15 Then Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand , tablets which were written on both sides ; they were written on one side and the other . 16 The tablets were God's work , and the writing was God's writing engraved on the tablets . 17 Now when Joshua heard the sound of the people as they shouted , he said to Moses , "There is a sound of war in the camp ." 18 But he said , "It is not the sound of the cry of triumph , Nor is it the sound of the cry of defeat ; But the sound of singing I hear ." 19 It came about, as soon as Moses came near the camp , that he saw the calf and the dancing ; and Moses' anger burned , and he threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain . 20 He took the calf which they had made and burned it with fire , and ground it to powder e , and scattered it over the surface of the water and made the sons of Israel drink it.
21 Then Moses said to Aaron , "What did this people do to you, that you have brought such great sin upon them?" 22 Aaron said , "Do not let the anger of my lord burn ; you know the people yourself , that they are prone to evil . 23 "For they said to me, 'Make a god for us who will go before us; for this Moses , the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt , we do not know what has become of him.' 24 "I said to them, 'Whoever has any gold , let them tear it off .' So they gave it to me, and I threw it into the fire , and out came this calf ." 25 Now when Moses saw that the people were out of control -for Aaron had let them get out of control to be a derision among their enemies - 26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp , and said , "Whoever is for the Lord , come to me!" And all the sons of Levi gathered together to him. 27 He said to them, "Thus says the Lord , the God of Israel , 'Every man of you put his sword upon his thigh , and go e back and forth from gate to gate in the camp , and kill every man his brother , and every man his friend , and every man his neighbor .' " 28 So the sons of Levi did as Moses instructed , and about three thousand men of the people fell that day . 29 Then Moses said , "Dedicate yourselves today to the Lord -for every man has been against his son and against his brother -in order that He may bestow a blessing upon you today ."
30 On the next day Moses said to the people , " You yourselves have committed a great sin ; and now I am going up to the Lord , perhaps I can make atonement for your sin ." 31 Then Moses returned to the Lord , and said , "Alas , this people has committed a great sin , and they have made a god of gold for themselves. 32 "But now , if You will, forgive their sin -and if not, please blot me out from Your book which You have written !" 33 The Lord said to Moses , "Whoever e has sinned against Me, I will blot him out of My book . 34 "But go now , lead the people where e I told you. Behold , My angel shall go before you; nevertheless in the day when I punish , I will punish them for their sin ." 35 Then the Lord smote the people , because e of what they did with the calf which Aaron had made .
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 32:15-35
Commentary on Exodus 32:15-20
(Read Exodus 32:15-20)
What a change it is, to come down from the mount of communion with God, to converse with a wicked world. In God we see nothing but what is pure and pleasing; in the world nothing but what is sinful and provoking. That it might appear an idol is nothing in the world, Moses ground the calf to dust. Mixing this powder with their drink, signified that the backslider in heart should be filled with his own ways.
Commentary on Exodus 32:21-29
(Read Exodus 32:21-29)
Never did any wise man make a more frivolous and foolish excuse than that of Aaron. We must never be drawn into sin by any thing man can say or do to us; for men can but tempt us to sin, they cannot force us. The approach of Moses turned the dancing into trembling. They were exposed to shame by their sin. The course Moses took to roll away this reproach, was, not by concealing the sin, or putting any false colour upon it, but by punishing it. The Levites were to slay the ringleaders in this wickedness; yet none were executed but those who openly stood forth. Those are marked for ruin who persist in sin: those who in the morning were shouting and dancing, before night were dying. Such sudden changes do the judgments of the Lord sometimes make with sinners that are secure and jovial in their sin.
Commentary on Exodus 32:30-35
(Read Exodus 32:30-35)
Moses calls it a great sin. The work of ministers is to show people the greatness of their sins. The great evil of sin appears in the price of pardon. Moses pleads with God for mercy; he came not to make excuses, but to make atonement. We are not to suppose that Moses means that he would be willing to perish for ever, for the people's sake. We are to love our neighbour as ourselves, and not more than ourselves. But having that mind which was in Christ, he was willing to lay down his life in the most painful manner, if he might thereby preserve the people. Moses could not wholly turn away the wrath of God; which shows that the law of Moses was not able to reconcile men to God, and to perfect our peace with him. In Christ alone, God so pardons sin as to remember it no more. From this history we see, that no unhumbled, carnal heart, can long endure the holy precepts, the humbling truths, and the spiritual worship of God. But a god, a priest, a worship, a doctrine, and a sacrifice, suited to the carnal mind, will ever meet with abundance of worshippers. The very gospel itself may be so perverted as to suit a worldly taste. Well is it for us, that the Prophet like unto Moses, but who is beyond compare more powerful and merciful, has made atonement for our souls, and now intercedes in our behalf. Let us rejoice in his grace.