CHAPTER XXXII _The Israelites, finding that Moses delayed his return, desire_ _Aaron to make them gods to go before them_, 1. _Aaron consents, and requires their ornaments_, 2. _They deliver them to him, and he makes a_ molten calf, 3, 4. _He builds an altar before it_, 5; _and the people offe... [ Continue Reading ]
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 t... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:3. _AND ALL THE PEOPLE BRAKE OFF THE GOLDEN EAR-RINGS_] The human being is naturally _fond of dress_, though this has been improperly attributed to the female sex alone, and those are most fond of it who have the shallowest capacities; but on this occasion the _bent_ of the people to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:4. _FASHIONED IT WITH A GRAVING TOOL_] There has been much controversy about the meaning of the word חרט _cheret_ in the text: some make it a _mould_, others a _garment, cloth_, or _apron_; some a _purse_ or _bag_, and others a _graver_. It is likely that some _mould_ was made on thi... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:5. _TO-MORROW_ IS _A FEAST TO THE LORD_] In Bengal the officiating _Brahmin_, or an appointed person proclaims, "To-morrow, or on -- day of -- , such a ceremony will be performed!... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:6. _THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND TO DRINK_] The burnt-offerings were wholly consumed; the peace-offerings, when the blood bad been poured out, became the food of the priests, c. When therefore the strictly religious part of these ceremonies was finished, the _people sat down to eat... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:7. _THY PEOPLE - HAVE CORRUPTED THEMSELVES_] They had not only got into the spirit of idolatry, but they had become abominable in their conduct, so that God _disowns_ them to be his: THY _people_ have broken the covenant, and are no longer entitled to _my_ protection and love. This... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:9. _A STIFF-NECKED PEOPLE_] Probably an allusion to the stiff-necked ox, the object of their worship.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:10. _NOW THEREFORE LET ME ALONE_] Moses had already begun to plead with God in the behalf of this rebellious and ungrateful people; and so powerful was his intercession that even the Omnipotent represents himself as incapable of doing any thing in the way of judgment, unless his crea... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:14. _AND THE LORD REPENTED OF THE EVIL_] This is spoken merely after the manner of men who, having formed a purpose, permit themselves to be diverted from it by strong and forcible reasons, and so change their minds relative to their former intentions.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:15. _THE TABLES WERE WRITTEN ON BOTH THEIR SIDES_] If we take this literally, it was certainly a very unusual thing; for in ancient times the two sides of the same substance were never written over. However, some rabbins suppose that by the _writing_ _on both sides_ is meant the let... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:16. _THE TABLES WERE THE WORK OF GOD_] Because _such_ a law could proceed from none but himself; God alone is the fountain and author of LAW, of what is _right, just, holy_, and _good_. See the meaning of the word LAW, Exodus 12:49. Exodus 12:49. _THE WRITING_ WAS _THE WRITING OF G... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:17. _JOSHUA - SAID - _THERE IS _A NOISE OF WAR IN THE CAMP._] How natural was this thought to the mind of a military man! Hearing a confused noise he supposed that the Israelitish camp had been attacked by some of the neighbouring tribes.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:18. _AND HE SAID_] That is, Moses returned this answer to the observations of Joshua.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:19. _HE SAW THE CALF, AND THE DANCING_] Dancing before the idol takes place in almost every Hindoo idolatrous feast.-_Ward_. _HE CAST THE TABLES OUT OF HIS HANDS, AND BRAKE THEM_] He might have done this through distress and anguish of spirit, on beholding their abominable idolatry... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:20. _HE TOOK THE CALF-AND BURNT - AND GROUND IT TO POWDER,_ _ C._] How truly contemptible must the object of their idolatry appear when they were obliged to drink their god, reduced to powder and strewed on the water! "But," says an objector, "how could _gold_, the most _ductile_ of... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:21. _WHAT DID THIS PEOPLE UNTO THEE._] It seems if Aaron had been _firm_, this evil might have been prevented.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:22. _THOU KNOWEST THE PEOPLE_] He excuses himself by the _wicked_ and _seditious_ spirit of the people, intimating that he was _obliged_ to accede to their desires.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:24. _I CAST IT INTO THE FIRE AND THERE CAME OUT THIS CALF._] What a silly and ridiculous subterfuge! He seems to insinuate that he only threw the metal into the fire, and that the calf came unexpectedly out by mere accident. The Targum of Jonathan ben Uzziel makes a similar excuse fo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:25. _MOSES SAW THAT THE PEOPLE WERE NAKED_] They were stripped, says the Targum, of the holy crown that was upon their heads, on which the great and precious name [Ancient Hebrew] JEHOVAH was engraved. But it is more likely that the word פרע _parua_ implies that they were reduced to... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:26. _WHO_ IS _ON THE LORD'S SIDE?_] That is, Who among you is free from this transgression? _AND ALL THE SONS OF LEVI, C._] It seems they had no part in this idolatrous business.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:27. _FROM GATE TO GATE_] It is probable that there was an enclosed or intrenched camp, in which the chief rulers and heads of the people were, and that this camp had _two gates_ or _outlets_; and the Levites were commanded to pass from one to the other, slaying as many of the transgr... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:28. _THERE FELL ABOUT THREE THOUSAND MEN._] These were no doubt the chief transgressors; having broken the covenant by having _other gods besides Jehovah_, they lost the Divine protection, and then the justice of God laid hold on and slew them. Moses doubtless had positive orders fro... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:29. _FOR MOSES HAD SAID, CONSECRATE YOURSELVES_] Fill your hands to the Lord. See the reason of this form of speech in _Clarke's note on "_Exodus 29:19_"_.... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:31. _MOSES RETURNED UNTO THE LORD_] Before he went down from the mountain God had acquainted him with the general defection of the people, whereupon he immediately, without knowing the extent of their crime, began to make intercession for them; and God, having given him a _general_... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:32. _FORGIVE THEIR SIN---; AND IF NOT_, _BLOT ME--- OUT OF_ _THY BOOK_] It is probable that one part of Moses' work during the forty days of his residence on the mount with God, was his regulating the _muster-roll_ of all the tribes and families of Israel, in reference to the parts... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:33. _WHOSOEVER HATH SINNED AGAINST ME, HIM WILL I BLOT OUT_] As if the Divine Being had said: "All my conduct is regulated by infinite justice and righteousness: in no case shall the _innocent_ ever suffer for the guilty. That no man may transgress through ignorance, I have given yo... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:34. _LEAD THE PEOPLE UNTO_ THE PLACE] The word _place_ is not in the text, and is with great propriety omitted. For Moses never led this people into that place, they all died in the wilderness except Joshua and Caleb; but Moses led them _towards_ the place, and thus the particle אל _... [ Continue Reading ]
Verse Exodus 32:35. _THE LORD PLAGUED THE PEOPLE_] Every time they transgressed afterwards Divine justice seems to have remembered this transgression against them. The Jews have a metaphorical saying, apparently founded on this text: "No affliction has ever happened to Israel in which there was not... [ Continue Reading ]