Exo 32:1 | Clarke | STEP | The Israelites, finding that Moses delayed his return, desire Aaron to make them gods to go before them, . Aaron consents, and requires their ornaments, . They deliver them to him, and he makes a molten calf, , . He builds an altar before it, ; and the people offer burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, . The Lord commands Moses to go down, telling him that the people had corrupted themselves, , . The Lord is angry, and threatens to destroy them, , . Moses intercedes for them, ; and the Lord promises to spare them, . Moses goes down with the tables in his hands, , . Joshua, hearing the noise they made at their festival, makes some remarks on it, , . Moses, coming to the camp, and seeing their idolatrous worship, is greatly distressed, throws down and breaks the two tables, . Takes the calf, reduces it to powder, strews it upon the water, and causes them to drink it, . Moses expostulates with Aaron, . Aaron vindicates himself, . Moses orders the Levites to slay the transgressors, . They do so, and 3,000 fall, , . Moses returns to the Lord on the mount, and makes supplication for the people, . God threatens and yet spares, . Commands Moses to lead the people, and promises him the direction of an angel, . The people are plagued because of their sin, . Verse 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 - They came in a tumultuous and seditious manner, insisting on having an object of religious worship made for them, as they intended under its direction to return to Egypt. See , . As for this Moses, the man that brought us up - This seems to be the language of great contempt, and by it we may see the truth of the character given them by Aaron, , they were set on mischief. It is likely they might have supposed that Moses had perished in the fire, which they saw had invested the top of the mountain into which he went.

Exodus 32:1

Introduction

The Israelites, finding that Moses delayed his return, desire Aaron to make them gods to go before them, Exo 32:1. Aaron consents, and requires their ornaments, Exo 32:2. They deliver them to him, and he makes a molten calf, Exo 32:3, Exo 32:4. He builds an altar before it, Exo 32:5; and the people offer burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, Exo 32:6. The Lord commands Moses to go down, telling him that the people had corrupted themselves, Exo 32:7, Exo 32:8. The Lord is angry, and threatens to destroy them, Exo 32:9, Exo 32:10. Moses intercedes for them, Exo 32:11-13; and the Lord promises to spare them, Exo 32:14. Moses goes down with the tables in his hands, Exo 32:15, Exo 32:16. Joshua, hearing the noise they made at their festival, makes some remarks on it, Exo 32:17, Exo 32:18. Moses, coming to the camp, and seeing their idolatrous worship, is greatly distressed, throws down and breaks the two tables, Exo 32:19. Takes the calf, reduces it to powder, strews it upon the water, and causes them to drink it, Exo 32:20. Moses expostulates with Aaron, Exo 32:21. Aaron vindicates himself, Exo 32:22-24. Moses orders the Levites to slay the transgressors, Exo 32:25-27. They do so, and 3,000 fall, Exo 32:28, Exo 32:29. Moses returns to the Lord on the mount, and makes supplication for the people, Exo 32:30-32. God threatens and yet spares, Exo 32:33. Commands Moses to lead the people, and promises him the direction of an angel, Exo 32:34. The people are plagued because of their sin, Exo 32:35.

Verse 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 - They came in a tumultuous and seditious manner, insisting on having an object of religious worship made for them, as they intended under its direction to return to Egypt. See Act 7:39, Act 7:40.

As for this Moses, the man that brought us up - This seems to be the language of great contempt, and by it we may see the truth of the character given them by Aaron, Exo 32:22, they were set on mischief. It is likely they might have supposed that Moses had perished in the fire, which they saw had invested the top of the mountain into which he went.