Exodus 32:19 - As soon as he came near to the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. Then Moses’ anger grew hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mountain.
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What does "Exodus 32:19" mean?
Exodus 32:19 describes a pivotal and dramatic moment in the story of the Israelites and Moses. Here's a breakdown of the verse and its significance:
"As soon as he came near to the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing..."
Moses had been up on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments (tablets) from God. Meanwhile, the Israelites, feeling abandoned and impatient with his long absence, had pressured Aaron into creating a golden calf to worship.
The "calf" represents idolatry and a blatant violation of the first commandments: to have no other gods before God and to not make graven images.
The "dancing" indicates revelry, likely involving pagan rituals and a general descent into immoral behavior.
"Then Moses’ anger grew hot..."
"Anger grew hot" is a common idiom in the Hebrew Bible indicating intense rage. Moses's anger is understandable for several reasons:
Betrayal of God: The Israelites had just made a covenant with God at Mount Sinai, promising to obey his laws. Their worship of the golden calf was a direct rejection of this covenant.
Betrayal of Moses: Moses had led them out of slavery and was their mediator with God. They had shown a complete lack of faith in him.
Justice: Moses was a righteous man and this idolatry was a grave injustice to God and to the true purpose of the Israelites' existence.
"...and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mountain."
The Tablets: These were no ordinary stone slabs. They were inscribed with the Ten Commandments, representing God's law and the covenant with Israel.
Breaking the Tablets: This act is highly symbolic and open to interpretation:
Breaking of the Covenant: Many scholars believe that by breaking the tablets, Moses was symbolically indicating that the Israelites had broken the covenant with God through their idolatry. The covenant was now effectively void.
Expression of Grief and Anger: It was an act of profound grief and outrage. It showed the depth of his disappointment and fury at the Israelites' betrayal.
A Judicial Act: Some interpret it as a judicial act. The covenant has been made, then broken, therefore the physical manifestation of the broken agreement is now disposed of.
In summary, this verse marks a crucial turning point in the story of the Exodus. It highlights the Israelites' faithlessness, the seriousness of idolatry, and the profound consequences of breaking a covenant with God. Moses's act of breaking the tablets underscores the gravity of the situation and the need for the Israelites to repent and renew their commitment to God.
It's important to note that later in the story, Moses intercedes for the Israelites, and God renews the covenant. However, the episode with the golden calf serves as a constant reminder of the Israelites' tendency to stray from God and the importance of remaining faithful.
Exodus 32:19 - As soon as he came near to the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing. Then Moses’ anger grew hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mountain.
What does "Exodus 32:19" mean?
Exodus 32:19 describes a pivotal and dramatic moment in the story of the Israelites and Moses. Here's a breakdown of the verse and its significance:
"As soon as he came near to the camp, he saw the calf and the dancing..."
Moses had been up on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments (tablets) from God. Meanwhile, the Israelites, feeling abandoned and impatient with his long absence, had pressured Aaron into creating a golden calf to worship.
The "calf" represents idolatry and a blatant violation of the first commandments: to have no other gods before God and to not make graven images.
The "dancing" indicates revelry, likely involving pagan rituals and a general descent into immoral behavior.
"Then Moses’ anger grew hot..."
"Anger grew hot" is a common idiom in the Hebrew Bible indicating intense rage. Moses's anger is understandable for several reasons:
Betrayal of God: The Israelites had just made a covenant with God at Mount Sinai, promising to obey his laws. Their worship of the golden calf was a direct rejection of this covenant.
Betrayal of Moses: Moses had led them out of slavery and was their mediator with God. They had shown a complete lack of faith in him.
Justice: Moses was a righteous man and this idolatry was a grave injustice to God and to the true purpose of the Israelites' existence.
"...and he threw the tablets out of his hands, and broke them beneath the mountain."
The Tablets: These were no ordinary stone slabs. They were inscribed with the Ten Commandments, representing God's law and the covenant with Israel.
Breaking the Tablets: This act is highly symbolic and open to interpretation:
Breaking of the Covenant: Many scholars believe that by breaking the tablets, Moses was symbolically indicating that the Israelites had broken the covenant with God through their idolatry. The covenant was now effectively void.
Expression of Grief and Anger: It was an act of profound grief and outrage. It showed the depth of his disappointment and fury at the Israelites' betrayal.
A Judicial Act: Some interpret it as a judicial act. The covenant has been made, then broken, therefore the physical manifestation of the broken agreement is now disposed of.
In summary, this verse marks a crucial turning point in the story of the Exodus. It highlights the Israelites' faithlessness, the seriousness of idolatry, and the profound consequences of breaking a covenant with God. Moses's act of breaking the tablets underscores the gravity of the situation and the need for the Israelites to repent and renew their commitment to God.
It's important to note that later in the story, Moses intercedes for the Israelites, and God renews the covenant. However, the episode with the golden calf serves as a constant reminder of the Israelites' tendency to stray from God and the importance of remaining faithful.