Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 32:35
And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
35. The verse seems here out of place (so Di.): perhaps it originally formed the sequel to v. 20 (We., B.). It does not read like a description of the punishment threatened at the end of v. 34.
which Aaron made ] The words read like a scribe’s correction of the less exact ‘they made’ just before.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 35. The Lord plagued the people] Every time they transgressed afterwards Divine justice seems to have remembered this transgression against them. The Jews have a metaphorical saying, apparently founded on this text: “No affliction has ever happened to Israel in which there was not some particle of the dust of the golden calf.”
1. THE attentive reader has seen enough in this chapter to induce him to exclaim, How soon a clear sky may be overcast! How soon may the brightest prospects be obscured! Israel had just ratified its covenant with Jehovah, and had received the most encouraging and unequivocal pledges of his protection and love. But they sinned, and provoked the Lord to depart from them, and to destroy the work of his hands. A little more faith, patience, and perseverance, and they should have been safely brought into the promised land. For want of a little more dependence upon God, how often does an excellent beginning come to an unhappy conclusion! Many who were just on the borders of the promised land, and about to cross Jordan, have, through an act of unfaithfulness, been turned back to wander many a dreary year in the wilderness. Reader, be on thy guard. Trust in Christ, and watch unto prayer.
2. Many people have been greatly distressed on losing their baptismal register, and have been reduced in consequence to great political inconvenience. But still they had their lives, and should a living man complain? But a man may so sin as to provoke God to cut him off; or, like a fruitless tree, be cut down, because he encumbers the ground. Or he may have sinned a sin unto death, 1Jo 5:16-17, that is, a sin which God will punish with temporal death, while he extends mercy to the soul.
3. With respect to the blotting out of God’s book, on which there has been so much controversy, Is it not evident that a soul could not be blotted out of a book in which it had never been written? And is it not farther evident from Ex 32:32-33, that, although a man be written in God’s book, if he sins he may be blotted out? Let him that readeth understand; and let him that standeth take heed lest he fall. Reader, be not high-minded, but fear. See Clarke on Ex 32:32, and “Ex 32:33“.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This relates either to the destruction of three thousand of them by the Levites, or rather to the future plagues, in which God also reckoned with them for this sin.
Because they made the calf; they made it because they urged
Aaron to make it, as Judas is said to purchase the field, Act 1:18, which was purchased by his money; and Aaron made it, by giving command to make it. The Chaldee, Syriac, Arabic, and Samaritan render the words thus,
they worshipped or sacrificed to the calf which Aaron made. And the word which signifies to make, is oft used for worshipping or sacrificing, as Exo 10:25; Jdg 13:15; 1Ki 18:26.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
35. the Lord plagued the people,because they made the calfNo immediate judgments wereinflicted, but this early lapse into idolatry was always mentioned asan aggravation of their subsequent apostasies.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the Lord plagued the people,…. That is, continued so to do at certain times, with the pestilence, or other calamities; for this seems not to refer, as some think, to the slaughter of the 3000 men: the reason follows,
because they made the calf which Aaron made; that is, they provided him with materials to make it; they urged and solicited him to do it, and would not be easy without it, so that the making of it is ascribed to them; or they served it, as Onkelos; or bowed unto it, as Jonathan; with which agree the Syriac, Arabic, and Samaritan versions, which render it, they served, or worshipped, or sacrificed to the calf which Aaron made.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
“ Thus Jehovah smote the people because they had made the calf.” With these words the historian closes the first act of Moses’ negotiations with the Lord on account of this sin, from which it was apparent how God had repented of the evil with which He had threatened the nation (Exo 32:14). Moses had obtained the preservation of the people and their entrance into the promised land, under the protection of God, through his intercession, and averted from the nation the abrogation of the covenant; but the covenant relation which had existed before was not restored in its integrity. Though grace may modify and soften wrath, it cannot mar the justice of the holy God. No doubt an atonement had been made to justice, through the punishment which the Levites had inflicted upon the nation, but only a passing and imperfect one. Only a small portion of the guilty nation had been punished, and that without the others showing themselves worthy of forgiving grace through sorrow and repentance. The punishment, therefore, was not remitted, but only postponed in the long-suffering of God, “until the day of retribution” or visitation. The day of visitation came at length, when the stiff-necked people had filled up the measure of their sin through repeated rebellion against Jehovah and His servant Moses, and were sentenced at Kadesh to die out in the wilderness (Num 14:26.). The sorrow manifested by the people (Exo 33:4), when the answer of God was made known to them, was a proof that the measure was not yet full.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
35. And the Lord plagued the people Moses here briefly attributes to God what he had before related as to the slaughter of the three thousand, lest any should think that he had smitten them with immoderate severity Therefore Paul bids us consider in this history, as in a mirror, how greatly displeasing to God idolatry is; lest we should imitate those who were smitten by His hand. (1Co 10:7.) The indignation of Moses is consequently connected with the command of God. Meanwhile he commends the mercy of God in having spared Aaron, whilst he speaks of the calf as his work, as well as of the whole of the people; in a different way indeed, for Aaron formed the calf at their request; still the criminality was common to them.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(35) The Lord plagued the people.We are not to understand by this (with Kalisch) that a pestilence was sent, but only that sufferings of various kinds befell those who had worshipped the calf, and were, in fact, punishments inflicted on them for that transgression.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
35. Plagued This implies that the severe blow ministered by the Levites ( 27-29) was followed by still other visitations of penal wrath.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Exo 32:35. And the Lord plagued the people It might be rendered, thus the Lord punished the people, because they had made the calf which Aaron made; a mode of expression, which involves them and Aaron in equal guilt; and shews, that they who command an evil thing to be done, are equally criminal with the doers of it; see Act 1:18. The Samaritan, Syriac, &c. render this, because they worshipped the calf which Aaron made.
REFLECTIONS.It was, no doubt, a melancholy night which Israel spent. The morning comes, and Moses goes forth,
1. To admonish the people of the greatness of their sin. Though God had not executed vengeance on all the idolaters, it was not that they did not all deserve it. Whether God would spare the rest, was yet a peradventure; and therefore it became them to be deeply affected with the sense of their ingratitude, whilst he offered once more to go up to God, and plead for them. Note; (1.) To affect the conscience with a sense of sin, should be the first labour of God’s ministers. (2.) The atonement which the Saviour has made for sin, shews in the most astonishing view its evil and malignity. (3.) It is our comfort, that he who is gone up with his own blood into the presence of God to make atonement, not only gives us the peradventure of hope, but the assurance of promise. (4.) It is still our duty to be found waiting upon him in prayer, that we may receive the atonement.
2. He goes up to the mount, and prays. He confesses the greatness of the crime: for it is not by extenuating, but by acknowledging our guilt, that we may hope for mercy. He begs hard for pardon; but, if he cannot obtain it, he begs to fall with them, rather than survive the afflicting scene. Note; The welfare of God’s Israel is dearer to God’s ministers than every consideration of their own, yea, even than their own life: they are ready to lay down that for their sake.
3. God graciously receives his intercession, and grants his request, with some alarming threatenings however against the transgressors: they shall notwithstanding feel his visitations.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Psa 89:30-32 ; Act 7:41-42 .
REFLECTIONS
In perusing this account of Israel’s shameful apostacy from the Lord God of their salvation, alter the many mercies which they had received, both in their deliverance from Egypt, and especially the tokens of his divine presence on Mount Sinai, what do we read in it but the same melancholy account of our poor, sinful, fallen nature, ever prone to depart from God, and making to itself idols of its own corrupt fancy. Oh! Lord, may it be mine and the Reader’s mercy to know, that in ourselves we are not better than they, but of the same stock and root, of whom it is truly said, that there is none good no, not one.
But chiefly in the perusal of this chapter may I behold him of whom Moses was a type, standing up in the glorious character of our intercessor, to make reconciliation for the sins of his people. Yes! thou dear Redeemer, thou art he whom the man of God here represented: thou didst, indeed, take the whole weight of our guilt upon thyself, when, in the eye of God’s righteous law, thou didst undertake our salvation, by consenting to become sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in thee. Oh! bring me, by the sweet influences of thy blessed Spirit, under thy shelter; and since thou hast done away sin by the sacrifice of thyself, may my soul rejoice in thy great salvation, and triumph in the name of the Lord my God.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 32:35 And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf, which Aaron made.
Ver. 35. They made. ] See Trapp on “ Exo 32:1 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
plagued. See note on Exo 32:28 above.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Exo 32:25, 2Sa 12:9, 2Sa 12:10, Mat 27:3-7, Act 1:18, Act 7:41
Reciprocal: Gen 20:9 – What hast Gen 42:9 – nakedness Num 25:18 – vex you Deu 9:20 – General 1Ki 14:16 – who did sin Psa 99:8 – though Psa 106:19 – General Rev 3:17 – naked