📖 Exodus — Chapter 32 (KJV)
Read the complete King James Version chapter below, then explore the passage sections, check what you remember, and keep your private study notes.
Scripture source: Project Gutenberg KJV, ebook 10.
Exodus 32:1 And when the people saw that Moses Rdelayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, 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 him.
Exodus 32:2 And Aaron said unto them, 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.
Exodus 32:3 And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.
Exodus 32:4 And he received them at their hand, and Rfashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Exodus 32:5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron Rmade proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD.
Exodus 32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and Roffered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
Exodus 32:7 And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for Rthy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves:
Exodus 32:8 They Rhave 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.
Exodus 32:9 And the LORD said unto Moses, RI have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people:
Exodus 32:10 Now therefore Rlet 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.
Exodus 32:11 And Moses Rbesought Tthe LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand?
Exodus 32:12 Wherefore Rshould the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people.
Exodus 32:13 RRemember 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.
Exodus 32:14 And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.
Exodus 32:15 And Moses Rturned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written.
Exodus 32:16 And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables.
Exodus 32:17 And when RJoshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.
Exodus 32:18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for Tbeing overcome: Rbut the noise of them that sing do I hear.
Exodus 32:19 And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that Rhe saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
Exodus 32:20 And he Rtook 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 drink of it.
Exodus 32:21 And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them?
Exodus 32:22 And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou Rknowest the people, that they are set on mischief.
Exodus 32:23 For they said unto me, 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 him.
Exodus 32:24 And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. RSo they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf.
Exodus 32:25 And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for RAaron had made them naked unto their shame among Ttheir enemies:)
Exodus 32:26 Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, RWho is on the LORD’s side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him.
Exodus 32:27 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 Rslay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour.
Exodus 32:28 And the Rchildren of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.
Exodus 32:29 TFor RMoses had said, TConsecrate yourselves today to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.
Exodus 32:30 And it came to pass on the morrow, that Moses said unto the people, RYe have sinned a great sin: and now I will go up unto the LORD; peradventure I shall make an atonement for your sin.
Exodus 32:31 And Moses Rreturned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.
Exodus 32:32 Yet now, Rif thou wilt forgive their sin–; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.
Exodus 32:33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath Rsinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.
Exodus 32:34 Therefore now go, lead the people unto the place of which I have spoken unto thee: behold, Rmine Angel shall go before thee: nevertheless in the day when I visit I will visit their sin upon them.
Exodus 32:35 And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
📚 Study This Chapter
📖 What We’re Reading
Exodus 32:1–14 — The Golden Calf and Moses' Plea
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
While Moses remains on the mount, the people demand gods to go before them. Aaron receives their gold earrings and makes a molten calf. Calling the celebration a feast to the LORD does not make the idol acceptable. God tells Moses of their corruption, and Moses pleads for the people, recalling God's promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Israel.
Key Truth: False worship is a serious departure from God's command; Moses responds with intercession.
Check What You Remember
1. Who received the earrings and fashioned the calf? (Exodus 32:2–4)
Find it in Exodus 32:2–4 (KJV).
2. What animal was the molten image shaped like? (Exodus 32:4)
Find it in Exodus 32:4 (KJV).
3. Who pleaded with the LORD for the people? (Exodus 32:11)
Find it in Exodus 32:11 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
Exodus 32:15–29 — The Broken Tables and Judgment
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
Moses descends with the testimony and sees the calf and dancing. He breaks the tables, destroys the calf, and confronts Aaron. The sons of Levi gather when Moses calls for those on the LORD's side. The chapter records a severe judgment in which about three thousand men fall.
Key Truth: The people's covenant rebellion brings consequences that cannot be dismissed.
Check What You Remember
1. What did Moses break beneath the mount? (Exodus 32:19)
Find it in Exodus 32:19 (KJV).
2. Whose sons gathered to Moses on the LORD's side? (Exodus 32:26)
Find it in Exodus 32:26 (KJV).
3. About how many men fell that day? (Exodus 32:28)
Find it in Exodus 32:28 (KJV).
📖 What We’re Reading
Exodus 32:30–35 — Seeking Forgiveness
🌱 What These Verses Teach Us
Moses tells the people they have sinned a great sin and returns to seek forgiveness. He offers to be blotted from God's book if their sin is not forgiven. God answers that those who sin against him bear responsibility, and the chapter ends with a plague connected to the calf.
Key Truth: Moses' earnest plea does not erase the seriousness of sin or God's judgment.
Check What You Remember
1. Who returned to the LORD to seek forgiveness? (Exodus 32:30–31)
Find it in Exodus 32:30–31 (KJV).
2. From what did Moses ask to be blotted if their sin was not forgiven? (Exodus 32:32)
Find it in Exodus 32:32 (KJV).
3. What did the LORD send upon the people at the end of the chapter? (Exodus 32:35)
Find it in Exodus 32:35 (KJV).
Advanced Questions and Answers
Study this chapter’s wording, patterns, contrasts, and meaning in greater depth.
1. How does Aaron’s later account differ from the earlier description of making the calf?
2. What two concerns does Moses raise in pleading against destruction?
3. How does Moses distinguish the noise from Joshua’s description of war?
4. How does Moses render the calf unusable as the image they worshipped?
5. How does God’s reply address Moses’ request to be blotted out if forgiveness is withheld?
Notes
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