1491 BC · AM 2513 · Egypt and Exodus

The golden calf

While Moses was on the mountain, Israel made a golden calf and worshiped it. Moses broke the stone tablets, destroyed the idol, confronted Aaron, and the Levites executed judgment in the camp (Exodus 32:1-29), within the Sinai encampment in 1491 BC.

genealogical dating
📖 Exodus 32:1–3

1Now when the people saw that Moses was delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him!” 2So Aaron told them, “Take off the gold earrings that are on your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.” 3Then all the people took off their gold earrings and brought them to Aaron.

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Connections

Quotation

Make us gods to go before us

Stephen repeats Israel's demand that Aaron make gods to go before them and recounts the calf, its sacrifice, and the people's rejoicing in what their hands had made.

Acts 7:39–41

But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt. They said to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us! As for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’ At that time they made a calf and offered a sacrifice to the idol, rejoicing in the works of their hands.

Exodus 32:1-4 records the demand, the collected gold, and the fashioned calf; Acts 7:39-41 quotes the demand and describes the calf, sacrifice, and celebration.

Read Acts 7:39–41 (BSB) →Go there on the timeline →
Quotation

The people ate, drank, and rose to revel

Paul quotes the golden-calf account as a warning against idolatry.

1 Corinthians 10:6–7

These things took place as examples to keep us from craving evil things as they did. Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written: “The people sat down to eat and to drink, and got up to indulge in revelry.”

Exodus 32:6 says that the people ate and drank and then rose to revel. First Corinthians 10:7 repeats these words after warning, "Do not be idolaters."

Read 1 Corinthians 10:6–7 (BSB) →Go there on the timeline →
Sources: AiG Bible Timeline hub
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