King James Version:
(The Lord speaking is red text)
And he took 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].
Complete Jewish Bible:
Seizing the calf they had made, he melted it in the fire and ground it to powder, which he scattered on the water. Then he made the people of Isra'el drink it.
Berean Standard Bible:
Then he took the calf they had made, burned it in the fire, ground it to powder, and scattered the powder over the face of the water. Then he forced the Israelites to drink it.
American Standard Version:
And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it with fire, and ground it to powder, and strewed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.
KJV with Strong’s Numbers:
And he took{H3947} the calf{H5695} which they had made{H6213}, and burnt{H8313} it in the fire{H784}, and ground{H2912} it to powder{H1854}, and strawed{H2219} it upon{H6440} the water{H4325}, and made the children{H1121} of Israel{H3478} drink{H8248} of it.
Cross-References (KJV):
Deuteronomy 9:21
- And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made, and burnt it with fire, and stamped it, [and] ground [it] very small, [even] until it was as small as dust: and I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount.
Deuteronomy 7:25
- The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold [that is] on them, nor take [it] unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it [is] an abomination to the LORD thy God.
2 Kings 23:15
- Moreover the altar that [was] at Bethel, [and] the high place which Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin, had made, both that altar and the high place he brake down, and burned the high place, [and] stamped [it] small to powder, and burned the grove.
Proverbs 14:14
- ¶ The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways: and a good man [shall be satisfied] from himself.
2 Kings 23:6
- And he brought out the grove from the house of the LORD, without Jerusalem, unto the brook Kidron, and burned it at the brook Kidron, and stamped [it] small to powder, and cast the powder thereof upon the graves of the children of the people.
Proverbs 1:31
- Therefore shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices.
Deuteronomy 7:5
- But thus shall ye deal with them; ye shall destroy their altars, and break down their images, and cut down their groves, and burn their graven images with fire.
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Commentary for Exodus 32:20
Exodus 32:20 is set within the broader narrative of the Israelites' worship of a golden calf while Moses is on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments from God. This act of idolatry occurs shortly after the Israelites' exodus from Egypt and is a direct violation of the first two commandments, which prohibit the worship of other gods and the making of graven images.
In the verse itself, Moses, having returned from the mountain and witnessed the people's apostasy, takes decisive action. He grinds the golden calf into powder, throws the powder into water, and forces the Israelites to drink it. This act serves as both a literal and symbolic means of purging the idolatry from the community. By reducing the calf to mere dust and having the people ingest it, Moses emphasizes the absurdity and futility of worshiping a man-made object. The drinking of the powdered gold is a form of judgment and a stern warning against such sinful behavior. It also serves to humiliate the people, compelling them to confront their disobedience and the consequences thereof.
The themes present in this verse include the gravity of idolatry, the necessity of divine justice, the role of leadership in guiding a community back to righteousness, and the importance of exclusive worship and allegiance to the God of Israel. Historically, this event highlights the ongoing struggle of the Israelites to remain faithful to their covenant with God, a struggle that is a central theme throughout the Old Testament. Moses' response also prefigures the prophetic tradition in the Hebrew Bible, where prophets often perform symbolic acts to convey God's messages to the people.
*This commentary is produced by Microsoft/WizardLM-2-8x22B AI model
Strong's Numbers and Definitions:
Note: H = Hebrew (OT), G = Greek (NT)
- Strong's Number: H3947
There are 909 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: לָקַח
Transliteration: lâqach
Pronunciation: law-kakh'
Description: a primitive root; to take (in the widest variety of applications); accept, bring, buy, carry away, drawn, fetch, get, infold, [idiom] many, mingle, place, receive(-ing), reserve, seize, send for, take (away, -ing, up), use, win. - Strong's Number: H5695
There are 35 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עֵגֶל
Transliteration: ʻêgel
Pronunciation: ay-ghel
Description: from the same as עָגֹל; a (male) calf (as frisking round), especially one nearly grown (i.e. a steer); bullock, calf. - Strong's Number: H6213
There are 2286 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: עָשָׂה
Transliteration: ʻâsâh
Pronunciation: aw-saw'
Description: a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application; accomplish, advance, appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth, bruise, be busy, [idiom] certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal (with), deck, [phrase] displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in) execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, [phrase] feast, (fight-) ing man, [phrase] finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go about, govern, grant, great, [phrase] hinder, hold (a feast), [idiom] indeed, [phrase] be industrious, [phrase] journey, keep, labour, maintain, make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, [phrase] officer, pare, bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure, provide, put, requite, [idiom] sacrifice, serve, set, shew, [idiom] sin, spend, [idiom] surely, take, [idiom] thoroughly, trim, [idiom] very, [phrase] vex, be (warr-) ior, work(-man), yield, use. - Strong's Number: H8313
There are 107 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׂרַף
Transliteration: sâraph
Pronunciation: saw-raf'
Description: a primitive root; to be (causatively, set) on fire; (cause to, make a) burn((-ing), up) kindle, [idiom] utterly. - Strong's Number: H784
There are 549 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: אֵשׁ
Transliteration: ʼêsh
Pronunciation: aysh
Description: a primitive word; fire (literally or figuratively); burning, fiery, fire, flaming, hot. - Strong's Number: H2912
There are 8 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: טָחַן
Transliteration: ṭâchan
Pronunciation: taw-khan'
Description: a primitive root; to grind meal; hence, to be aconcubine (that being their employment); grind(-er). - Strong's Number: H1854
There are 12 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: דָּקַק
Transliteration: dâqaq
Pronunciation: daw-kak'
Description: a primitive root (compare הָדַךְlemma הָדךְ missing vowel, corrected to הָדַךְ); to crush (or intransitively) crumble; beat in pieces (small), bruise, make dust, (into) [idiom] powder, (be, very) small, stamp (small). - Strong's Number: H2219
There are 38 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: זָרָה
Transliteration: zârâh
Pronunciation: zaw-raw'
Description: a primitive root (compare זוּר); to toss about; by implication, to diffuse, winnow; cast away, compass, disperse, fan, scatter (away), spread, strew, winnow. - Strong's Number: H6440
There are 1890 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: פָּנִים
Transliteration: pânîym
Pronunciation: paw-neem'
Description: plural (but always as singular) of an unused noun פָּנֶה; from פָּנָה); 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.); [phrase] accept, a-(be-) fore(-time), against, anger, [idiom] as (long as), at, [phrase] battle, [phrase] because (of), [phrase] beseech, countenance, edge, [phrase] employ, endure, [phrase] enquire, face, favour, fear of, for, forefront(-part), form(-er time, -ward), from, front, heaviness, [idiom] him(-self), [phrase] honourable, [phrase] impudent, [phrase] in, it, look(-eth) (-s), [idiom] me, [phrase] meet, [idiom] more than, mouth, of, off, (of) old (time), [idiom] on, open, [phrase] out of, over against, the partial, person, [phrase] please, presence, propect, was purposed, by reason of, [phrase] regard, right forth, [phrase] serve, [idiom] shewbread, sight, state, straight, [phrase] street, [idiom] thee, [idiom] them(-selves), through ([phrase] -out), till, time(-s) past, (un-) to(-ward), [phrase] upon, upside ([phrase] down), with(-in, [phrase] -stand), [idiom] ye, [idiom] you. - Strong's Number: H4325
There are 525 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: מַיִם
Transliteration: mayim
Pronunciation: mah'-yim
Description: dual of a primitive noun (but used in a singular sense); water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen; [phrase] piss, wasting, water(-ing, (-course, -flood, -spring)). - Strong's Number: H1121
There are 3654 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: בֵּן
Transliteration: bên
Pronunciation: bane
Description: from בָּנָה; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship, including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition, etc., (like father or brother), etc.); [phrase] afflicted, age, (Ahoh-) (Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-) ite, (anoint-) ed one, appointed to, ([phrase]) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-) ian, one born, bough, branch, breed, [phrase] (young) bullock, [phrase] (young) calf, [idiom] came up in, child, colt, [idiom] common, [idiom] corn, daughter, [idiom] of first, [phrase] firstborn, foal, [phrase] very fruitful, [phrase] postage, [idiom] in, [phrase] kid, [phrase] lamb, ([phrase]) man, meet, [phrase] mighty, [phrase] nephew, old, ([phrase]) people, [phrase] rebel, [phrase] robber, [idiom] servant born, [idiom] soldier, son, [phrase] spark, [phrase] steward, [phrase] stranger, [idiom] surely, them of, [phrase] tumultuous one, [phrase] valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth. - Strong's Number: H3478
There are 2229 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: יִשְׂרָאֵל
Transliteration: Yisrâʼêl
Pronunciation: yis-raw-ale'
Description: from שָׂרָה and אֵל; he will rule as God; Jisrael, a symbolical name of Jacob; also (typically) of his posterity; Israel. - Strong's Number: H8248
There are 72 instances of this translation in the Bible
Lemma: שָׁקָה
Transliteration: shâqâh
Pronunciation: shaw-kaw'
Description: a primitive root; to quaff, i.e. (causatively) to irrigate or furnish apotion to; cause to (give, give to, let, make to) drink, drown, moisten, water. See שָׁכַר, שָׁתָה.