Focused Passage

Exodus 32:30-35

The Golden Calf: Covenant Rebellion, Intercession, Judgment, and Mercy

The chapter moves from Israel’s demand for a visible god, to Aaron’s making of the golden calf, to idolatrous worship and revelry, to the LORD’s declaration of Israel’s corruption, to Moses’ intercession, to Moses’ descent and shattering of the tablets, to judgment in the camp, to Moses’ second intercession, and finally to the LORD’s warning that sin will be punished even as Israel continues forward.

Berean Standard Bible, Public Domain - Translation notes - Reference sources

30 The next day Moses said to the people, “You have committed a great sin. Now I will go up to the LORD; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.”

31 So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made gods of gold for themselves.

32 Yet now, if You would only forgive their sin.... But if not, please blot me out of the book that You have written.”

33 The LORD replied to Moses, “Whoever has sinned against Me, I will blot out of My book.

34 Now go, lead the people to the place I described. Behold, My angel shall go before you. But on the day I settle accounts, I will punish them for their sin.”

35 And the LORD sent a plague on the people because of what they had done with the calf that Aaron had made.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 30

Original words

- וַיְהִי֙ H1961 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular The next day מִֽמָּחֳרָ֔ת H4283 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular Moses מֹשֶׁה֙ H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיֹּ֤אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the people הָעָ֔ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular You אַתֶּ֥ם H859 Pronoun - second person masculine plural have committed חֲטָאתֶ֖ם H2398 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine plural a great גְדֹלָ֑ה H1419 Adjective - feminine singular sin חֲטָאָ֣ה H2401 Noun - feminine singular Now וְעַתָּה֙ H6258 Conjunctive waw | Adverb I will go up אֶֽעֱלֶ֣ה H5927 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the LORD יְהוָ֔ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular perhaps אוּלַ֥י H194 Adverb I can make atonement אֲכַפְּרָ֖ה H3722 Verb - Piel - Imperfect Cohortative - first person common singular for בְּעַ֥ד H1157 Preposition your sin חַטַּאתְכֶֽם׃ H2403 Noun - feminine singular construct | second person masculine plural
Verse 31

Original words

So Moses מֹשֶׁ֛ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular returned וַיָּ֧שָׁב H7725 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular and said וַיֹּאמַ֑ר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular Oh אָ֣נָּ֗א H577 Interjection what a great גְדֹלָ֔ה H1419 Adjective - feminine singular sin חֲטָאָ֣ה H2401 Noun - feminine singular these הַזֶּה֙ H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular people הָעָ֤ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular have committed חָטָ֞א H2398 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular They have made וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֥וּ H6213 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural gods אֱלֹהֵ֥י H430 Noun - masculine plural construct of gold זָהָֽב׃ H2091 Noun - masculine singular for themselves לָהֶ֖ם Preposition | third person masculine plural
Verse 32

Original words

Yet now וְעַתָּ֖ה H6258 Conjunctive waw | Adverb if אִם־ H518 Conjunction You would only forgive תִּשָּׂ֣א H5375 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular their sin חַטָּאתָ֑ם H2403 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural But if וְאִם־ H518 Conjunction not אַ֕יִן H369 Adverb please נָ֔א H4994 Interjection blot me מְחֵ֣נִי H4229 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular | first person common singular out of the book מִֽסִּפְרְךָ֖ H5612 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular that אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative You have written כָּתָֽבְתָּ׃ H3789 Verb - Qal - Perfect - second person masculine singular
Verse 33

Original words

The LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular replied וַיֹּ֥אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Moses מֹשֶׁ֑ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular Whoever מִ֚י H4310 Interrogative - אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative has sinned חָֽטָא־ H2398 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular against Me לִ֔י Preposition | first person common singular I will blot out אֶמְחֶ֖נּוּ H4229 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular | third person masculine singular of My book מִסִּפְרִֽי׃ H5612 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular
Verse 34

Original words

Now וְעַתָּ֞ה H6258 Conjunctive waw | Adverb go לֵ֣ךְ׀ H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular lead נְחֵ֣ה H5148 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker the people הָעָ֗ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular to [the place] אֶ֤ל H413 Preposition - אֲשֶׁר־ H834 Pronoun - relative I described דִּבַּ֙רְתִּי֙ H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular - לָ֔ךְ Preposition | second person masculine singular Behold הִנֵּ֥ה H2009 Interjection My angel מַלְאָכִ֖י H4397 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular shall go יֵלֵ֣ךְ H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular before you לְפָנֶ֑יךָ H6440 Preposition-l | Noun - common plural construct | second person masculine singular But on the day וּבְי֣וֹם H3117 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct I settle accounts פָּקְדִ֔י H6485 Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct | first person common singular I will punish them וּפָקַדְתִּ֥י H6485 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - first person common singular . . . עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם H5921 Preposition | third person masculine plural for their sin חַטָּאתָֽם׃ H2403 Noun - feminine singular construct | third person masculine plural
Verse 35

Original words

And the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker sent a plague וַיִּגֹּ֥ף H5062 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular on the people הָעָ֑ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular because of עַ֚ל H5921 Preposition what אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative they had done עָשׂ֣וּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker with the calf הָעֵ֔גֶל H5695 Article | Noun - masculine singular that אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative Aaron אַהֲרֹֽן׃ס H175 Noun - proper - masculine singular had made עָשָׂ֖ה H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular

Berean Standard Bible (BSB): CC0 Public Domain Scripture text. Focused passages are drawn from the same reader contract as the full chapter. Reference sources explains external study-link sources.