The Golden Calf

Moses had been on the mountain a long time, and the people grew impatient. They went to Aaron and asked for gods to go before them, saying they did not know what had become of Moses. Aaron told them to bring their gold rings. He took the gold, shaped it with a tool, and made a calf. The people gave that idol the credit for bringing them out of Egypt. Aaron built an altar and announced a feast, and the next day the people offered sacrifices, ate, drank, and celebrated.

On the mountain, Yahweh told Moses that the people had quickly turned aside from what he commanded. They had made a calf, worshipped it, sacrificed to it, and said it had brought them out of Egypt. Yahweh spoke of fierce anger and said he could consume them and make a great nation from Moses. But Moses pleaded for the people, asking Yahweh to remember his great rescue from Egypt and the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel. Then Yahweh turned away from the disaster he had spoken of.

Moses came down carrying the two covenant tablets, written by God on both sides. Joshua heard the noise from the camp and thought it sounded like war, but Moses said it was singing. When Moses came near and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned hot. He threw down the tablets and broke them beneath the mountain. Then he burned the calf, ground it to powder, scattered it on the water, and made the Israelites drink it.

Moses asked Aaron why he had brought such a great sin on the people. Aaron blamed the people and tried to excuse what had happened. Moses saw that the people were out of control because Aaron had let them lose control. He stood at the gate of the camp and called for whoever was on Yahweh's side. The sons of Levi gathered to him. Moses gave them Yahweh's command to go through the camp with swords, and about three thousand men fell that day.

The next day Moses told the people they had committed a great sin, and he went back to Yahweh to seek atonement. He confessed that they had made gods of gold and asked for forgiveness. He even said that if their sin was not forgiven, he wanted to be blotted out of God's book. But Yahweh said that the sinner would answer for sin.

Moses was told to lead the people on, with God's angel going before them, yet punishment for this sin would still come. Yahweh struck the people because of the calf Aaron had made. What does this passage show about sin, mercy, and speaking up for others?