Exodus 32:7-11 NASB

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 32:7-14

Here, I. God acquaints Moses with what was doing in the camp while he was absent, Exod. 32:7, 8. He could have told him sooner, as soon as the first step was taken towards it, and have hastened him down to prevent it; but he suffered it to come to this height, for wise and holy ends, and then sent him down to punish it. Note, It is no reproach to the holiness of God that he suffers sin to be committed, since he knows, not only how to restrain it when he pleases, but how to make it serviceable... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:7

And the Lord said unto Moses, go, get thee down ,.... In Deuteronomy 9:12 it is added, "quickly", and so the Septuagint version here: this was said after the Lord had finished his discourse with him, and had given him the two tables of stone, and he was about to depart, but the above affair happening he hastens his departure; indeed the idolatry began the day before, and he could have acquainted him with it, if it had been his pleasure, but he suffered the people to go the greatest length... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:8

They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them ,.... The Targum of Jonathan adds, by way of explanation,"on Sinai, saying, ye shall not make to yourselves an image, or figure, or any similitude.'This was the command God had given to them; this the way he had directed them to walk in; from this they turned aside, by making the golden calf as an image or representation of God; and this they had done very quickly, since it was but about six weeks ago that this command was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:9

And the Lord said unto Moses, I have seen this people ,.... He had observed their ways and works, their carriage and behaviour; he had seen them before this time; he knew from all eternity what they would be, that their neck would be as an iron sinew, and their brow brass; but now he saw that in fact which he before saw as future, and they proved to be the people he knew they would be; besides, this is said to give Moses the true character of them, which might be depended upon, since it was... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:10

Now, therefore, let me alone ,.... And not solicit him with prayers and supplications in favour of these people, but leave him to take his own way with them, without troubling him with any suit on their behalf; and so the Targum of Jonathan,"and now leave off thy prayer, and do not cry for them before me;'as the Prophet Jeremiah was often bid not to pray for this people in his time, which was a token of God's great displeasure with them, as well as shows the prevalence of prayer with him;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:11

And Moses besought the Lord his God ,.... As the Lord was the God of Moses, his covenant God, and he had an interest in him, he made use of it in favour of the people of Israel: and said, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people ? so as to think or speak of consuming them utterly; otherwise he knew there was reason for his being angry and wroth with them; but though they were deserving of his hot wrath and displeasure, and even to be dealt with in the manner proposed, yet he... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:7

Thy people - have corrupted themselves - They had not only got into the spirit of idolatry, but they had become abominable in their conduct, so that God disowns them to be his: Thy people have broken the covenant, and are no longer entitled to my protection and love. This is one pretense that the Roman Catholics have for the idolatry in their image worship. Their high priest, the pope, collects the ornaments of the people, and makes an image, a crucifix, a madonna, etc. The people worship... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:9

A stiff-necked people - Probably an allusion to the stiff-necked ox, the object of their worship. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:10

Now therefore let me alone - Moses had already begun to plead with God in the behalf of this rebellious and ungrateful people; and so powerful was his intercession that even the Omnipotent represents himself as incapable of doing any thing in the way of judgment, unless his creature desisted from praying for mercy! See an instance of the prevalence of fervent intercession in the case of Abraham, Genesis 18:23-33 , from the model of which the intercession of Moses seems to have been formed. read more

John Calvin

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:7

Verse 7 7.And the Lord said unto Moses, Go, get thee down. This was a violent temptation to shake the faith of Moses. He thought that his own and the people’s happiness was absolutely complete, when God’s covenant was engraven on the tables to secure its perpetuity; whereas now he hears that this covenant was violated, and almost annihilated by the perfidy and rebellion of the people, whilst its abolition involved the loss of salvation and all other blessings. Moreover, that God might more... read more

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Exodus 32:7-14

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:7

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:8

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:9

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:10

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Exodus 32:11

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:7

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:9

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:10

John Calvin's Commentary on the Bible - Exodus 32:7

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