Exodus 32:3

3 And all the people took off the golden ear-rings that were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron.

Exodus 32:3 Meaning and 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 {x}, so intent were they upon idolatry. This is to be understood not of every individual, but of the greatest part of the people; so apostle explains it of some of them, ( 1 Corinthians 10:7 ) . Idolaters spare no cost nor pains to support their worship, and will strip themselves, their wives, and children, of their ornaments, to deck their idols; which may shame the worshippers of the true God, who are oftentimes too backward to contribute towards the maintenance of his worship and service:

and brought [them] unto Aaron:
presently, the selfsame day; they soon forgot the commands enjoined them to have no other gods, save one, and to make no graven image to bow down to it, and their own words, ( Exodus 24:7 ) .

---

FOOTNOTES:

F24 So Pirke Eliezer, c. 45.

Exodus 32:3 In-Context

1 And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people combined against Aaron, and said to him, Arise and make us gods who shall go before us; for this Moses, the man who brought us forth out of the land of Egypt—we do not know what is become of him.

2 And Aaron says to them, Take off the golden ear-rings which are in the ears of your wives and daughters, and bring them to me.

3 And all the people took off the golden ear-rings that were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron.

4 And he received them at their hands, and formed them with a graving tool; and he made them a molten calf, and said, These thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

5 And Aaron having seen it built an altar before it, and Aaron made proclamation saying, To-morrow a feast of the Lord.