Exode 32:5

5 Aaron, voyant cela, bâtit un autel devant lui. Puis, Aaron cria et dit: Demain il y aura fête en l'honneur de l'Éternel!

Exode 32:5 Meaning and 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, 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 proclamation, and said, tomorrow [is] a feast to the
Lord;
that is, he gave orders to have it published throughout the camp, there would be solemn sacrifices offered up to the Lord, as represented by this calf, and a feast thereon, which was a public invitation of them to the solemnity: though some think this was a protracting time, and putting the people off till the morrow, who would have been for offering sacrifice immediately, hoping that Moses would come down from the mount before that time, and prevent their idolatry.


FOOTNOTES:

F5 So Pirke Eliezer, c. 45.

Exode 32:5 In-Context

3 Et tous enlevèrent les anneaux d'or qui étaient à leurs oreilles; et ils les apportèrent à Aaron,
4 Qui les prit de leur main, les travailla au ciseau, et en fit un veau de fonte. Alors ils dirent: Voici tes dieux, ô Israël, qui t'ont fait monter du pays d'Égypte.
5 Aaron, voyant cela, bâtit un autel devant lui. Puis, Aaron cria et dit: Demain il y aura fête en l'honneur de l'Éternel!
6 Ils se levèrent donc de bon matin, le lendemain, et ils offrirent des holocaustes, et ils présentèrent des sacrifices de prospérité, et le peuple s'assit pour manger et boire; puis ils se levèrent pour se divertir.
7 Alors l'Éternel dit à Moïse: Va, descends, car ton peuple, que tu as fait monter du pays d'Égypte, s'est corrompu;
The Ostervald translation is in the public domain.