Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, November 5th, 2025
the Week of Proper 26 / Ordinary 31
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Geneva Bible

Exodus 32:2

And Aaron said vnto them, Plucke off the golden earings, which are in the eares of your wiues, of your sonnes, and of your daughters, and bring them vnto me.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Ear-Ring;   Falsehood;   Feasts;   Quotations and Allusions;   Thompson Chain Reference - Aaron;   Adorning;   Earrings;   Ornaments;   The Topic Concordance - Idolatry;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Calf of Gold;   Idolatry;   Offence;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Aaron;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Israel;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Earrings;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Exodus, Book of;   Golden Calf;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Aaron;   Anger (Wrath) of God;   Calf, Golden;   Exodus;   Moses;   Ornaments;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Sanhedrin;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Calf, Golden;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Calf;   Plagues of egypt;   Table;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Aaron;   Calf;   Earring;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Earrings;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Moses;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Events of the Encampment;   Priesthood, the;   On to Canaan;   Moses, the Man of God;   Law of Moses, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Amulet;   Gold;   Moses;   Nose-Jewels;   Ornament;   Sacrifice;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Aaron;   Amulet;   Earring;   Sacrifice;  

Parallel Translations

Hebrew Names Version
Aharon said to them, "Take off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them to me."
King James Version
And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
Lexham English Bible
And Aaron said to them, "Take off the rings of gold that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring it to me."
New Century Version
Aaron said to the people, "Take off the gold earrings that your wives, sons, and daughters are wearing, and bring them to me."
New English Translation
So Aaron said to them, "Break off the gold earrings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me."
Amplified Bible
So Aaron replied to them, "Take off the gold rings that are in the ears of your wives, your sons and daughters, and bring them to me."
New American Standard Bible
Aaron said to them, "Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me."
Legacy Standard Bible
And Aaron said to them, "Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me."
Contemporary English Version
Aaron told them, "Bring me the gold earrings that your wives and sons and daughters are wearing."
Complete Jewish Bible
Aharon said to them, "Have your wives, sons and daughters strip off their gold earrings; and bring them to me."
Darby Translation
And Aaron said to them, Break off the golden rings that are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring [them] to me.
Easy-to-Read Version
Aaron said to the people, "Bring me the gold earrings that belong to your wives, sons, and daughters."
English Standard Version
So Aaron said to them, "Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me."
George Lamsa Translation
And Aaron said to them, Remove the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them to me.
Good News Translation
Aaron said to them, "Take off the gold earrings which your wives, your sons, and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me."
Christian Standard Bible®
Aaron replied to them, “Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters and bring them to me.”
Literal Translation
And Aaron said to them, Break off the rings of gold which are in the ears of your wives, your sons and your daughters; and bring them to me.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Aaron sayde vnto them: Plucke of the golden earynges from the eares of youre wyues, of yor sonnes, & of yor doughters, & brynge them vnto me.
American Standard Version
And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
Bible in Basic English
Then Aaron said to them, Take off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives and your sons and your daughters, and give them to me.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Aaron sayd vnto them: Plucke of the golden earynges which are in the eares of your wiues, of your sonnes, & of your daughters, & bring them vnto me.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And Aaron said unto them: 'Break off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.'
King James Version (1611)
And Aaron saide vnto them, Breake off the golden earerings which are in the eares of your wiues, of your sonnes, and of your daughters, and bring them vnto me.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
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.
English Revised Version
And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
Berean Standard Bible
So Aaron told them, "Take off the gold earrings that are on your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And Aaron seide to hem, Take ye the goldun eere ryngis fro the eeris of youre wyues, and of sones and douytris, and brynge ye to me.
Young's Literal Translation
And Aaron saith unto them, `Break off the rings of gold which [are] in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring in unto me;'
Update Bible Version
And Aaron said to them, Break off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them to me.
Webster's Bible Translation
And Aaron said to them, Break off the golden ear-rings which [are] in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring [them] to me.
World English Bible
Aaron said to them, "Take off the golden rings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them to me."
New King James Version
And Aaron said to them, "Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me."
New Living Translation
So Aaron said, "Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me."
New Life Bible
Aaron said to them, "Take the objects of gold from the ears of your wives, your sons and your daughters, and bring them to me."
New Revised Standard
Aaron said to them, "Take off the gold rings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And Aaron said unto them, Break off the rings of gold, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons and of your daughters, - and bring them unto me.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And Aaron said to them: Take the golden earrings from the ears of your wives, and your sons and daughters, and bring them to me.
Revised Standard Version
And Aaron said to them, "Take off the rings of gold which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me."
THE MESSAGE
So Aaron told them, "Take off the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters and bring them to me." They all did it; they removed the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. He took the gold from their hands and cast it in the form of a calf, shaping it with an engraving tool. The people responded with enthusiasm: "These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up from Egypt!"
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Aaron said to them, "Tear off the gold rings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me."

Contextual Overview

1 Bvt when the people sawe, that Moses taryed long or he came downe from the mountaine, the people gathered themselues together against Aaron, and sayde vnto him, Vp, make vs gods to goe before vs: for of this Moses (the man that brought vs out of the land of Egypt) we knowe not what is become of him. 2 And Aaron said vnto them, Plucke off the golden earings, which are in the eares of your wiues, of your sonnes, and of your daughters, and bring them vnto me. 3 Then all ye people pluckt fro them selues the golden earings, which were in their eares, and they brought them vnto Aaron. 4 Who receiued them at their handes, and facioned it with the grauing toole, & made of it a molte calfe: then they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee out of ye lad of Egypt 5 When Aaron sawe that, he made an Altar before it: and Aaron proclaimed, saying, To morow shalbe the holy day of the Lord. 6 So they rose vp the next day in the morning, and offred burnt offerings, & brought peace offrings: also the people sate them downe to eate and drinke, and rose vp to play.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Exodus 12:35, Exodus 12:36, Genesis 24:22, Genesis 24:47, Judges 8:24-27, Ezekiel 16:11, Ezekiel 16:12, Ezekiel 16:17, Hosea 2:8

Reciprocal: Genesis 35:4 - earrings Exodus 11:2 - jewels Exodus 23:23 - mine Angel Deuteronomy 9:20 - General Psalms 99:8 - though Ecclesiastes 4:10 - if Isaiah 3:20 - the earrings Isaiah 30:22 - thy graven images of silver Isaiah 40:19 - General Isaiah 46:6 - lavish Daniel 3:1 - made Acts 7:41 - they Hebrews 5:2 - is compassed 1 Peter 3:3 - that

Cross-References

Genesis 32:26
And he saide, Let me goe, for the morning appeareth. Who answered, I will not let thee go except thou blesse me.
Genesis 32:27
Then said he vnto him, What is thy name? And he said, Iaakob.
Joshua 5:14
And he said, Nay, but as a captaine of the host of the Lorde am I nowe come: then Ioshua fel on his face to the earth, and did worship, & saide vnto him, What sayth my Lorde vnto his seruant?
Joshua 21:38
And out of the tribe of Gad they gaue for a citie of refuge for the slaier, Ramoth in Gilead wt her suburbes, and Mahanaim with her suburbes,
2 Samuel 2:8
But Abner the sonne of Ner that was captaine of Sauls hoste, tooke Ish-bosheth the sonne of Saul, and brought him to Mahanaim,
2 Samuel 2:12
And Abner the sonne of Ner, and the seruantes of Ish-bosheth the sonne of Saul went out of Mahanaim to Gibeon.
2 Samuel 17:24
Then Dauid came to Mahanaim. And Absalom passed ouer Iorden, he, and all the men of Israel with him.
1 Kings 2:8
And beholde, with thee is Shimei the sonne of Gera, the sonne of Iemini, of Bahurim, which cursed mee with an horrible curse in the day when I went to Mahanaim: but hee came downe to meete me at Iorden, & I sware to him by the Lorde, saying, I will not slay thee with the sword.
1 Kings 4:14
Ahinadab the sonne of Iddo had to Mahanaim:
2 Kings 6:17
Then Elisha prayed, and saide, Lorde, I beseech thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lorde opened the eyes of the seruant, and he looked, and beholde, the mountaine was full of horses and charets of fyre round about Elisha.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And Aaron said unto them,.... Perceiving that they were not to be dissuaded from their evil counsel, and diverted from their purpose, but were determined at all events to have an image made to represent God unto them in a visible manner:

break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters; these were some of the jewels in gold they had borrowed of the Egyptians; and it seems that, in those times and countries, men, as well as women, used to wear earrings, and so Pliny w says, in the eastern countries men used to wear gold in their ears; and this may be confirmed from the instance of the Ishmaelites and Midianites, Judges 8:24. Aaron did not ask the men for theirs, but for those of their wives and children; it may be, because he might suppose they were more fond of them, and would not so easily part with them, hoping by this means to have put them off of their design:

and bring [them] unto me; to make a god of, as they desired, that is, the representation of one.

w Nat. Hist. l. 11. c. 37.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

In all probability these three chapters originally formed a distinct composition. The main incidents recorded in them follow in the order of time, and are therefore in their proper place as regards historical sequence.

The golden calf - The people had, to a great extent, lost the patriarchal faith, and were but imperfectly instructed in the reality of a personal unseen God. Being disappointed at the long absence of Moses, they seem to have imagined that he had deluded them, and had probably been destroyed amidst the thunders of the mountain Exodus 24:15-18. Accordingly, they gave way to their superstitious fears and fell back upon that form of idolatry which was most familiar to them (see Exodus 32:4 note). The narrative of the circumstances is more briefly given by Moses at a later period in one of his addresses to the people Deuteronomy 9:8-21, Deuteronomy 9:25-29; Deuteronomy 10:1-5, Deuteronomy 10:8-11. It is worthy of remark, that Josephus, in his very characteristic chapter on the giving of the law, says nothing whatever of this act of apostacy, though he relates that Moses twice ascended the mountain.

Exodus 32:1

Unto Aaron - The chief authority during the absence of Moses was committed to Aaron and Hur Exodus 24:14.

Make us gods - The substantive אלהים 'elôhı̂ym is plural in form and may denote gods. But according to the Hebrew idiom, the meaning need not be plural, and hence, the word is used as the common designation of the true God (Genesis 1:1, etc. See Exodus 21:6 note). It here denotes a god, and should be so rendered.

Exodus 32:2

Break off the golden earrings - It has been very generally held from early times, that Aaron did not willingly lend himself to the mad design of the multitude; but that, overcome by their importunity, he asked them to give up such possessions as he knew they would not willingly part with, in the hope of putting a check on them. Assuming this to have been his purpose, he took a wrong measure of their fanaticism, for all the people made the sacrifice at once Exodus 32:3. His weakness, in any case, was unpardonable and called for the intercession of Moses Deuteronomy 9:20.

Exodus 32:4

The sense approved by most modern critics is: and he received the gold at their hand and collected it in a bag and made it a molten calf. The Israelites must have been familiar with the ox-worship of the Egyptians; perhaps many of them had witnessed the rites of Mnevis at Heliopolis, almost; on the borders of the land of Goshen, and they could not have been unacquainted with the more famous rites of Apis at Memphis. It is expressly said that they yielded to the idolatry of Egypt while they were in bondage Joshua 24:14; Ezekiel 20:8; Ezekiel 23:3, Ezekiel 23:8; and this is in keeping with the earliest Jewish tradition (Philo). In the next verse, Aaron appears to speak of the calf as if it was a representative of Yahweh - “Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.” The Israelites did not, it should be noted, worship a living Mnevis, or Apis, having a proper name, but only the golden type of the animal. The mystical notions connected with the ox by the Egyptian priests may have possessed their minds, and, when expressed in this modified and less gross manner, may have been applied to the Lord, who had really delivered them out of the hand of the Egyptians. Their sin then lay, not in their adopting another god, but in their pretending to worship a visible symbol of Him whom no symbol could represent. The close connection between the calves of Jeroboam and this calf is shown by the repetition of the formula, “which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt” 1 Kings 12:28.

These be thy gods - This is thy god. See Exodus 32:1 note.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Exodus 32:2. Golden ear-rings — Both men and women wore these ornaments, and we may suppose that these were a part of the spoils which they brought out of Egypt. How strange, that the very things which were granted them by an especial influence and providence of God, should be now abused to the basest idolatrous purposes! But it is frequently the case that the gifts of God become desecrated by being employed in the service of sin; I will curse your blessings, saith the Lord, Malachi 2:2.


 
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