselves for what was further to be revealed, and forty days was little enough for that work; but, instead of that, there were those among them that were contriving how to break the laws they had already received, and to anticipate those which they were in expectation of. On the thirty-ninth day of the forty, the plot broke out of rebellion against the Lord.... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:1

And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount ,.... The time, according to the Targum of Jonathan, being elapsed, which he had fixed for his descent, and through a misreckoning, as Jarchi suggests; they taking the day of his going up to be one of the forty days, at the end of which he was to return, whereas he meant forty complete days; but it is not probable that Moses knew himself how long he should stay, and much less that he acquainted them before hand of it;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:2

And Aaron said unto them ,.... Perceiving that they were not to be dissuaded from their evil counsel, and diverted from their purpose, but were determined at all events to have an image made to represent God unto them in a visible manner: break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters ; these were some of the jewels in gold they had borrowed of the Egyptians; and it seems that, in those times and countries, men, as well as women,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:3

And all the people brake off the golden earrings, which were in their ears ,.... The men took off their earrings, and persuaded their wives and children, or obliged them to part with theirs; though the Targum of Jonathan says the women refused to give their ornaments to their husbands, therefore all the people immediately broke off all the golden ornaments which were in their ears F24 So Pirke Eliezer, c. 45. , so intent were they upon idolatry. This is to be understood not of every... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:4

And he received them at their hand ,.... For the use they delivered them to him: and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf ; that is, after he had melted the gold, and cast it into a mould, which gave it the figure of a calf, and with his tool wrought it into a more agreeable form, he took off the roughness of it, and polished it; or if it was in imitation of the Egyptian Apis or Osiris, he might with his graving tool engrave such marks and figures as... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:5

And when Aaron saw it ,.... In what form it was, and what a figure it made, and how acceptable it was to the Israelites. The Targums of Jonathan and Jerusalem paraphrase it,"and Aaron saw Hur slain before him;'for reproving them for their idolatry, as the Midrash F5 So Pirke Eliezer, c. 45. , quoted by Jarchi, says: and Aaron fearing they would take away his life if he opposed them: he built an altar before it ; that sacrifice might be offered on it to it: and Aaron made... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:6

And they rose up early in the morning ,.... Being eager of, and intent upon their idol worship: and offered burnt offerings ; upon the altar Aaron had made, where they were wholly consumed: and brought peace offerings : which were to make a feast to the Lord, and of which they partook: and the people sat down to eat and to drink ; as at a feast: and rose up to play ; to dance and sing, as was wont to be done by the Egyptians in the worship of their Apis or Ox; and Philo the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:1

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... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:2

Golden ear-rings - Both men and women wore these ornaments, and we may suppose that these were a part of the spoils which they brought out of Egypt. How strange, that the very things which were granted them by an especial influence and providence of God, should be now abused to the basest idolatrous purposes! But it is frequently the case that the gifts of God become desecrated by being employed in the service of sin; I will curse your blessings, saith the Lord, Malachi 2:2 . read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:3

And all the people brake off the golden ear-rings - The human being is naturally fond of dress, though this has been improperly attributed to the female sex alone, and those are most fond of it who have the shallowest capacities; but on this occasion the bent of the people to idolatry was greater than even their love of dress, so that they readily stripped themselves of their ornaments in order to get a molten god. They made some compensation for this afterwards; see Exodus 36:22 , and See... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 32:1-6

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:1

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:2

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:3

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:4

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:5

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:6

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:1

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:2

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:3

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