‹ Chapter 31Exodus 32 of 40Chapter 33

Exodus 32:1

וַיַּ֣רְא
râʼâh
and — to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied, transitive, intransitive and causative)
הָעָ֔ם
ʻam
the — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
כִּֽי
kîy
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
בֹשֵׁ֥שׁ
bûwsh
properly, to pale, i.e. by implication to be ashamed; also (by implication) to be disappointed or delayed
מֹשֶׁ֖ה
Môsheh
Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
לָרֶ֣דֶת
yârad
to/for — to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the shore, a boundary, the enemy, etc.; or figuratively, to fall); causatively, to bring down (in all the above applications)
מִן
min
properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
הָהָ֑ר
har
the — a mountain or range of hills (sometimes used figuratively)
וַיִּקָּהֵ֨ל
qâhal
and — to convoke
הָעָ֜ם
ʻam
the — a people (as a congregated unit); specifically, a tribe (as those of Israel); hence (collectively) troops or attendants; figuratively, a flock
עַֽל
ʻal
above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect) in a great variety of applications
אַהֲרֹ֗ן
ʼAhărôwn
Aharon, the brother of Moses
וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ
ʼâmar
and — to say (used with great latitude)
אֵלָיו֙
ʼêl
near, with or among; often in general, to
ק֣וּם
qûwm
to rise (in various applications, literal, figurative, intensive and causative)
עֲשֵׂה
ʻâsâh
to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application
לָ֣נוּ
le-
to/for us/our
אֱלֹהִ֗ים
ʼĕlôhîym
gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with the article) of the supreme God; occasionally applied by way of deference to magistrates; and sometimes as a superlative
אֲשֶׁ֤ר
ʼăsher
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
יֵֽלְכוּ֙
yâlak
to walk (literally or figuratively); causatively, to carry (in various senses)
לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ
pânîym
to/for — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and figuratively); also (with prepositional prefix) as a preposition (before, etc.)
כִּי
kîy
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
זֶ֣ה
zeh
the masculine demonstrative pronoun, this or that
מֹשֶׁ֣ה
Môsheh
Mosheh, the Israelite lawgiver
הָאִ֗ישׁ
ʼîysh
the — a man as an individual or a male person; often used as an adjunct to a more definite term (and in such cases frequently not expressed in translation)
אֲשֶׁ֤ר
ʼăsher
who, which, what, that; also (as an adverb and a conjunction) when, where, how, because, in order that, etc.
הֶֽעֱלָ֨נוּ֙
ʻâlâh
to ascend, intransitively (be high) or actively (mount); used in a great variety of senses, primary and secondary, literal and figurative
מֵאֶ֣רֶץ
ʼerets
from — the earth (at large, or partitively a land)
מִצְרַ֔יִם
Mitsrayim
Mitsrajim, i.e. Upper and Lower Egypt
לֹ֥א
lôʼ
not (the simple or abs. negation); by implication, no; often used with other particles
יָדַ֖עְנוּ
yâdaʻ
to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses, figuratively, literally, euphemistically and inferentially (including observation, care, recognition; and causatively, instruction, designation, punishment, etc.)
מֶה
mâh
properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and even relatively, that which); often used with prefixes in various adverbial or conjunctive senses
הָ֥יָה
hâyâh
to exist, i.e. be or become, come to pass (always emphatic, and not a mere copula or auxiliary)
לֽוֹ
le-
to/for him/his/it
Exodus 32:1 · Masoretic Text (WLC)
AMPLIFIED · 1 of 3
Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, they gathered together before Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”
Rabbi's unlock
Exodus 32:1New

Jewish interpretive tradition has long treated the golden calf as Israel's foundational failure, the same kind of story Genesis tells twice before - Eden's fruit (Genesis 3) and Noah's drunkenness (Genesis 9:20-22): a fresh start, immediately followed by exactly the wrong choice. One ancient rabbinic teaching goes so far as to say every later national disaster carries some trace of this one's punishment.

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Today's memory verse · from this session
Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, they gathered together before Aaron and said to him, “Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”
Exodus 32:1
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