Focused Passage

Exodus 32:7-14

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

7 Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go down at once, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves.

8 How quickly they have turned aside from the way that I commanded them! They have made for themselves a molten calf and have bowed down to it. They have sacrificed to it and said, ‘These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.’”

9 The LORD also said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and they are indeed a stiff-necked people.

10 Now leave Me alone, so that My anger may burn against them and consume them. Then I will make you into a great nation.”

11 But Moses sought the favor of the LORD his God, saying, “O LORD, why does Your anger burn against Your people, whom You brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand?

12 Why should the Egyptians declare, ‘He brought them out with evil intent, to kill them in the mountains and wipe them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce anger and relent from doing harm to Your people.

13 Remember Your servants Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, to whom You swore by Your very self when You declared, ‘I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky, and I will give your descendants all this land that I have promised, and it shall be their inheritance forever.’”

14 So the LORD relented from the calamity He had threatened to bring on His people.

Study Helps

References and Original Words

Verse 7

Original words

Then the LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular said וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר H1696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Moses מֹשֶׁ֑ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular Go down at once לֶךְ־ H1980 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular . . . רֵ֕ד H3381 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular for כִּ֚י H3588 Conjunction your people עַמְּךָ֔ H5971 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular whom אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative you brought up הֶעֱלֵ֖יתָ H5927 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular out of the land מֵאֶ֥רֶץ H776 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct of Egypt מִצְרָֽיִם׃ H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular have corrupted themselves שִׁחֵ֣ת H7843 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Verse 8

Original words

How quickly they have מַהֵ֗ר H4118 Adverb turned aside סָ֣רוּ H5493 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural from מִן־ H4480 Preposition the way הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ H1870 Article | Noun - common singular that אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative I commanded them צִוִּיתִ֔ם H6680 Verb - Piel - Perfect - first person common singular | third person masculine plural They have made עָשׂ֣וּ H6213 Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural for themselves לָהֶ֔ם Preposition | third person masculine plural a molten מַסֵּכָ֑ה H4541 Noun - feminine singular calf עֵ֖גֶל H5695 Noun - masculine singular and have bowed down וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־ H7812 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural to it לוֹ֙ Preposition | third person masculine singular They have sacrificed וַיִּזְבְּחוּ־ H2076 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural to it ל֔וֹ Preposition | third person masculine singular and said וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural These אֵ֤לֶּה H428 Pronoun - common plural O Israel יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל H3478 Noun - proper - masculine singular are your gods אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular who אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative brought you up הֶֽעֱל֖וּךָ H5927 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person common plural | second person masculine singular out of the land מֵאֶ֥רֶץ H776 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct of Egypt מִצְרָֽיִם׃ H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular
Verse 9

Original words

The LORD יְהוָ֖ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular also said וַיֹּ֥אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular to אֶל־ H413 Preposition Moses מֹשֶׁ֑ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular I have seen רָאִ֙יתִי֙ H7200 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker this הַזֶּ֔ה H2088 Article | Pronoun - masculine singular people הָעָ֣ם H5971 Article | Noun - masculine singular and they הֽוּא׃ H1931 Pronoun - third person masculine singular are indeed וְהִנֵּ֥ה H2009 Conjunctive waw | Interjection a stiff-necked קְשֵׁה־ H7186 Adjective - masculine singular construct . . . עֹ֖רֶף H6203 Noun - masculine singular people עַם־ H5971 Noun - masculine singular
Verse 10

Original words

Now וְעַתָּה֙ H6258 Conjunctive waw | Adverb leave Me לִּ֔י Preposition | first person common singular alone הַנִּ֣יחָה H5117 Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular | third person feminine singular so that My anger אַפִּ֥י H639 Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common singular may burn וְיִֽחַר־ H2734 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Jussive - third person masculine singular against them בָהֶ֖ם Preposition | third person masculine plural and consume them וַאֲכַלֵּ֑ם H3615 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular | third person masculine plural Then I will make וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה H6213 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common singular you אוֹתְךָ֖ H853 Direct object marker | second person masculine singular into a great גָּדֽוֹל׃ H1419 Adjective - masculine singular nation לְג֥וֹי H1471 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 11

Original words

But Moses מֹשֶׁ֔ה H4872 Noun - proper - masculine singular - אֶת־ H853 Direct object marker sought the favor וַיְחַ֣ל H2470 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular . . . פְּנֵ֖י H6440 Noun - common plural construct of the LORD יְהוָ֣ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular his God אֱלֹהָ֑יו H430 Noun - masculine plural construct | third person masculine singular saying וַיֹּ֗אמֶר H559 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular O LORD יְהוָה֙ H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular why לָמָ֤ה H4100 Interrogative does Your anger אַפְּךָ֙ H639 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular burn יֶחֱרֶ֤ה H2734 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular against Your people בְּעַמֶּ֔ךָ H5971 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular whom אֲשֶׁ֤ר H834 Pronoun - relative You brought הוֹצֵ֙אתָ֙ H3318 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - second person masculine singular out of the land מֵאֶ֣רֶץ H776 Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct of Egypt מִצְרַ֔יִם H4714 Noun - proper - feminine singular with great גָּד֖וֹל H1419 Adjective - masculine singular power בְּכֹ֥חַ H3581 Preposition-b | Noun - masculine singular and a mighty חֲזָקָֽה׃ H2389 Adjective - feminine singular hand וּבְיָ֥ד H3027 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b | Noun - feminine singular
Verse 12

Original words

Why לָמָּה֩ H4100 Interrogative should the Egyptians declare יֹאמְר֨וּ H559 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine plural . . . מִצְרַ֜יִם H4713 Noun - proper - feminine singular . . . לֵאמֹ֗ר H559 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct He brought them out הֽוֹצִיאָם֙ H3318 Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular | third person masculine plural with evil intent בְּרָעָ֤ה H7451 Preposition-b | Adjective - feminine singular to kill לַהֲרֹ֤ג H2026 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct them אֹתָם֙ H853 Direct object marker | third person masculine plural in the mountains בֶּֽהָרִ֔ים H2022 Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine plural and wipe them וּ֨לְכַלֹּתָ֔ם H3615 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Verb - Piel - Infinitive construct | third person masculine plural from מֵעַ֖ל H5921 Preposition-m the face פְּנֵ֣י H6440 Noun - common plural construct of the earth הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה H127 Article | Noun - feminine singular Turn שׁ֚וּב H7725 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular from Your fierce מֵחֲר֣וֹן H2740 Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct anger אַפֶּ֔ךָ H639 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular and relent וְהִנָּחֵ֥ם H5162 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Imperative - masculine singular from {doing} עַל־ H5921 Preposition harm הָרָעָ֖ה H7451 Article | Adjective - feminine singular to Your people לְעַמֶּֽךָ׃ H5971 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Verse 13

Original words

Remember זְכֹ֡ר H2142 Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Your servants עֲבָדֶ֗יךָ H5650 Noun - masculine plural construct | second person masculine singular Abraham לְאַבְרָהָם֩ H85 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular Isaac לְיִצְחָ֨ק H3327 Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular and Israel וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל H3478 Conjunctive waw, Preposition-l | Noun - proper - masculine singular to לָהֶם֮ Preposition | third person masculine plural whom אֲשֶׁ֨ר H834 Pronoun - relative You swore נִשְׁבַּ֣עְתָּ H7650 Verb - Nifal - Perfect - second person masculine singular by Your very self בָּךְ֒ Preposition | second person masculine singular when You declared וַתְּדַבֵּ֣ר H1696 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - second person masculine singular . . . אֲלֵהֶ֔ם H413 Preposition | third person masculine plural {I will make} your descendants זַרְעֲכֶ֔ם H2233 Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural as numerous אַרְבֶּה֙ H7235 Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular - אֶֽת־ H853 Direct object marker as the stars כְּכוֹכְבֵ֖י H3556 Preposition-k | Noun - masculine plural construct in the sky הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם H8064 Article | Noun - masculine plural and I will give אֶתֵּן֙ H5414 Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular your descendants לְזַרְעֲכֶ֔ם H2233 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine plural all וְכָל־ H3605 Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular construct this הַזֹּ֜את H2063 Article | Pronoun - feminine singular land הָאָ֨רֶץ H776 Article | Noun - feminine singular that אֲשֶׁ֣ר H834 Pronoun - relative I have promised אָמַ֗רְתִּי H559 Verb - Qal - Perfect - first person common singular and it shall be their inheritance וְנָחֲל֖וּ H5157 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - third person common plural forever לְעֹלָֽם׃ H5769 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular
Verse 14

Original words

So the LORD יְהוָ֑ה H3068 Noun - proper - masculine singular relented וַיִּנָּ֖חֶם H5162 Conjunctive waw | Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular from עַל־ H5921 Preposition the calamity הָ֣רָעָ֔ה H7451 Article | Adjective - feminine singular - אֲשֶׁ֥ר H834 Pronoun - relative He had threatened דִּבֶּ֖ר H1696 Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular to bring לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת H6213 Preposition-l | Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct on His people לְעַמּֽוֹ׃פ H5971 Preposition-l | Noun - masculine singular construct | 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.