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׃

Although Moses may have told the people that he would return at the end of forty days, there could have been a misunderstanding with regard to the precise counting of those days. The people saw that Moses tarried in descending from the mountain, and the people assembled around Aaron, whom they knew as Moses’ spokesman from when they were in Egypt (7:1). And they said to him: Rise, make us a god that will go before us, because this man Moses, who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what became of him.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אַהֲרֹ֔ן פָּֽרְקוּ֙ נִזְמֵ֣י הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י נְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם בְּנֵיכֶ֖ם וּבְנֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וְהָבִ֖יאוּ אֵלָֽי׃

Aaron said to them: If this is your wish, you must do it in the proper manner. Remove the gold rings that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, as their jewelry is an easily available source of gold, and bring them to me.

וַיִּתְפָּֽרְקוּ֙ כָּל־הָעָ֔ם אֶת־נִזְמֵ֥י הַזָּהָ֖ב אֲשֶׁ֣ר בְּאָזְנֵיהֶ֑ם וַיָּבִ֖יאוּ אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹֽן׃

All the people removed the gold rings that were in their ears, and they brought them to Aaron.

וַיִּקַּ֣ח מִיָּדָ֗ם וַיָּ֤צַר אֹתוֹ֙ בַּחֶ֔רֶט וַֽיַּעֲשֵׂ֖הוּ עֵ֣גֶל מַסֵּכָ֑ה וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֵ֤לֶּה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶעֱל֖וּךָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

He took them, the gold rings, from their hands, and, fashioning it with a graving tool used by goldsmiths, he made a cast figure of a calf. T hey, all those present, said: This is your god, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.

וַיַּ֣רְא אַהֲרֹ֔ן וַיִּ֥בֶן מִזְבֵּ֖חַ לְפָנָ֑יו וַיִּקְרָ֤א אַֽהֲרֹן֙ וַיֹּאמַ֔ר חַ֥ג לַיהוָ֖ה מָחָֽר׃

Aaron saw, and he built an altar before it; and Aaron proclaimed and said: A festival for the Lord tomorrow. He emphasized that the festival would be in God’s honor.

וַיַּשְׁכִּ֙ימוּ֙ מִֽמָּחֳרָ֔ת וַיַּעֲל֣וּ עֹלֹ֔ת וַיַּגִּ֖שׁוּ שְׁלָמִ֑ים וַיֵּ֤שֶׁב הָעָם֙ לֶֽאֱכֹ֣ל וְשָׁת֔וֹ וַיָּקֻ֖מוּ לְצַחֵֽק׃ (פ)

They, the entire people, arose early the next day, and they offered up burnt offerings and brought peace offerings; and the people sat to eat and drink, typical practices for a festival, and they also rose to frolic, to engage in activities of a competitive or sexual nature.

וַיְדַבֵּ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה לֶךְ־רֵ֕ד כִּ֚י שִׁחֵ֣ת עַמְּךָ֔ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶעֱלֵ֖יתָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

At that moment, the Lord spoke to Moses: Go, descend from the mountaintop. Alternatively: Descend from your greatness; while you have been in My presence, at the highest spiritual level of any human, matters have occurred below that require you to descend from your level of sanctity. For your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have acted corruptly.

סָ֣רוּ מַהֵ֗ר מִן־הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר צִוִּיתִ֔ם עָשׂ֣וּ לָהֶ֔ם עֵ֖גֶל מַסֵּכָ֑ה וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־לוֹ֙ וַיִּזְבְּחוּ־ל֔וֹ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֵ֤לֶּה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶֽעֱל֖וּךָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם׃

They quickly deviated from the path that I have commanded them; they made for themselves a cast figure of a calf; they prostrated themselves before it and slaughtered animals to it and said: This is your god, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה רָאִ֙יתִי֙ אֶת־הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֔ה וְהִנֵּ֥ה עַם־קְשֵׁה־עֹ֖רֶף הֽוּא׃

The Lord said to Moses: I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked, stubborn, people. Due to their obstinacy, they were deaf to My explicit prohibitions.

וְעַתָּה֙ הַנִּ֣יחָה לִּ֔י וְיִֽחַר־אַפִּ֥י בָהֶ֖ם וַאֲכַלֵּ֑ם וְאֶֽעֱשֶׂ֥ה אוֹתְךָ֖ לְג֥וֹי גָּדֽוֹל׃

Now, therefore, allow Me, and My wrath will be enflamed against them, and I will destroy them; and I will make you into a great nation. The children of Israel will be destroyed, and your children alone shall become My chosen people. God’s covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob would not be rescinded, as Moses is their descendant.

וַיְחַ֣ל מֹשֶׁ֔ה אֶת־פְּנֵ֖י יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהָ֑יו וַיֹּ֗אמֶר לָמָ֤ה יְהוָה֙ יֶחֱרֶ֤ה אַפְּךָ֙ בְּעַמֶּ֔ךָ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הוֹצֵ֙אתָ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם בְּכֹ֥חַ גָּד֖וֹל וּבְיָ֥ד חֲזָקָֽה׃

Moses implored [ vayeh · ] the Lord his God, perhaps even to the extent that he became sick [ ḥoleh ], and he said: Lord, why shall Your wrath be enflamed against Your people, that You took out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?

לָמָּה֩ יֹאמְר֨וּ מִצְרַ֜יִם לֵאמֹ֗ר בְּרָעָ֤ה הֽוֹצִיאָם֙ לַהֲרֹ֤ג אֹתָם֙ בֶּֽהָרִ֔ים וּ֨לְכַלֹּתָ֔ם מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֑ה שׁ֚וּב מֵחֲר֣וֹן אַפֶּ֔ךָ וְהִנָּחֵ֥ם עַל־הָרָעָ֖ה לְעַמֶּֽךָ׃

Moses justifies his request: Why shall the Egyptians say, saying: He took them out for evil, to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from upon the face of the earth? If You destroy the people at this juncture, the Egyptians will assume that You were angry with them from the outset and sent them to the wilderness to kill them there. Consequently, relent from Your enflamed wrath and reconsider with regard to the evil for Your people.

זְכֹ֡ר לְאַבְרָהָם֩ לְיִצְחָ֨ק וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵ֜ל עֲבָדֶ֗יךָ אֲשֶׁ֨ר נִשְׁבַּ֣עְתָּ לָהֶם֮ בָּךְ֒ וַתְּדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵהֶ֔ם אַרְבֶּה֙ אֶֽת־זַרְעֲכֶ֔ם כְּכוֹכְבֵ֖י הַשָּׁמָ֑יִם וְכָל־הָאָ֨רֶץ הַזֹּ֜את אֲשֶׁ֣ר אָמַ֗רְתִּי אֶתֵּן֙ לְזַרְעֲכֶ֔ם וְנָחֲל֖וּ לְעֹלָֽם׃

Furthermore, remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore, not through mention of some fleeting item that will pass from the world but by Yourself. And in your oath You spoke to them and said: I will multiply your offspring like the stars of the heavens, and this entire land that I said I will give to your descendants, they shall inherit it forever. Your oath to the forefathers that You would have mercy upon their descendants was unconditional.

וַיִּנָּ֖חֶם יְהוָ֑ה עַל־הָ֣רָעָ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר דִּבֶּ֖ר לַעֲשׂ֥וֹת לְעַמּֽוֹ׃ (פ)

The Lord reconsidered the evil that He had spoken of doing to His people. He changed His mind, as it were.

וַיִּ֜פֶן וַיֵּ֤רֶד מֹשֶׁה֙ מִן־הָהָ֔ר וּשְׁנֵ֛י לֻחֹ֥ת הָעֵדֻ֖ת בְּיָד֑וֹ לֻחֹ֗ת כְּתֻבִים֙ מִשְּׁנֵ֣י עֶבְרֵיהֶ֔ם מִזֶּ֥ה וּמִזֶּ֖ה הֵ֥ם כְּתֻבִֽים׃

Moses turned and descended from the mountaintop, and the two Tablets of Testimony were in his hand. The tablets were miraculously inscribed on both their sides; from this side and from that side they were inscribed.

וְהַ֨לֻּחֹ֔ת מַעֲשֵׂ֥ה אֱלֹהִ֖ים הֵ֑מָּה וְהַמִּכְתָּ֗ב מִכְתַּ֤ב אֱלֹהִים֙ ה֔וּא חָר֖וּת עַל־הַלֻּחֹֽת׃

The tablets were not fashioned by human hands, but were the work of God; and the writing was the writing of God, engraved by Him on the tablets.

וַיִּשְׁמַ֧ע יְהוֹשֻׁ֛עַ אֶת־ק֥וֹל הָעָ֖ם בְּרֵעֹ֑ה וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֔ה ק֥וֹל מִלְחָמָ֖ה בַּֽמַּחֲנֶה׃

When Moses ascended Mount Sinai, Joshua had accompanied him to the base of the mountain. However, Joshua was prohibited from passing some point, and he waited there until Moses’ return (24:13). When Moses descended from the mountain, Joshua was the one he met first. Joshua heard the sound of the people in its uproar, and he said to Moses: There is the sound of battle in the camp. The shouting and commotion sounded to him like the cries of battle.

וַיֹּ֗אמֶר אֵ֥ין קוֹל֙ עֲנ֣וֹת גְּבוּרָ֔ה וְאֵ֥ין ק֖וֹל עֲנ֣וֹת חֲלוּשָׁ֑ה ק֣וֹל עַנּ֔וֹת אָנֹכִ֖י שֹׁמֵֽעַ׃

He, Moses, said to Joshua: There is not the sound of a cry of valor, and there is not the sound of a cry of weakness, and therefore your characterization of the sounds is inaccurate. If the people were engaged in battle, one would hear both the sound of the victors shouting out in triumph and the wail of the defeated. Yet I hear neither of these; merely the sound of a cry I hear. Others explain that Moses was arguing that they could hear the sound of singing and rejoicing.

וַֽיְהִ֗י כַּאֲשֶׁ֤ר קָרַב֙ אֶל־הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וַיַּ֥רְא אֶת־הָעֵ֖גֶל וּמְחֹלֹ֑ת וַיִּֽחַר־אַ֣ף מֹשֶׁ֗ה וַיַּשְׁלֵ֤ךְ מידו [מִיָּדָיו֙] אֶת־הַלֻּחֹ֔ת וַיְשַׁבֵּ֥ר אֹתָ֖ם תַּ֥חַת הָהָֽר׃

It was when he approached the camp; he saw the calf and the dancing around it. Moses’ wrath was enflamed, and he cast the tablets from his hands, and he shattered them upon the stones at the foot of the mountain.

וַיִּקַּ֞ח אֶת־הָעֵ֨גֶל אֲשֶׁ֤ר עָשׂוּ֙ וַיִּשְׂרֹ֣ף בָּאֵ֔שׁ וַיִּטְחַ֖ן עַ֣ד אֲשֶׁר־דָּ֑ק וַיִּ֙זֶר֙ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הַמַּ֔יִם וַיַּ֖שְׁקְ אֶת־בְּנֵ֥י יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

He took the calf that they had made, and he burned it in the fire and ground it into powder, completely destroying it. And he scattered it, the powder, on the surface of the water and gave the solution to the children of Israel to drink, to debase it and to shame the people, as though saying to them: This is your god; eat it, drink it, and later you will excrete it.

וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶֽל־אַהֲרֹ֔ן מֶֽה־עָשָׂ֥ה לְךָ֖ הָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֑ה כִּֽי־הֵבֵ֥אתָ עָלָ֖יו חֲטָאָ֥ה גְדֹלָֽה׃

Moses said to Aaron: What did this people do to you that forced you to act in such a manner that you brought great sin upon them? Others explain: Did you hate the people so much that you sought to bring about their complete annihilation?

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אַהֲרֹ֔ן אַל־יִ֥חַר אַ֖ף אֲדֹנִ֑י אַתָּה֙ יָדַ֣עְתָּ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם כִּ֥י בְרָ֖ע הֽוּא׃

Aaron, whose intentions had been pure, was greatly alarmed both by the people’s actions and Moses’ reproach. He said: Let the wrath of my lord not be enflamed; you have known the people, that it is in an evil state.

וַיֹּ֣אמְרוּ לִ֔י עֲשֵׂה־לָ֣נוּ אֱלֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר יֵלְכ֖וּ לְפָנֵ֑ינוּ כִּי־זֶ֣ה ׀ מֹשֶׁ֣ה הָאִ֗ישׁ אֲשֶׁ֤ר הֶֽעֱלָ֙נוּ֙ מֵאֶ֣רֶץ מִצְרַ֔יִם לֹ֥א יָדַ֖עְנוּ מֶה־הָ֥יָה לֽוֹ׃

They said to me: Make us a god that will go before us, because this man Moses, who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what became of him.

וָאֹמַ֤ר לָהֶם֙ לְמִ֣י זָהָ֔ב הִתְפָּרָ֖קוּ וַיִּתְּנוּ־לִ֑י וָאַשְׁלִכֵ֣הוּ בָאֵ֔שׁ וַיֵּצֵ֖א הָעֵ֥גֶל הַזֶּֽה׃

I said to them: Who has any gold? If you do, remove it. They gave it, their jewelry, to me, and I cast it into the fire; and without any intention on my part of creating any form, this calf emerged. Some say that others intervened and fashioned the form of the calf, possibly through witchcraft.

וַיַּ֤רְא מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶת־הָעָ֔ם כִּ֥י פָרֻ֖עַ ה֑וּא כִּֽי־פְרָעֹ֣ה אַהֲרֹ֔ן לְשִׁמְצָ֖ה בְּקָמֵיהֶֽם׃

Moses saw the people, that it was unsettled . The festivities that had surrounded the golden calf, Moses’ descent, and the subsequent destruction of the calf had all sown confusion among the people. For Aaron had exposed them to ignominy on the part of those who would rise up against them. The Jewish people’s transgression of idolatry is a constant source of shame, especially their worship of the golden calf. Some translate the latter part of the verse to mean that Aaron had revealed their shame before their enemies. Others interpret this to mean that he had caused their disorder and confusion.

וַיַּעֲמֹ֤ד מֹשֶׁה֙ בְּשַׁ֣עַר הַֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וַיֹּ֕אמֶר מִ֥י לַיהוָ֖ה אֵלָ֑י וַיֵּאָסְפ֥וּ אֵלָ֖יו כָּל־בְּנֵ֥י לֵוִֽי׃

When Moses saw the people’s wild idolatrous worship and accompanying orgies, he realized that he had to reunite them and strengthen their faith in God. Moses therefore stood at the gate of the camp and said: Whoever is for the Lord, faithful to God and willing to fight for Him, come to me. And all the sons of Levi, Moses’ own tribe, gathered to him, either due to their kinship with Moses, or because they opposed the worship of the golden calf.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר לָהֶ֗ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֤ר יְהוָה֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל שִׂ֥ימוּ אִישׁ־חַרְבּ֖וֹ עַל־יְרֵכ֑וֹ עִבְר֨וּ וָשׁ֜וּבוּ מִשַּׁ֤עַר לָשַׁ֙עַר֙ בַּֽמַּחֲנֶ֔ה וְהִרְג֧וּ אִֽישׁ־אֶת־אָחִ֛יו וְאִ֥ישׁ אֶת־רֵעֵ֖הוּ וְאִ֥ישׁ אֶת־קְרֹבֽוֹ׃

He said to them: So said the Lord, God of Israel: Each man, place his sword upon his thigh, in preparation for battle or forceful punitive action. Pass to and fro from gate to gate in the camp, and slay each one who stands against you, even each man his brother, and each his neighbor, and each his relative. Uncontrollable and immoral behavior had spread quickly throughout the camp. The Levites were therefore instructed to kill all who opposed them, without hesitation.

וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֥וּ בְנֵֽי־לֵוִ֖י כִּדְבַ֣ר מֹשֶׁ֑ה וַיִּפֹּ֤ל מִן־הָעָם֙ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֔וּא כִּשְׁלֹ֥שֶׁת אַלְפֵ֖י אִֽישׁ׃

The sons of Levi acted in accordance with the word of Moses, and some three thousand men fell from the people on that day. Although the tribe of Levi was not large, the worshippers of the golden calf did not actively resist them. Despondent and all too aware of their severe sin and its consequences, they no longer saw meaning in the golden calf or a reason to worship it. The Levites’ actions were not an attempt to punish everyone who had sinned. Rather, they were an affirmation of their loyalty to God and to the Torah.

וַיֹּ֣אמֶר מֹשֶׁ֗ה מִלְא֨וּ יֶדְכֶ֤ם הַיּוֹם֙ לַֽיהוָ֔ה כִּ֛י אִ֥ישׁ בִּבְנ֖וֹ וּבְאָחִ֑יו וְלָתֵ֧ת עֲלֵיכֶ֛ם הַיּ֖וֹם בְּרָכָֽה׃

Moses said: Dedicate yourselves today to be appointed to serve the Lord, as each man of you is even against his son and against his brother, disregarding considerations of sentiment. Your deeds were not wicked, nor were they merely an expression of faith. They were imperative, of the utmost importance, and so He may bestow upon you a blessing this day. You will receive a blessing for your deeds.

וַיְהִי֙ מִֽמָּחֳרָ֔ת וַיֹּ֤אמֶר מֹשֶׁה֙ אֶל־הָעָ֔ם אַתֶּ֥ם חֲטָאתֶ֖ם חֲטָאָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֑ה וְעַתָּה֙ אֶֽעֱלֶ֣ה אֶל־יְהוָ֔ה אוּלַ֥י אֲכַפְּרָ֖ה בְּעַ֥ד חַטַּאתְכֶֽם׃

It was on the next day; Moses said to the people: You have sinned a great sin, and now I will ascend to the Lord to plead on your behalf; perhaps I will atone for your sin.

וַיָּ֧שָׁב מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶל־יְהוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אָ֣נָּ֗א חָטָ֞א הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ חֲטָאָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֔ה וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י זָהָֽב׃

Moses returned to the Lord, and he said: Please, this people has sinned a great sin, and they made themselves a god of gold. Although the people as a whole have sinned, not all are guilty to the same extent. Some participated reluctantly, others merely wanted to find a substitute for Moses, and yet others rejoiced at the opportunity to relapse into their idolatrous habits.

וְעַתָּ֖ה אִם־תִּשָּׂ֣א חַטָּאתָ֑ם וְאִם־אַ֕יִן מְחֵ֣נִי נָ֔א מִֽסִּפְרְךָ֖ אֲשֶׁ֥ר כָּתָֽבְתָּ׃

Now, I implore You: If You will bear their sin…, and if not, erase me please from Your book, the book of life, that You have written. Moses is asking God to kill him if He does not forgive the people. Alternatively, this book is the Torah. Moses is saying that if God now considers the giving of the Torah an unsuccessful attempt, then he himself failed as well, and should be erased from the Torah.

וַיֹּ֥אמֶר יְהוָ֖ה אֶל־מֹשֶׁ֑ה מִ֚י אֲשֶׁ֣ר חָֽטָא־לִ֔י אֶמְחֶ֖נּוּ מִסִּפְרִֽי׃

The Lord said to Moses: I will not remove you from the book. Whoever sinned against Me, I shall erase him alone from My book of life, and he shall be blotted out from the course of history.

וְעַתָּ֞ה לֵ֣ךְ ׀ נְחֵ֣ה אֶת־הָעָ֗ם אֶ֤ל אֲשֶׁר־דִּבַּ֙רְתִּי֙ לָ֔ךְ הִנֵּ֥ה מַלְאָכִ֖י יֵלֵ֣ךְ לְפָנֶ֑יךָ וּבְי֣וֹם פָּקְדִ֔י וּפָקַדְתִּ֥י עֲלֵיהֶ֖ם חַטָּאתָֽם׃

Now, I have accepted your plea; therefore, go, lead the people to where I have spoken to you. Take the nation to the land of Canaan, in accordance with the original purpose of the exodus. But behold, henceforth My angel will go before you. The Jewish people will now be subject to an angel, whom God will appoint as His intermediary to ensure their well-being, in the manner that He rules over other nations. And on the day of My reckoning, when judgment will be meted out, I will reckon their sin upon them . Many of the people sinned actively, others transgressed by encouraging the sinners, and yet others were guilty for failure to act or for their indifference. Retribution for the sin of the golden calf will be meted out in small doses, but the punishment will not bring about full atonement for the sin until the End of Days.

וַיִּגֹּ֥ף יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־הָעָ֑ם עַ֚ל אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשׂ֣וּ אֶת־הָעֵ֔גֶל אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה אַהֲרֹֽן׃ (ס)

The Lord immediately initiated the sinners’ punishment; He afflicted the people and killed many of them with a plague, because they made the calf that Aaron had made.