Study Desk

Aaron saw all these things, so he built an altar in front of the calf. Then Aaron made an announcement. He said, "Tomorrow will be a special festival to honor the Lord ."

So now let me destroy them in anger. Then I will make a great nation from you."

But if you destroy your people, the Egyptians will say, ‘God planned to do bad things to his people. That is why he led them out of Egypt. He wanted to kill them in the mountains. He wanted to wipe them off the earth.' So don't be angry with your people. Please change your mind! Don't destroy them.

So the Lord felt sorry for the people. He did not do what he said he might do—he did not destroy them.

The people said to me, ‘Moses led us out of Egypt, but we don't know what has happened to him. So make us some gods to lead us.'

So I told the people, ‘If you have any gold rings, then give them to me.' The people gave me their gold. I threw the gold into the fire, and out of the fire came this calf!"

So Moses stood at the entrance to the camp and said, "Anyone who wants to follow the Lord should come to me." Everyone from the tribe of Levi ran to Moses.

The next morning Moses told the people, "You have committed a terrible sin! But now I will go up to the Lord , and maybe I can do something so that he will forgive you for your sin."

So Moses went back to the Lord and said, "Please listen! These people committed a terrible sin and made a god from gold.

So now, go down and lead the people where I tell you to go. My angel will go before you and lead you. When the time comes to punish those who sinned, they will be punished."

So the Lord caused a terrible sickness to come to the people. He did this because they told Aaron to make the golden calf.

So I will send an angel to go before you, and I will defeat the Canaanites, Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites. I will force them to leave your land.

So go to the land filled with many good things, but I will not go with you. You people are very stubborn. If I go with you, I might destroy you along the way."

The people heard this bad news and became very sad, so they stopped wearing jewelry.

This was because the Lord said to Moses, "Tell the Israelites, ‘You are a stubborn people. I might destroy you even if I travel with you only a short time. So take off all your jewelry while I decide what to do with you.'"

So the Israelites stopped wearing their jewelry at Mount Horeb.

So when the people saw the cloud at the entrance of the tent, they would go to the entrance of their own tents and bow down to worship God.

Then the Lord answered, "I will show my love and mercy to anyone I want to. So I will cause my perfect goodness to pass by in front of you, and I will speak my name, Yahweh , so that you can hear it.

So Moses made two more stone tablets like the first ones. Early the next morning Moses went up Mount Sinai, just as the Lord had commanded. Moses carried the two stone tablets with him.

So destroy their altars, break the stones they worship, and cut down their idols.