Exodus 32:24

24 To whom I said, Who of you hath gold? They took (And so they brought what they had), and gave (it) to me, and I casted it forth into the fire, and this calf went out.

Exodus 32:24 Meaning and Commentary

Exodus 32:24

And I said unto them, whosoever hath any gold, let them
break it off
That is, any ear rings of gold, let them loose or take them off their ears:

so they gave [it] me;
of their own accord, as if unasked by him, though he had bid them bring it to him, ( Exodus 32:2 ) :

then I cast it into the fire;
to melt it, but says nothing of the mould the melted gold was poured into:

and there came out this calf;
he speaks of it as if the gold became in the form of a calf without any design, or without using any methods to put it in this form; but that it was a matter of chance, or rather something preternatural and miraculous; he speaks of it as if it was alive, and came out of itself: and indeed the Jews represent it as done by magic art, and by the operation of Satan, and speak of it as coming out alive, bellowing and dancing; and the Targum of Jonathan is,

``and I cast it into the fire, and Satan entered into the midst of it, and out of it came the likeness of this calf.''

Aaron says not a word of his fashioning it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf; but Moses learned this elsewhere, and has recorded it. What Moses thought of this apology is not said; it could not be satisfactory to him: and it is certain the conduct of Aaron in this affair was displeasing to God; and it seemed as if he would have destroyed him, had not Moses prayed for him, ( Deuteronomy 9:20 ) .

Exodus 32:24 In-Context

22 To whom he answered, My lord, be not thou wroth (My lord, do not thou be angry), for thou knowest this people, that it is inclined, either ready, to evil;

23 they said to me, Make thou gods to us, that shall go before us, for we wot not, what hath befallen to this Moses, that led us out of the land of Egypt. (they said to me, Make thou gods for us, that shall go before us, for we know not, what hath befallen this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt.)

24 To whom I said, Who of you hath gold? They took (And so they brought what they had), and gave (it) to me, and I casted it forth into the fire, and this calf went out.

25 Therefore Moses saw the people, that it was made bare; for Aaron had spoiled it for the shame of the filth(hood) of making of the idol, and he had made the people naked among (their) enemies. (And so Moses saw that the people were made bare; for Aaron had plundered them for the shame of the filthhood of the making of the idol, and he had made the people look foolish before their enemies.)

26 And Moses stood in the gate of the tents (And Moses stood at the gate of the tents, or of the camp), and said, If any man is of the Lord, be he joined to me; and all the sons of Levi were gathered to him.