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FEBRUARY 10
pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, the
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altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering
with all its utensils, and the laver and its
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base— the garments of ministry, the holy 32:4 a molded calf. The young bull, which
garments for Aaron the priest and the gar- Aaron caused to be fashioned, was a pagan
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ments of his sons, to minister as priests, and religious symbol of virile power. A miniature
the anointing oil and sweet incense for the form of the golden calf, although made of
holy place. According to all that I have com- bronze and silver, was found at the site of the
manded you they shall do.” ancient Philistine city of Ashkelon. Since it
12 And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, dates to about 1550 B.C. it indicates that calf
13 “Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: worship was known not only in Egypt,but also
in Canaan prior to the time of Moses. In wor-
‘Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a shiping the calf, the Israelites violated the first
sign between Me and you throughout your 3 commandments (20:3–7).
generations, that you may know that I am the
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LORD who sanctifies you. You shall keep the 32:6 rose up to play.The Hebrew word allows
Sabbath, therefore, for it is holy to you. for the inclusion of drunken and immoral
Everyone who profanes it shall surely be put activities so common to idolatrous fertility
to death; for whoever does any work on it, that cults in their revelry. Syncretism had robbed
person shall be cut off from among his people. the people of all ethical alertness and moral
15 Work shall be done for six days, but the sev- discernment (see 1 Cor. 10:7).
enth is the Sabbath of rest, holy to the LORD.
Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day,
he shall surely be put to death. Therefore the 7 And the LORD said to Moses, “Go, get down!
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children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to For your people whom you brought out of the
observe the Sabbath throughout their genera- land of Egypt have corrupted themselves.
tions as a perpetual covenant. It is a sign 8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way
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between Me and the children of Israel forever; which I commanded them. They have made
for in six days the LORD made the heavens and themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it
the earth, and on the seventh day He rested and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘This is your god,
and was refreshed.’ ” O Israel, that brought you out of the land of
18 And when He had made an end of speak- Egypt!’ ” And the LORD said to Moses, “I have
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ing with him on Mount Sinai, He gave Moses seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked
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two tablets of the Testimony, tablets of stone, people! Now therefore, let Me alone, that My
written with the finger of God. wrath may burn hot against them and I may
Now when the people saw that Moses consume them. And I will make of you a great
32 delayed coming down from the moun- nation.”
tain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and 11 Then Moses pleaded with the LORD his
said to him, “Come, make us gods that shall go God, and said: “LORD, why does Your wrath
before us; for as for this Moses, the man who burn hot against Your people whom You have
brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do brought out of the land of Egypt with great
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not know what has become of him.” power and with a mighty hand? Why should
2 And Aaron said to them, “Break off the the Egyptians speak, and say, ‘He brought
golden earrings which are in the ears of your them out to harm them, to kill them in the
wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring mountains, and to consume them from the
them to me.” So all the people broke off the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce
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golden earrings which were in their ears, and wrath, and relent from this harm to Your peo-
brought them to Aaron. And he received the ple. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel,
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gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with Your servants, to whom You swore by Your
an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your
Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this
that brought you out of the land of Egypt!” land that I have spoken of I give to your
5 So when Aaron saw it, he built an altar descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.’ ”
before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and 14 So the LORD relented from the harm which
said, “Tomorrow is a feast to the LORD.” Then He said He would do to His people.
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they rose early on the next day, offered burnt 15 And Moses turned and went down from
offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the mountain, and the two tablets of the
the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose Testimony were in his hand. The tablets were
up to play. written on both sides; on the one side and on

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