The Meaning of Exodus 32:11 Explained

Exodus 32:11

KJV: And Moses besought the 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?

YLT: And Moses appeaseth the face of Jehovah his God, and saith, 'Why, O Jehovah, doth Thine anger burn against Thy people, whom Thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a strong hand?

Darby: And Moses besought Jehovah his God, and said, Why, Jehovah, doth thy wrath burn against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a strong hand?

ASV: And Moses besought Jehovah his God, and said, Jehovah, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, that thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Moses  besought  the 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? 

What does Exodus 32:11 Mean?

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 32:11 mean?

And pleaded Moses - with Yahweh his God and said why Yahweh does burn hot Your wrath against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with power great and with a hand mighty
וַיְחַ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶת־ פְּנֵ֖י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לָמָ֤ה יְהוָה֙ יֶחֱרֶ֤ה אַפְּךָ֙ בְּעַמֶּ֔ךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הוֹצֵ֙אתָ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּכֹ֥חַ גָּד֖וֹל וּבְיָ֥ד ؟ חֲזָקָֽה

וַיְחַ֣ל  And  pleaded 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָלָה 
Sense: to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry.
מֹשֶׁ֔ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
יְהוָ֣ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
אֱלֹהָ֑יו  his  God 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
וַיֹּ֗אמֶר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לָמָ֤ה  why 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
יְהוָה֙  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
יֶחֱרֶ֤ה  does  burn  hot 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָרָה  
Sense: to be hot, furious, burn, become angry, be kindled.
אַפְּךָ֙  Your  wrath 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אַף 
Sense: nostril, nose, face.
בְּעַמֶּ֔ךָ  against  Your  people 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אֲשֶׁ֤ר  whom 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הוֹצֵ֙אתָ֙  You  have  brought 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, second person masculine singular
Root: יׄוצֵאת 
Sense: to go out, come out, exit, go forth.
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”.
בְּכֹ֥חַ  with  power 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular
Root: כֹּחַ 
Sense: strength, power, might.
גָּד֖וֹל  great 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
וּבְיָ֥ד  and  with  a  hand 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Preposition-b, Noun, feminine singular
Root: יָד  
Sense: hand.
؟ חֲזָקָֽה  mighty 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: חָזָק  
Sense: strong, stout, mighty.