And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the
mount, the people gathered themselves together unto
Aaron, and said unto him, Up, (a) make us gods, which shall go before
us; for [as for] this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the
land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of... [ Continue Reading ]
And Aaron said unto them, (b) Break off the golden earrings, which
[are] in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters,
and bring [them] unto me.
(b) Thinking that they would rather abandon idolatry, than give up
their most precious jewels.... [ Continue Reading ]
And all the people brake off the (c) golden earrings which [were] in
their ears, and brought [them] unto Aaron.
(c) Such is the rage of idolaters, that they spare no cost to satisfy
their wicked desires.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he received [them] at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving
tool, after he had made it a (d) molten calf: and they said, These
[be] thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of
Egypt.
(d) They remembered the sins of Egypt, where they saw calves, oxen and
serpents worshippe... [ Continue Reading ]
They (e) have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded
them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and
have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These [be] thy gods, O Israel,
which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
(e) By which we see the need we have to p... [ Continue Reading ]
Now (f) therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against
them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great
nation.
(f) God shows that the prayers of the godly hold back his punishment.... [ Continue Reading ]
Remember (g) Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou
swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your
seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of
will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit [it] for ever.
(g) That is, your promise... [ Continue Reading ]
And the tables [were] the work of God, and (h) the writing [was] the
writing of God, graven upon the tables.
(h) All these repetitions show how excellent a thing they defrauded
themselves of by their idolatry.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt [it] in the fire,
and ground [it] to powder, and strawed [it] upon the water, and made
the children of Israel (i) drink [of it].
(i) Partly to despise them for their idolatry, and partly so they
would have no opportunity to remember the calf later... [ Continue Reading ]
And when Moses saw that the people [were] (k) naked; (for Aaron had
made them naked unto [their] shame among their enemies:)
(k) Both destitute of God's favour, and an occasion for their enemies
to speak evil of their God.... [ Continue Reading ]
And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every
man his sword by his side, [and] go in and out from gate to gate
throughout the camp, and (l) slay every man his brother, and every man
his companion, and every man his neighbour.
(l) This fact did so please God, that he turned the... [ Continue Reading ]
For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the LORD, even
every man upon his (m) son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow
upon you a blessing this day.
(m) In revenging God's glory we must have no partiality to person, but
lay aside all carnal affection.... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin--; and if not, blot me, I pray
thee, (n) out of thy book which thou hast written.
(n) He esteemed the glory of God so much, that he preferred it even to
his own salvation.... [ Continue Reading ]
And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him
will I blot out of my (o) book.
(o) I will make it known that he was never predestined in my eternal
counsel to life everlasting.... [ Continue Reading ]
(p) Therefore now go, lead the people unto [the place] of which I have
spoken unto thee: behold, mine Angel shall go before thee:
nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.
(p) This demonstrates how grievous a sin idolatry is, seeing that at
Moses prayer God would not fu... [ Continue Reading ]