Exodus 32:1-8 ▼

1 When the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. They said to him, |We don't know what has happened to this Moses, who led us out of Egypt. Make gods who will lead us.|

2 Aaron said to them, |Have your wives, sons, and daughters take off the gold earrings they are wearing, and bring them to me.|

3 So all the people took off their gold earrings and handed them to Aaron.

4 After he had worked on the gold with a tool, he made it into a statue of a calf. Then they said, |Israel, here are your gods who brought you out of Egypt.|

5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of it and announced, |Tomorrow there will be a festival in the LORD's honor.|

6 Early the next day the people sacrificed burnt offerings and brought fellowship offerings. Afterward, they sat down to a feast, which turned into an orgy.

7 The LORD said to Moses, |Go back down there. Your people whom you brought out of Egypt have ruined [everything].

8 They've already turned from the way I commanded them to live. They've made a statue of a calf for themselves. They've bowed down to it and offered sacrifices to it. They've said, 'Israel, here are your gods who brought you out of Egypt.'|