Exodus 32:13-23

13 Remebre Abraha, Isaac ad Israel thy servauntes, to who thou sworest by thyne owne selfe ad saidest vnto the: I wil multiplye youre seed as the starres of heauen, ad al this lande which I haue saide, I will geue vnto youre seed: ad they shall eheret it for euer.

14 And the Lorde refrayned him selfe from that euell, which he sayde he wolde do vnto his people.

15 And Moses turned his backe and went doune fro the hyll, and the .ij. tables of witnesse in his hande: which were wrytte on both the leaues

16 and were the worke of God, ad the writige was the writinge of God graue apon the tables.

17 And when Iosua herde the noyse of the people as they shouted, he saide vnto Moses: there is a noyse of warre in the hoste.

18 And he sayde: it is not the crye of the that haue the mastrye, nor of the that haue the worse: but I doo heare the noyse of synginge.

19 And as soone as he came nye vnto the hoste and sawe the calfe and the daunsynge, his wrath waxed hote, and he cast the tables out of his hande, and brake them euen at the hyll fote.

20 And he toke the calfe which they had made ad burned it with fyre, ad stampt it vnto powder and strowed it in the water, and made the childern of Israel drynke.

21 And tha Moses sayde vnto Aaro: what dyd this people vnto the that thou hast brought so great a synne apon them.

22 And Aaron sayde: let not the wrath of my Lorde waxe fearse, thou knowest the people that they are euen sett on myschefe:

23 they sayde vnto me: make us a god to goo before us, for we wote not what is become of Moses the felow that brought us out of the lande of Egipte.

Exodus 32:13-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 32

This chapter gives an account of the idolatry of the Israelites making and worshipping a golden calf, Ex 32:1-6 the information of it God gave to Moses, bidding him at the same time not to make any suit in their favour, that he might consume them, and make a large nation out Moses's family, Ex 32:7-10 the intercession of Moses for them, in which he succeeded, Ex 32:11-14 his descent from the mount with the two tables in his hands, accompanied by Joshua, when he was an eyewitness of their idolatry, which raised his indignation, that he cast the two tables out of his hands and broke them, took the calf and burnt it, and ground it to powder, and made the children of Israel drink of it, Ex 32:15-20 the examination of Aaron about the fact, who excused himself, Ex 32:21-24 the orders given to the Levites, who joined themselves to Moses, to slay every man his brother, which they did to the number of 3000 men, Ex 32:25-29 another intercession for them by Moses, which gained a respite of them for a time, for they are threatened to be visited still for their sin, and they were plagued for it, Ex 32:30-35.