Exodus 32:9-19

9 And again the Lord said to Moses, I see [well], that this people is of hard noll; (And the Lord said to Moses, now I clearly see, that this is a hard-headed, or a stubborn, people;)

10 suffer thou me, that my strong vengeance be wroth against them, and that I do away them; and I shall make thee into a great folk. (allow me, that my strong anger come forth in vengeance against them, and that I do them away; and then I shall make a great nation to come forth from thee.)

11 Forsooth Moses prayed the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why is thy vengeance wroth against thy people, whom thou hast led out of the land of Egypt in great strength, and in a strong hand? (But Moses prayed to the Lord his God, and said, Lord, why be thou so angry for vengeance against thy people, whom thou hast led out of the land of Egypt with great strength, and with a strong hand?)

12 I beseech (thee), that [the] Egyptians say not, He led them out fellily (He led them out with an evil intent), to slay (them) in the hills, and to do them away from [the] earth; (let) thine ire cease, and be thou quemeful on the wickedness of thy people.

13 Have thou mind of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Israel, thy servants, to which thou hast sworn by thyself, and saidest, I shall multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and I shall give to your seed all the land of which I spake, and ye shall wield it ever[more]. (Remember Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, thy servants, to whom thou hast sworn by thy own self, and saidest, I shall multiply your descendants like the stars of the heavens, and I shall give to your descendants all the land of which I spoke, and ye shall possess it forevermore.)

14 And the Lord was pleased (with Moses? words), (so) that he did not (do) the evil which he spake against his people.

15 And Moses turned again from the hill, and bare in his hand(s) (the) two tables of witnessing, written in either side, (And then Moses turned, and went down from the mountain, and carried in his hands the two tablets of the Witnessing, written on both sides,)

16 and made by the work of God; and the writing of God was graven in the tables. (and made by God's work; and God's writing was engraved on the tablets.)

17 Forsooth Joshua heard the noise of the people crying [out], and he said to Moses, (The) Yelling of fighting is heard in the tents.

18 To whom Moses answered, It is not a cry of men exciting to battle, neither the cry of men compelled to fleeing, but I hear the voice(s) of singers.

19 And when Moses had nighed to the tents, he saw the calf, and (the) dances; and he was wroth greatly, and he threw out of his hand(s) the tables, and he brake them at the roots of the hill. (And when Moses came close to the tents, he saw the calf, and the people dancing; and he was greatly angered, and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and he broke them at the foot of the mountain.)

Exodus 32:9-19 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.