Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Psalms 106:19
They made a calf in Horeb, and worshiped the molten image.
19. in Horeb ] The name always given to Sinai in Deuteronomy (except Deu 33:2). The use of it seems to indicate that the narrative of Deu 9:8 ff. was in the Psalmist’s mind. Cp. notes on Psa 106:23 ; Psa 106:25 ; Psa 106:29. In Horeb, “the mount of God” (Exo 3:1), when Jehovah was revealing Himself to them (Deu 4:10 ff), they limited and materialised and degraded the idea of Deity, in defiance of the express commandment which He had given them.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
19 23. A fourth sin; the worship of the calf (Exodus 32; Deu 9:8 ff.).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
They made a calf in Horeb – Exo 32:4. Probably in resemblance of the Egyptian god Apis. The image was made by Aaron out of materials furnished by the people, and at their request Exo 32:1-3, so that it might be said to be the act of the people.
And worshipped the molten image – The word rendered molten is from a verb nasak – to pour, to pour out; hence, to cast, to found; and it means anything that is made by fusion or casting. This image was cast Exo 32:4, and hence, this name is given to it.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Psa 106:19-23
They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.
The idolatry of man and the indignation of Heaven
I. The idolatry of man (verses 19, 20).
1. The strength of the religious instinct. Man must have a God. If he loses the true one, he will create a false one.
2. An unrighteous compliance with a popular demand. The preacher who ministers to the prejudices and tastes of his people, commits the same sin as Aaron did when he made the golden calf.
3. The force of early habit. Before his figure they had been wont to bow in Egypt, and by the instinct of habit they cried out for his figure now in the wilderness. To see God everywhere is one thing; to make everything God, is another. The one is right, binding, and useful; and the other is wrong, sinful, and pernicious.
II. The indignation of heaven (verse 23). All this idolatry and forgetfulness were offensive to Him, and lie determined on their destruction. Why did He not strike the fatal blow at once? Moses His chosen stood before Him, etc. See here the marvellous efficacy of prayer. The Bible teaches that The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, and gives us many instances of this; but how it affects God I know not. Let us grasp the fact and live accordingly. (Homilist.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
When they were but very lately brought out of Egypt by such wonderful power and goodness of God, and had seen the dreadful plagues of God upon the Egyptian idolaters, and upon their idols too, as is noted, Num 33:4, and when the law of God was but newly delivered to them in such a solemn and tremendous manner, and the most high God was yet present, and delivering further precepts to Moses for their benefit upon the top of that very mount. This greatly aggravated their sin.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
19-23. From indirect setting Godat naught, they pass to direct.
madethough prohibitedin Exo 20:4; Exo 20:5to make a likeness, even of the true God.
calfcalled so incontempt. They would have made an ox or bull, but their idol turnedout but a calf; an imitation of the divine symbols, thecherubim; or of the sacred bull of Egyptian idolatry. The idolatrywas more sinful in view of their recent experience of God’s power inEgypt and His wonders at Sinai (Ex32:1-6). Though intending to worship Jehovah under the symbol ofthe calf, yet as this was incompatible with His nature (De4:15-17), they in reality gave up Him, and so were given up byHim. Instead of the Lord of heaven, they had as their glory the imageof an ox that does nothing but eat grass.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
They made a calf in Horeb,…. A golden one, of the earrings of gold which were in the ears of their wives, sons, and daughters; these they took and melted down, and cast into the figure of a calf, or an ox, as it is afterwards said, in imitation of the Egyptians, who worshipped the ox; a people that had used them ill, from whose bondage they were just delivered; on whom they had seen the judgments of God inflicted, and who were notoriously wicked and an idolatrous people, and yet these they imitated; and, which was still a greater aggravation, this they did in Horeb, the mountain in which God appeared in so terrible a manner, with thunder and lightnings, and in fire, out of which he spoke to them; and when he gave them a body of laws, among which were one that forbid the worshipping of graven images; and yet they made and worshipped one in this very place, from whence they received this law; as follows.
And worshipped the molten image; when fashioned with a graving tool, and made a molten calf, they said, these be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee out of Egypt; and they brought their burnt offerings and peace offerings, and ate and drank before it, and danced about it; all which were acts of idolatrous worship, Ex 32:1. This was so heinous a sin, that the Jews say it is not expiated to this day, and that there is no punishment comes upon them but there is an ounce of the golden calf in it q.
q T. Hieros. Taanioth, fol. 80. 4.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Golden Calf Worship, Moses’ Intercession Scripture v. 19-33:
Verses 19, 20 declare that they (Israel) “made a calf in Horeb and worshipped the molten image,” thus changing, debasing, or diverting their glory into that of an ox that eats grass. This insult was done to God almost immediately after He had joined them in the Mosaic covenant and given them the 10 commandments at Horeb, in which idolatery was forbidden, they pledged to avoid it, Thus they turned back to their Egyptian ways, Jos 24:14; 1Ki 11:40; 1Ki 12:28. So recently God had shown His glory in destroying the gods of Egypt, to which they so soon turned back, Num 33:4; Deu 4:7; Deu 10:21; Rom 1:2-3; Jer 2:10-13; 1Ki 14:9; Joh 4:24.
Verses 21-23 recount that because they forgot God their savior, their liberator who had done miraculous plagues and miracles in saving them out of Egypt, even in the “land of Ham,” and at the Red sea, He said that, “He would destroy them,” in His wrath, for their rebellious insolence and ingratitude, Exo 32:10; Deu 9:8; Deu 9:18; Isa 34:2; “Had not Moses stogy , in the breach,” of . broken fellowship between God and disobedient Israel as an intercessor, Psa 105:26; Exo 32:32; Eph 1:16. Even so Jesus stands as an intercessor for the sinning child of God now, Heb 7:25-26; 1Jn 1:9; 1Jn 2:1-2.
Verses 24, 25 indict ungrateful Israel with “despising” (taking lightly) the pleasant land, and “believing not the word of the Lord,” that led them to murmuring, complaining, faultfinding against God, “heeding not His voice.” What insolence! Num 14:31; Heb 3:18-19; Heb 4:1; Jud 1:5. These fortified their lives in their rebellion, 1Co 11:30-32.
Verses 26, 27 relate that because to their contemptible murmuring, rejection of, and ingratitude toward God He lifted up His hand against them to judge them in the wilderness, to overthrow their send (cause them to fall) also among the nations where they wandered, and to scatter them in the lands, as related Num 14:28-29; Exo 7:5; Lev 26:33; Deu 4:25; Deu 28:32; Lev 26:33.
Verses 28-30 charge that “they joined themselves even to Baalpeor and ate the sacrifices of the dead,” casting off the yoke of the Lord, which is easy, Mat 11:29; for the yoke of the Moabite idol Chemosh, a dead god, in contrast with the living God; Provoking God to anger with their inventions, bringing a Divine judgment plague upon, Num 31:16; Deu 4:3; Deu 32:17; Hosea 9; Hosea 10; Rev 2:14; 1Co 12:2.
Verse 30 declares that at this point of plague suffering Phinehas arose and executed judgment so that God’s judgment was stopped, Num 25:8; Even as Aaron did on another occasion, Num 16:48.
Verses 31-33 relate first that the judgment act of Phinehas was computed to him as a man of righteousness, with integrity, so that God gave him an enduring family priesthood lineage, in contrast with other descendants of Aaron’s lineage from whom it passed away, Num 25:10-13; Eze 14:14; Eze 14:20.
Verse 32 asserts they (Israel) angered Him also at the waters of strife, as recounted Deu 1:37; Deu 3:26; Num 20:3-12, causing Moses to sin in impatience, to the extent that he was excluded from entering Canaan. “Because they provoked His spirit, so that he spoke unadvisedly with his lips, Num 20:10; Jas 3:2; See also Eph 4:30.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
19. They made a calf. (250) Here he represents their rebellion as exceedingly base, in that they abandoned the true worship of God, and made to themselves a calf. For although it was their intention to worship God in this manner, yet the prophet reprehends their brutal stupidity, because they worshipped before the molten image, (251) and represented God by the figure of an ox which eateth grass (252) From this the prophet infers, that God had been robbed of his honor, and that all his glory had been tarnished. And surely it is so; for although the idolaters feign to serve God with great zeal, yet when, at the same time, they represent to themselves a God visible, they abandon the true God, and impiously make for themselves an idol. But he reproaches them with being guilty of still greater impiety, when he says, after the likeness of an ox that eateth grass; and contrasts with it their honor or glory. For seeing that God had clothed them with his own glory, what madness was it to substitute in place of him not only an ox, but the inanimate form of an ox, as if there were any resemblance between God who createth all kinds of food, and that stupid animal which feeds upon grass?
It is necessary, however, to observe the design of the prophet, which is to point out the blindness of men as more base and abominable, because not contenting themselves with any common form of superstition, but casting off all sham they give themselves up to the most shocking forms of worshipping God. Had the people formed for themselves a likeness of God under the likeness of a man, even that would have been impiously robbing God of his due; how much more shameful was their conduct when they assimilated God to an ox? When men preserve their life by eating and drinking, they acknowledge how frail they are, because they derive (253) from dead creatures the means of its continuation. How much greater is the dishonor done to God when he is compared to the brutal tribes? Moreover, the comparison referred to increases the enormity of their guilt. For what credit was it for a holy people to worship the inanimate likeness of an ox instead of the true God? But God had condescended to spread out the overshadowing wings of his glory upon the children of Abraham, that he might put on them the highest honor. Therefore, in denuding themselves of this honor, they had exposed their own baseness to the derision of all the nations of the earth. And hence Moses employs the phrase of nakedness, when he is showing that crime of idolatry:
“
And when Moses saw that the people were naked, (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies)” Exo 32:25.
Should any one be disposed to say that the ark of the covenant was a representation of God, my answer is, That that symbol was given to the children of Israel, not to engross the whole of their attention, but only for the purpose of assisting and directing them in the spiritual worship of God.
(250) This idol seems to have been an imitation of the Egyptian God Apis, or Serapis, a word which signifies the head of an ox, the Egyptians having exalted that animal to the rank of a god whom they absurdly worshipped, and to whom they resorted as to an oracle. “The modern Jews assert, that their ancestors were in that matter misled by certain Egyptian proselytes, who had accompanied the Israelites when they were delivered from their bondage. The Psalmist, it may be remarked, does not observe the order of time in his narrative, the making of the calf being prior to the fate of Dathan and Abiram. — Comp. Exo 32:4.” — Cresswell.
(251) “More properly, ‘the overlaid image;’ or, more literally still, ‘the metalline shell.’” — Horsley. “The Hebrew word,” says Mant, “here, as elsewhere, rendered by our translators ‘molten image,’ strictly and properly means ‘the metalline case’ or ‘covering spread over’ the carved wood. It is often joined with the ‘carved wooden, image’ which it covered. Aaron’s calf was thus made of wood, and overlaid with gold.”
(252) “ That eateth hay — the Egyptians, when they consulted Apis, presented a bottle of hay or of grass, and if the ox received it, they expected good success.” — Cresswell.
(253) “ Empruntent des creatures mortes la continuation d’icelle.” — Fr.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(19) In Horeb.This expression, which is Deuteronomic (see Deu. 4:15; Deu. 5:2, &c), shows that Deu. 9:8-12, as well as Exodus 32, was before the poet.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
19. They made a calf In imitation of the sacred bulls of the Egyptians Apis, at Memphis, and Mnevis, at Heliopolis. But they called it Eloheem, God. It was not intended as a revolt from God, but as an image, or rather symbol, of God, and the feast in honour of it was called “a feast to Jehovah.” Exo 32:4-5. They might have viewed it in the light of a cherubic symbol, of which the Egyptian worship had many. But it was a gross violation of the second commandment, and was thus considered.
Exo 32:8; comp. Act 7:40-41. The whole affair shows the debased condition of the people, from their long residence in Egypt. In returning from Korah’s conspiracy to the calf at Horeb, the author reverses the historical order of events.
Horeb According to Robinson, this was the generic name for the whole range of mountains, and Sinai the specific name of that portion where the law was given. But Ritter thinks Horeb also applies to that particular section where the rock was smitten. Exo 17:6. The names evidently are here used interchangeably. In passing from the plain er-Rahah into the Wady Shu’eib, or Convent Valley, the traveller still sees upon his left, at the mouth of the wady and on the edge of the plain, at the foot of the awful mount, the notable eminence called the “Hill of Aaron,” or “Hill of the Golden Calf,” a spot which tradition has well identified. Coincident with this is the fact that when Moses descended from the mount, before he came in sight of the people, he heard a noise of voices in the camp. Exo 32:15-19. Palmer says: “Often in descending the Wady Shu’eib, while the precipitous sides of the ravine hid the tents from our gaze, have I heard the sound of voices from below, and thought of Joshua and Moses,” etc., as in the passage above quoted. It seems certain that Moses must have ascended and descended through this wady, the only feasible path to and from the great plains of er-Rahah and Wady Sheikh.
Molten image The calf might have been made of massive gold, but from the fact that Moses “burnt it and ground it to powder,” (Exo 32:20,) it would seem to have been made of wood and plated with gold.
Worshipped From the formality of “building an altar and proclaiming a feast to Jehovah,” it would appear that sacrifices to Jehovah were first offered, as on the great feast days, (Leviticus 23,) followed by a festival. The whole affair was a strange mixture of Mosaism and heathenism. The word “play,” (Exo 32:6,) which was part of the festive ceremony, must be taken technically of lewdness and debauch, added to singing, dancing, and shouting. It is translated “mock,” Gen 39:14; Gen 39:17. Compare also the worship of Baal-peor. Numbers 25
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Psa 106:19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.
Ver. 19. They made a calf in Horeb ] i.e. In the country near to that mountain, where they at same time saw visible tokens of God’s dreadful presence. Well might Aaron say of this people, that they were wholly set upon wickedness, Exo 32:22 . This piece of idolatry they had learned belike of the Egyptians, who worshipped Apis in such a shape, so catching is sin, and so dangerous is ill company (Lege Lacrant. and Aug. lib. 1, de Mirab. Script. cap. 15).
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Psa 106:19-27
19They made a calf in Horeb
And worshiped a molten image.
20Thus they exchanged their glory
For the image of an ox that eats grass.
21They forgot God their Savior,
Who had done great things in Egypt,
22Wonders in the land of Ham
And awesome things by the Red Sea.
23Therefore He said that He would destroy them,
Had not Moses His chosen one stood in the breach before Him,
To turn away His wrath from destroying them.
24Then they despised the pleasant land;
They did not believe in His word,
25But grumbled in their tents;
They did not listen to the voice of the Lord.
26Therefore He swore to them
That He would cast them down in the wilderness,
27And that He would cast their seed among the nations
And scatter them in the lands.
Psa 106:19-27 This strophe reflects Exodus 32 and Numbers 14.
Psa 106:19 made a calf The calf was intended to be a physical representation of YHWH (cf. Exo 32:8; note the two golden calves of Jeroboam I at Dan and Bethel). It was made from some of the gold given to the Israelites by the Egyptians. But, it also reminded the Israelites of an Egyptian fertility god (cf. Exo 32:6; Exo 32:19).
The calf was also used as a symbol in Canaanite fertility worship for El and Ba’al (i.e., Ras Shamra texts).
HoREB This Hebrew root (BDB 352, KB 349) means waste or desert. It is the term used most often in Deuteronomy for the mountain where YHWH met Israel. In Exodus and Numbers it is called Sinai (BDB 696), which is a non-Hebrew word. It may be related to the Wilderness of Sin (BDB 95, cf. Exo 16:1; Exo 17:1; Num. 23:11,12). The term is often associated with a small desert bush.
SPECIAL TOPIC: THE LOCATION OF MT. SINAI
Psa 106:20 What a shocking verse! God’s own people turned from the one true God to an idol (cf. Jer 2:11-13; as do all humans, Rom 1:21-23)!
Psa 106:22 in the land of Ham Ham (BDB 325 I) is one of he sons of Noah. He was the father of several nations (Genesis 10).
1. Egypt (Mizraim), cf. Psa 78:51; Psa 105:23; Psa 105:27
2. Canaan
Psa 106:23 YHWH expressed to Moses that He was going to destroy them and start over with him, as He had done with Abraham (cf. Exo 32:10).
Moses interceded with YHWH on Israel’s behalf (cf. Exo 32:11-13). I think this was a test for the strengthening of Moses. YHWH changed His mind (cf. Exo 32:14) and responded to Moses’ prayer. See Special Topic: Intercessory Prayer .
Psa 106:24 Several times Israel refused to believe YHWH about His giving them the land of Canaan (cf. Num 14:1-3; Num 14:31; Num 20:3-4; Deu 9:23; Eze 20:5-8).
He swore to them The verb (BDB 669, KB 724, Qal imperfect with waw) literally means to lift up (i.e., the hand in a gesture to swear an oath), YHWH’s promise in Gen 15:18. This is alluded to in Exo 6:8; Num 14:30; Neh 9:15.
Psa 106:27 The two verbs refer to exile.
1. cast (lit. cause to fall) – BDB 656, KB 709, Hiphil infinitive construct, cf. Psa 106:26 b
2. scatter – BDB 279, KB 280, Piel infinitive construct
This was an early warning against covenant disobedience, cf. Lev 26:33; Deu 4:27; Deu 28:64; Deu 29:28; Psa 44:11; Eze 20:23. As YHWH drove out the Canaanite tribes because of their sins (cf. Gen 15:12-21), now in impartial judgment, He does the same to Israel! Sin has consequences!
One more thought about exile. As painful and shameful as it was, it facilitated YHWH’s spreading the message about Himself. The problem was that Israel continued to give the wrong message (cf. Eze 36:22-23).
The new covenant of Jer 31:31-34 will focus on YHWH revealing Himself by His gracious acts to rebellious Israel (cf. Eze 36:24-38).
Fuente: You Can Understand the Bible: Study Guide Commentary Series by Bob Utley
Horeb. So called here; not because the word of a later writer, but because “Horeb” was the higher name (“the mount of God”, Exo 3:1. 1Ki 19:8), in order to show the heinousness of the sin.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Psa 106:19-23
Psa 106:19-23
SIN NO. 4
This was the worship of the golden calf:
“They made a calf in Horeb,
And worshipped a molten image.
Thus they changed their glory
For the likeness of an ox that eateth grass.
They forgat their Saviour,
Who had done great things in Egypt,
Wondrous works in the land of Ham
And terrible things by the Red Sea.
Therefore, he said that he would destroy them,
Had not Moses his chosen stood before him in the breach,
To turn away his wrath, lest he should destroy them.”
The Exodus account of this is in Exodus 32. See my comments in that chapter for a full discussion of this.
“They made a calf in Horeb” (Psa 106:19). This is an alternative name for Mount Sinai. The shame of this episode is that it took place even in the vicinity of Sinai, where the sacred Law was given.
“Thus they changed their glory for the likeness of an ox” (Psa 106:20). It is surprising indeed that any allegedly Christian commentator should question this; but Addis, declared that, “They had no intention of doing what is here stated. That it was an image of Yahweh that they made appears plainly from Exo 32:5).” No bull calf was ever “an image of Yahweh”! That is the age-old delusion about image worship.
God cannot be worshipped by bowing down to anything that men might make. Furthermore, such a device is incapable of “reminding one of God.” How could that which is blind, deaf, immobile, helpless, dead and powerless “remind one” of Him who is none of those things? And that goes for “a graven image of Christ himself,” no less than for that of Aaron’s bull calf!
E.M. Zerr
Psa 106:19. Horeb and Sinai are the same general location. The first is the place as a whole and the second is the peak; but the two words are used interchangeably in the Bible. It was there that the children of Israel made the idol in the form of a calf. It is here called a molten image which means it was cast. Exo 32:4 agrees with this only it gives an additional item. The calf was first molten or cast “in the rough,” then it was shaped more perfectly with the engraving tool.
Psa 106:20. Changed is from MUWR which Strong defines, “a primitive root; to alter; by implication to barter, to dispose of.” The glory of God cannot actually be changed or altered. The statement means that the Israelites gave up their glorying and praise for God and gave it to the idol which they had made with their own hands.
Psa 106:21. They forgat does not mean their memory failed them. It had been only a few months since they had seen those great works of God and the mind of a human being does not forget that soon. The word means they dismissed the subject from their minds and turned their attention elsewhere, to something immediately before their eyes.
Psa 106:22. The Psalmist does not specify the works themselves, but does designate where they were done. The land of Ham was Egypt (see Psa 105:23), and the other place named was the body of water that brought salvation to the children of Israel while it brought destruction to their enemies.
Psa 106:23. After the Israelites had made the golden calf, the Lord was so provoked that he threatened to destroy the nation and start a new one by Moses. But the man Moses acted as mediator and God turned from his wrath. (Exo 32:11-35.)
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Exo 32:4-8, Exo 32:35, Deu 9:12-16, Deu 9:21, Neh 9:18, 1Co 10:7
Reciprocal: Exo 3:1 – Horeb Deu 4:16 – corrupt Deu 9:8 – Also in Horeb 1Ki 14:9 – thou hast gone 2Ch 11:15 – for the calves Hos 8:6 – from Act 7:41 – they
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Psa 106:19-23. They made a calf in Horeb When they were but very lately brought out of Egypt, by such wonderful power and goodness of God, and had seen the dreadful plagues of God upon the Egyptian idolaters, and upon their idols too, as is observed Num 33:4; and when the law of God was but newly delivered to them, in such a solemn and tremendous manner; and the most high God was yet present, and delivering further precepts to Moses for their benefit upon the top of that very mount. This greatly aggravated their sin. Thus they changed As far as in them lay, and in respect of their worship; their glory Their God, who was indeed their glory, for they had this just occasion of triumphing and glorying over all nations of the world, that, whereas all other nations worshipped images made of stocks and stones, or the heavenly bodies, or dead men, they only worshipped the living and true God, who was present, and in covenant with them, and with them only; into the similitude of an ox Into the golden image of an ox or calf; that eateth grass Which is so far from feeding its worshippers, as the true God did the Israelites, that it must be fed by them. And yet the image of such a creature was preferred by them before the all-sufficient and ever-blessed God, which was an evidence of their horrid contempt of God, and also of their prodigious folly and stupidity. Therefore he said that he would destroy them He declared his intention to do this in express words, as Exo 32:10, and elsewhere. Had not Moses stood in the breach God had made a wall about them; but they had made a breach in it by their sins, at which the Lord, who was now justly become their enemy, might enter to destroy them; which he certainly would have done, if Moses, by his prevailing intercession, had not hindered him.