Summary

Recounts the incident of the golden calf, where the Israelites, in Moses' absence, create and worship an idol. This act of disobedience leads to God's anger and Moses' intercession on behalf of the people. The chapter highlights the consequences of idolatry and the importance of faithfulness to God.

Key Points

• The Israelites, impatient with Moses' delay on Mount Sinai, ask Aaron to make them gods to lead them (Exodus 32:1).

• Aaron collects gold from the people and fashions a golden calf, which they worship and offer sacrifices to (Exodus 32:2-4).

• God informs Moses of the Israelites' idolatry and expresses His anger, threatening to destroy them (Exodus 32:7-10).

• Moses intercedes for the Israelites, pleading with God to spare them and remember His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Exodus 32:11-13).

• God relents from the disaster He had planned to bring upon the Israelites (Exodus 32:14).

• Moses descends from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony and sees the people worshiping the golden calf (Exodus 32:15-19).

• In anger, Moses breaks the tablets and destroys the golden calf by burning it and grinding it to powder (Exodus 32:19-20).

• Moses confronts Aaron, who explains how the golden calf came to be (Exodus 32:21-24).

• Moses calls for those who are on the Lord's side to come to him, and the Levites respond, executing judgment on the idolaters (Exodus 32:26-28).

• Moses again intercedes for the people, asking God to forgive their sin or blot him out of His book (Exodus 32:30-32).

• God sends a plague on the people because of their sin with the golden calf (Exodus 32:35).