The Meaning of Exodus 32:1 Explained

Exodus 32:1

KJV: 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, 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.

YLT: And the people see that Moses is delaying to come down from the mount, and the people assemble against Aaron, and say unto him, 'Rise, make for us gods who go before us, for this Moses -- the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt -- we have not known what hath happened to him.'

Darby: And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from the mountain, the people collected together to Aaron, and said to him, Up, make us a god, who will go before us; for this Moses, the man that has brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what is become of him!

ASV: And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down from 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 know not what is become of him.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

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,  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. 

What does Exodus 32:1 Mean?

Study Notes

tables of stone
.
shalt not make
There is a threefold giving of the law. First, orally, in Exodus 20:1-17 . This was pure law, with no provision of priesthood and sacrifice for failure, and was accompanied by the "judgments"; Exodus 21:1 to Exodus 23:13 ; relating to the relations of Hebrew with Hebrew; to which were added Exodus 23:14-19 directions for keeping three annual feasts, and Exodus 23:20-33 instructions for the conquest of Canaan. These words Moses communicated to the people. Exodus 24:3-8 . Immediately, in the persons of their elders, they were admitted to the fellowship of God. Exodus 24:9-11 .
Second, Moses was then called up to receive the tables of stone. Exodus 24:12-18 . The story then divides. Moses, in the mount, receives the gracious instructions concerning the tabernacle, priesthood, and sacrifice (Exodus 25-31.) Meantime (Exodus 32.), the people, led by Aaron, break the first commandment. Moses, returning, breaks the tables "written with the finger of God."; Exodus 31:18 ; Exodus 32:16-19 .
Third, the second tables were made by Moses, and the law again written by the hand of Jehovah Exodus 34:1 ; Exodus 34:28 ; Exodus 34:29 ; Deuteronomy 10:4 .

Context Summary

Exodus 32:1-14 - Aaron's Golden Calf Offends The Lord
The people never thought of taking Aaron as a substitute for Moses, because they instinctively recognized his moral weakness. Though he was dressed in the garments of the high priest, he was essentially a weak man. This came into evidence:
(1) By his reply to the people. When they demanded the calf he ought to have met them with an indignant negative; but instead, and to prevent the unpopularity which such an attitude might have evoked, he contented himself with putting difficulties in the way of their project. "Surely," he thought, "they will never go on with their mad scheme, if they have to pay for it with their jewels." But the event did not justify his expectations.
(2) By his reply to Moses. "There came out this calf." It was the furnace, not I, that did it. "Blame my heredity, environment, companions," says the wrongdoer. The weak becomes the sinful one. Strong Son of God, help us! Make us strong! See Jeremiah 15:20. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 32

1  The people in the absence of Moses, caused Aaron to make a calf
7  God informs Moses, who intercedes for Israel, and prevails
15  Moses comes down with the tablets
19  He breaks them
20  He destroys the calf
22  Aaron's excuse for himself
25  Moses causes the idolaters to be slain
30  He prays for the people

What do the individual words in Exodus 32:1 mean?

And when saw the people that delayed Moses coming down from the mountain and gathered together the people to Aaron and said to him come make us gods that shall go before us For [as for] this Moses the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt not we do know what has become of him
וַיַּ֣רְא הָעָ֔ם כִּֽי־ בֹשֵׁ֥שׁ מֹשֶׁ֖ה לָרֶ֣דֶת מִן־ הָהָ֑ר וַיִּקָּהֵ֨ל הָעָ֜ם עַֽל־ אַהֲרֹ֗ן וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ אֵלָיו֙ ק֣וּם ׀ עֲשֵׂה־ לָ֣נוּ אֱלֹהִ֗ים אֲשֶׁ֤ר יֵֽלְכוּ֙ לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ כִּי־ זֶ֣ה ׀ מֹשֶׁ֣ה הָאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֶֽעֱלָ֙נוּ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לֹ֥א יָדַ֖עְנוּ מֶה־ הָ֥יָה לֽוֹ

וַיַּ֣רְא  And  when  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
הָעָ֔ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
כִּֽי־  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
בֹשֵׁ֥שׁ  delayed 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: בֹּושׁ 
Sense: to put to shame, be ashamed, be disconcerted, be disappointed.
מֹשֶׁ֖ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
לָרֶ֣דֶת  coming  down 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
הָהָ֑ר  the  mountain 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: הַר  
Sense: hill, mountain, hill country, mount.
וַיִּקָּהֵ֨ל  and  gathered  together 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Nifal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: קָהַל  
Sense: to assemble, gather.
הָעָ֜ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אַהֲרֹ֗ן  Aaron 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אַהֲרֹון  
Sense: brother of Moses, a Levite and the first high priest.
וַיֹּאמְר֤וּ  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵלָיו֙  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
ק֣וּם ׀  come 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: קוּם 
Sense: to rise, arise, stand, rise up, stand up.
עֲשֵׂה־  make 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לָ֣נוּ  us 
Parse: Preposition, first person common plural
אֱלֹהִ֗ים  gods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
אֲשֶׁ֤ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
יֵֽלְכוּ֙  shall  go 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
לְפָנֵ֔ינוּ  before  us 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, first person common plural
Root: לִפְנֵי 
Sense: face.
כִּי־  For  [as  for] 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
זֶ֣ה ׀  this 
Parse: Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
מֹשֶׁ֣ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
הָאִ֗ישׁ  the  man 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
הֶֽעֱלָ֙נוּ֙  brought  us  up 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular, first person common plural
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
מֵאֶ֣רֶץ  out  of  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
מִצְרַ֔יִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.
יָדַ֖עְנוּ  we  do  know 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, first person common plural
Root: דָּעָה 
Sense: to know.
הָ֥יָה  has  become 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶהְיֶה 
Sense: to be, become, come to pass, exist, happen, fall out.
לֽוֹ  of  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular