Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Exodus 32:25
And when Moses saw that the people [were] naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto [their] shame among their enemies: )
25. broken loose let them loose ] viz. from their allegiance to Jehovah, under Aaron’s leadership: cf. for the word Exo 5:4.
for a whispering (i.e. a derision: LXX. ) among them that rose up against them ] The expression is poetical, and may have been taken from an ancient song (so Ew. Hist. ii. 182). Their foes would deride, when they heard that they had deserted their national God, who they boasted had led them out of Egypt.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
25 29. The people being in rebellion, the Levites, responding in a body to Moses’ appeal for help, seize their swords, and slay 3000 of them. For the zeal thus displayed on Jehovah’s behalf, they are rewarded with the priesthood. It is noticeable that, though Aaron is a ‘Levite’ (Exo 4:17: see note), the other ‘Levites’ here take part against him. For another view of these verses, viz. that they are not in their original context, and that they describe the punishment, not for the worship of the Golden Calf, but for some independent act of rebellion against Jehovah, see Di., C.-H., and McNeile (pp. xxxiv f., 207 f.).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Verse 25. Moses saw that the people were naked] They were stripped, says the Targum, of the holy crown that was upon their heads, on which the great and precious name [Ancient Hebrew] JEHOVAH was engraved. But it is more likely that the word parua implies that they were reduced to the most helpless and wretched state, being abandoned by God in the midst of their enemies. This is exactly similar to that expression, 2Ch 28:19: For the Lord brought Judah low, because of Ahaz king of Israel: for he made Judah NAKED, hiphria, and transgressed sore against the Lord. Their nakedness, therefore, though in the first sense it may imply that several of them were despoiled of their ornaments, yet it may also express their defenceless and abandoned state, in consequence of their sin. That they could not literally have all been despoiled of their ornaments, appears evident from their offerings. See Ex 35:21, &c.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
i.e. That they were stripped both of their ornament, which was not so much the jewels of their ears, as the innocency of their minds and lives; and of their defence, to wit, of the favour and protection of God, by which alone they were secured from the Egyptians, and were to be defended against those many and mighty enemies towards whom they were about to march; and that being thus disarmed and helpless, they would be a prey to every enemy: when Moses considered this, he took the following course to cover their nakedness, to expiate their sins, to regain the favour of God, and by punishing the most eminent and incorrigible offenders, to bring the rest to repentance.
Aaron had made them naked, as Ahaz is said to have made Judah naked, 2Ch 28:19.
Quest. How were they made naked or ashamed amongst their enemies, when at this time they were in their own camp, remote from all their enemies?
Answ. He speaks not only of their present shame, but of their everlasting reproach, especially among their and Gods enemies, who, being constant to their idols, would justly scorn the Israelites for their levity in forsaking their God so quickly and easily. See Jer 2:11. But the Hebrew word may be, and is by some, translated thus, amongst those that do or shall rise up or be born of them i.e. that shall succeed them; for so the word rising is used Exo 1:8; Mat 11:11. And so the Chaldee here renders it, amongst their generations; and the other Chaldee interpreter, and the Syriac, in their latter days, or in aftertimes. So the sense is, that Aaron had put a note of perpetual infamy upon them, even to all after-ages.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
25. nakedeither unarmed anddefenseless, or ashamed from a sense of guilt. Some think they wereliterally naked, as the Egyptians performed some of their rites inthat indecent manner.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And when Moses saw that the people [were] naked,…. Not in their bodies, being stripped of their ear rings; for parting with them was not sufficient to denominate them naked in a corporeal sense; nor as being without their armour, which was laid aside while they were eating, and drinking, and dancing about the calf, and so might be thought a proper opportunity for the Levites to fall upon them, by the order of Moses, and slay them: but it can hardly be thought that all the people bore arms, and that Moses took the advantage of their being without them: but rather they were naked in their souls, through their sin, and the shame of their nakedness appeared; their sin was made manifest, and they were discovered to be what they were; and they were now deprived of the divine protection; the cloud was departing from them, the symbol of the divine Presence, God being provoked by their sins; unless it is to be understood of their ceasing from work, and keeping holy day in honour of the calf, and so were loitering about, and not attending to the business of their callings, in which sense the word sometimes seems to be used, see Ex 5:4
for Aaron had made them naked unto [their] shame amongst their enemies; to part with their ear rings, or lay aside their armour while feasting, could not be so much to their shame among their enemies; but to sin against God, in the manner they did, was to their shame, which Aaron was a means of by not doing all he could to hinder it, and by doing what he did to encourage it; and now he made them naked to their shame by exposing it, saying they were a people set on mischief, and given up to sin and wickedness; and what they had now done served to expose them to shame even among their enemies, both now and hereafter; when they should hear of their shameful revolt from God, after so many great and good things done for them, and of the change of their gods, and of their fickleness about them, which was not usual with the Gentiles: though the last word may be rendered, “among those that rise up from you”; that should spring from them, come up in their room, and succeed them, their posterity, as in Nu 32:14 and so Onkelos renders it, “to your generations”, and is so to be understood, as Abendana observes; and then the sense is, that this sin of making and worshipping the golden calf, and keeping a holy day, would be to their shame and disgrace, among their posterity, in all succeeding ages.
(If is quite possible the people were physically naked, having taken off all their clothes to indulge in the idolatrous worship of the calf and sexual immorality that usually is associated with such wicked practices. Editor.)
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Moses then turned to the unbridled nation, whom Aaron had set free from all restraint, “ for a reproach among their foes, ” inasmuch as they would necessarily become an object of scorn and derision among the heathen on account of the punishment which their conduct would bring down upon them from God (compare Exo 32:12 and Deu 28:37), and sought to restrain their licentiousness and ward off the threatened destruction of the nation through the infliction of a terrible punishment. If the effect of this punishment should show that there were still some remains of obedience and faithfulness towards God left in the nation, Moses might then hope, that in accordance with the pleading of Abraham in Gen 18:23., he should obtain mercy from God for the whole nation for the sake of those who were righteous. He therefore went into the gate of the camp (the entrance to the camp) and cried out: “ Whoever (belongs) to the Lord, (come) to me? ” and his hope was not disappointed. “All the Levites gathered together to him.” Why the Levites? Certainly not merely, nor chiefly, “because the Levites for the most part had not assented to the people’s sin and the worship of the calf, but had been displeased on account of it” ( C. a Lapide); but partly because the Levites were more prompt in their determination to confess their crime, and return with penitence, and partly out of regard to Moses, who belonged to their tribe, in connection with which it must be borne in mind that the resolution and example of a few distinguished men was sure to be followed by all the rest of their tribe. The reason why no one came over to the side of Moses from any of the other tribes, must also be attributed, to some extent, to the bond that existed among members of the same tribe, and is not sufficiently explained by Calvin’s hypothesis, that “they were held back, not by contempt or obstinacy, so much as by shame, and that they were all so paralyzed by their alarm, that they waited to see what Moses was about to do and to what length he would proceed.”
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
Verses 25:29:
Moses’ presence once more within Israel’s camp, his rage, and his destruction of the golden calf did not completely stop the orgy.
“Naked,’ para “exposed, free from clothing.” This is not the same term in Ge 2:25; 3:7 translated “naked.” In the present text, the sense of the AV is accurate. Worshipers before the golden calf were nude.
“Enemies” likely refers to the Amalekites, some of whom remained in the area, and who witnessed the orgy and their indecent exposure.
Aaron’s sin in making the golden calf led to the immorality of the people. This shows that one’s deeds are the result of one’s doctrines.
“The gate,” shaar. This was not a gate in the sense of an opening in a wall or a fence. It was likely the camp’s main entrance, which lay toward the east, before the entrance to the Tabernacle.
Moses’ cry rallied to him those of his own kinsmen. His instructions: to arm themselves with swords, and execute swift judgment upon those who persisted in idolatrous worship. Even the near of kin were not exempt from the sentence of death. The text implies that many of the Levites themselves were involved in the orgy, and were among the 3,000 slain that day. This was not a capricious act of pique, but a solemn execution of Divine judgment upon an unrepentant people.
When Moses gave the Levi executioners their instructions, he told them that their zeal would be a consecration, and would assure God’s blessings for them. Nu 3:6-13 implies that this was one factor in God’s choice of the Levites for the priesthood and the tabernacle ministry.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
25. And when Moses saw that the people were naked The vengeance is here recorded which Moses employed to expiate the sin; not that this punishment was satisfactory, as they call it, before God; but because it was useful to efface the memory of their guilt; or at any rate was profitable, as an example. For by the slaughter of three thousand of them, they were reminded that they all had deserved the same. Nor can it be doubted but that he cleansed the camp of the chief authors of the evil, in order that God might be more inclined to pardon. First, therefore, the cause is set forth, whereby he was inflamed to such severity, viz., because he saw the people in such a state of nakedness, as to be even exposed as a laughing-stock to their enemies. The exposition (345) which some give of their nakedness, i.e., that they were stripped of their ornaments, is by no means consistent; for it is immediately added, that it was “to their shame among their enemies;” and it will be seen in the next chapter that they were still splendidly ornamented; nay, that they wore the outward tokens of profane rejoicing. There is no doubt, then, but that he signifies that they were rejected of God, who was to them, as it were, their sole ornamental garment, and under whose protection they were secure. The enormity of the evil is, therefore, set forth in these words, because they were not only deprived of God’s assistance, who is culled “the dwelling-place” of his people, (Psa 90:1,) but also abandoned to ignominy, whilst they were surrounded on all sides by enemies. Hence the holy indignation of Moses, in inflicting punishment on the leaders of the rebellion. And again, it is to be noted, that Aaron is charged with the chief part of the crime, because he had not resisted the people’s folly with sufficient firmness.
Herein the astonishing power of God was manifested, that when Moses had summoned the Levites, and had commanded them openly in the gate to gird themselves with their swords, the other tribes did not all of them mutiny; for it was probable that they were thus to be armed, in order to execute punishment on the criminals. How, then, came it to pass that those, who were conscious of guilt, were quiet, except because the power of God’s Spirit restrained their courage and fury?
The form of the command is also worthy of observation, “Whoso is the Lord’s, let him betake himself to me:” from whence we learn, that if we love religion as it deserves, we must not halt between two sides; but that an ingenuous confession is required of us, so as to range ourselves every one under the banner of God; for, by calling all God’s servants to him, he condemns the cowardice, nay, the treachery, of all who shall stand in indecision.
The question, however, arises, whether the Levites were not implicated in the crime, since they step forward at once to execute his command, like sincere upholders of God’s glory. I answer, that though they were not free from guilt, yet, inasmuch as they yielded to the people under the influence of fear, their sin was lighter than as if they had approved by their consent of the detestable idolatry. But here we perceive the wonderful indulgence of God, who not only pardoned them, but deigned to assert His glory by their instrumentality, and appointed them his ministers for the punishment of a crime, in the toleration of which they had been guilty of base effeminacy and cowardice. Again, it may be asked, how it occurred that of the rest of the multitude not one stirred a foot at the command of Moses? My opinion is, that they were kept back not by contempt or obstinacy, but only by shame; and that they were all inspired with so much alarm, that they waited in astonishment to see what Moseswas about, and how far he would proceed. It is, however, probable that the Levites were called out by name, and this we gather from the result; because they all immediately came forwards, and not one of any other tribe.
(345) The glossa ordinaria gives the three usual opinions as to this statement, viz., either that they were stripped of the ornaments, whereof the idol was made; or that they had manifested their corrupt will, which was previously concealed; or that they had lost the help and protection of God. De Lyra adopts the first. Dathe calls it a very difficult passage; but inclines to the rendering of the LXX., διασκέδασται, were scattered, or dissipated. “The people were in a dissolute, disorderly state; and therefore in a condition to be attacked with advantage.” — Geddes.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Exo. 32:25-30
RETRIBUTION
We observe
I. The sin by which the retribution was provoked. This sin was one which could not be lightly passed over; it was a violation of the fundamental law which God had given unto Israel (Exo. 20:3-5). In these days direct sins against God are lightly thought of, but Israel was taught a very different theology. God saw that in the making of an image His real nature would first be eclipsed, and soon His existence would be forgotten: the image first degraded the idea of God, and then displaced God in the eye and heart of the people. And whatever lowered God in the estimation of the people, whatever let God down to the level of the people, whatever stole away the reverence and love of the people from Godthis was a cardinal evil. They who teach us to see God in nature, until nature takes the place of God; they who teach us to see God in humanity, until humanity takes the place of God; they who teach us to see God in the blessings of life, until the blessings of life take the place of God; they who teach us to see God in the Church, until the Church takes the place of God;all these Aarons are causing Israel to sin the sin which is unto death. Let us beware of losing sight of the Divine spirituality, of the Divine existence. Idolatry is the root of all sinrenunciation of the spiritual holy God is the mother of all crimes and sorrows. Ceasing to revere the Eternal One, what greatness can be admired? ceasing to adore the All Beautiful, what excellence can be venerated? ceasing to believe in the Holy One, what purity can be sacred? ceasing to commune with the Happy One, what woes are not possible? Idolatry and atheism are direct violations of the most fundamental law of existence, and directly provoke Gods anger. We observe
II. The retribution by which the sin was punished, Exo. 32:27,
Exo. 32:28.
1. This retribution was swift. The scene of feasting and song, Exo. 32:18, was soon turned into a scene of death and dirge. God can bring swift destruction on splendid empires, on proud sinners. Let us remember, in the day of our pride and vanity, how easily and swiftly God can visit us. The laughter of fools is as the crackling of thorns under a pot. The triumphing of the wicked is short.
2. This retribution was terrible. There was great mercy exercised by God in this event, and yet how terrible this judgment, even softened by grace! It is a fearful thing to sin against God. Idolatry, atheism, libertinismbring with them awful punishments in this life; and if in this life, what of the next?
3. This retribution was just. We see what dreadful penalties are inflicted on men for transgressing the great laws of nature, and we feel that if this is right, it is just in God also to punish those who violate the highest law of all. What frightful diseases, wars, famines, deaths, come out of sin, and the event recorded in the text is in consistency with the same law!
III. The penitence by which the retribution was escaped, Exo. 32:26. Who is on the Lords side? The Levites, no doubt, had participated in the general sin, but at the call of Moses they repent, and become the instruments to execute Gods judgment, although they had to slay their own son or brother. Let us put ourselves on the Lords side, whatever it may cost us. O Lord our God, other lords besides Thee have had dominion over us: but by Thee only will we make mention of Thy name (Isa. 26:13).
ILLUSTRATIONS
BY
REV. WILLIAM ADAMSON
Idol-Idiosyncrasy. Exo. 32:1-35.
(1.) Material idolatry has passed away among civilised nations in its literal import. As Macmillan says, the old worship of stocks and stones is now impossible among a professedly Christian people. But although the outward mode has passed away, the essence of the temptation remains the same. Human society is changed, but human nature is unchanged. The impulse which led Israel to seek the golden calf is as strong as ever, and images are set up and worshipped now as fantastic as any pagan fetish or joss. For what is idolatry! Is it not in its essence the lowering of the idea of God and of Gods nature, and the exaltation of a dead image above a mans own living spirit! Is not an idol whatever is loved more than God, whatever is depended upon for happiness and help independent of God?
(2.) Sooner or later, as Moses pounded the calf and gave the Israelites the dust to drink in punishment of their idolatry, will all such moral idolaters have to drink the dust of their idols. Our sin will become our punishment, our idols our scourges. God is a jealous God, and every soul that turns aside from His love to the lying vanities of the world must drink the bitter water of jealousy, filled with the dust of the bruised and mutilated idols of spiritual idolatry: This shall ye have at My hand, ye shall lie down in sorrow.
Thou art the man within whose hearts deep cell
All evil sleeping lies;
Lust, in a dark hour waking, breaks the spell,
And straightway there arise
Monsters of evil thoughts and base desire.
Greok.
Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell
(25) When Moses saw that the people were naked.Most modern commentators prefer to translate that the people were licentious, or unruly. But the rendering of the Authorised Version may be defended. In the lewd and excited dancing of idolatrous orgies, garments were frequently cast aside, and the person exposed indecently. Egyptian dancers are represented on the monuments with scarcely any clothing.
Among their enemies.Amalekites may have held many fastnesses among the hills, from which they may have been able to see what was going on in the camp.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
25. Naked This word, twice employed in this verse, indicates a letting the people loose from all restraint, and giving them over to licentious and dangerous revelling . See the note on , at Jdg 5:1.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Slaughter of the Idolaters
v. 25. And when Moses saw that the people were naked; v. 26. then Moses stood in the gate of the camp and said, Who is on the Lord’s side; v. 27. And he said unto them, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, v. 28. And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses; and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men.
v. 29. For Moses had said,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
EXPOSITION
MOSES PUNISHES THE RINGLEADERS. The presence of Moses in the camphis impressive act in breaking the tableseven his seizure of the idol and consignment of it to destructiondid not arrest the licentious orgy in which the people had engaged before his coming. The “play” that had followed on the feasting still continued; though we may suppose that many had been impressed and had desisted. Moses felt that an example must be made, and a stop put to conduct which was more and more provoking the Almighty, and might at any moment bring down the judgment of complete destruction upon the whole people. He therefore took his station at the main gate of the camp (Exo 32:26), and shouted the words “Who is on Jehovah’s side? Here, to me!” The sound of the words could not, of course, have reached very farbut they rallied to him those of his own tribe who stood near, and thus placed a strong force at his disposal. Moses bade them get their swords, and proceed through the camp from end to end, slaying the idolatersnot, we may be sure, indiscriminately, but executing God’s judgment on those who were most conspicuous and persistent. They were especially bidden not to spare their own nearest and dearest, which implies that many Levites were among the ringleaders. The result was the destruction by the sword of three thousand menand the suppression of the festival. It is not to be doubted that Moses had Divine sanction for what he did in this matter (Exo 32:27).
Exo 32:25
The people were naked. It has been suggested that “licentious” or “unruly” would be a better rendering (Gesenius, Dathe, Rosenmuller, Kalisch, Cook), but the primary sense of pharua is “naked,” “stript;” and of the licentious orgies of the East, stripping or uncovering the person was a feature (Herod. 2.60), so that there is no reason for changing the expression used in the Authorised Version. Moses saw that most of the people were still without the garments that they had laid aside when they began to dance, and were probably still engaged in dancing and shouting. Aaron had made them naked. Aaron is said to have done that to which his actions had led. He had made the calf and proclaimed a festival. The “nakedness” had naturally followed. Unto their shame among their enemies. Amalekites were no doubt still hovering about the camp; indeed, the tribe probably still held most of the surrounding mountains. They would witness the orgy, and see the indecent and shameful exposure.
Exo 32:26
Moses stood in the gate of the camp. We must understand “the principal gate,” since the camp had several (Exo 32:27) Who is on the Lord’s side? Let him come to me. Literally, “Who for Jehovah? To me”but expressed, as the Hebrew idiom allows, in three words, forming an excellent rallying cry. All the sons of Levii.e; all who heard the cry. It is evident that there were Levites among the idolaters (Exo 32:27, Exo 32:29.)
Exo 32:27
Go in and out from gate to gate, etc.,i.e; “pass through the whole campvisit every part of itand, where you see the licentious rites continuing, use your swordsdo not spare, though the man be a brother, or a companion, or a neighbourstrike nevertheless, and bring the revel to an end.”
Exo 32:28
About three thousand. We cannot gather from this, as some have done, that the Levites who rallied to Moses were only 3,000for every Levite was not obliged to kill a manbut only that, when this number was slain, the idolaters desisted from their orgy
Exo 32:29
For Moses had said. Moses, on giving them their commission (Exo 32:27), had told them, that their zeal in the matter would he a consecration, and would secure them God’s blessing. They earned by it the semi-priestly position, which was soon afterwards assigned to them (Num 3:6-13).
HOMILETICS
Exo 32:26-28
The punishment of idolatry.
God did not long allow the sin against his majesty to remain unpunished. He declared his will to Moses (Exo 32:27)”Thus saith the Lord God of Israel”and Moses, with his usual dutifulness, was prompt to execute his will. Having obtained the necessary force, he lost no time in inflicting the punishment. Of the punishment itself, we shall do well to note
I. ITS SEVERITY. Men talk and think very slightingly in these days of sins against God’s majesty. They profess scepticism, agnosticism, atheism, “with a light heart.” The idea does not occur to them that their conduct is likely to bring upon them any punishment. But “God’s thoughts are not as man’s thoughts”God visits such sins with death. Three thousand are slain with the sword on one day because of a few hours of idol-worship. Such is God’s award. And the record of it has been “written for our learning, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” It is intended to teach us that God will visit for these things; and, if not in this world, then assuredly in the next.
II. ITS JUSTICE. Idolatry is apostasy. It is a “casting of God behind the back”a turning away from him, and a deliberate preference to him of something which is not he, and which cannot therefore but be infinitely inferior. The heart witnesses against idolatry; it tells us that we are bound, being God’s creatures, to devote our whole existence to him. Idolatry might well be punished with death, if it had never been positively forbidden. But the Israelites had heard it forbidden amid the thunders of Sinai (Exo 20:4, Exo 20:5). They had a law against it in “the Book of the Covenant” (Exo 20:23). They had pledged themselves to obey this law (Exo 24:3). They could not therefore now complain. If all who had taken part in the calf-worship had perished, no injustice would have been done. But God tempers justice with mercy. There were well-nigh six hundred thousand sinners; but the lives of three thousand only were taken.
III. THE METHOD WHEREBY IT WAS ESCAPED. Those escaped who put away their sin as,
1. The Levites, who hastened to repent, and placed themselves on the Lord’s side at the first summons made by Moses. This was the best course, and the only safe one. This was “turning to the Lord with all the heart;” and, though no atonement for past sin, was accepted by God through the (coming) atonement of his Son, and obtained from him, not only forgiveness, but a blessing (Exo 32:29).
2. Those escaped who desisted either when Moses made his first appeal, or even when they saw the swords drawn, and vengeance about to be taken. To draw back from sin is the only way to escape its worst consequences. Even then, all its consequences are not escaped. Their iniquity was still “visited” on those who were now allowed to escape with their lives”the Lord plagued the people because they made the calf” (Exo 32:35) at a later date.
HOMILIES BY J. ORR
Exo 32:25-30
The zeal of Levi.
Panic was in the camp. The idolaters stood as they had been taken in their guilty revels. Their sin had been of too heinous a nature to admit of its being passed over without severe punishment. Law must be vindicated. Vengeance must be taken for the injury offered to the majesty of Jehovah. Stern as the duty is, the mediator does not shrink from immediately addressing himself to the execution of judgment.
I. THE SUMMONS. He stood in the gate of the camp and said, “Who is on the Lord’s side? Let him come unto me” (Exo 32:26). This must be taken to mean, not, “Who is willing to be on the Lord’s side now?” but “Who has shown himself on the Lord’s side during the recent apostasy?” Notethe Lord’s side, though for a time the unpopular one, proves in the end to be the side of honour, of safety, and of comfort. Fidelity has its ultimate reward. Wisdom is justified of her children. (Mat 11:19.)
II. THE RESPONSE. “All the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him” (Exo 32:26). The Levites, as a tribe, would thus appear to have been less implicated in the idolatry than the rest of the people.
“Faithful found
Among the faithless, faithful only he”
This now turns to their honour. The text, however, does not forbid the supposition that individuals from the other tribes also came out, anti separated themselves at the call of Moses.
III. THE COMMISSION. This was sufficiently sanguinary. It put the fidelity, of Levi to a terrible test. “Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out,” etc. (Exo 32:27).
1. In the work of executing Jehovah’s vengeance, the Levites were to “consecrate” themselves (Exo 32:29). They were to devote themselves. They were to be actuated in what they did by pure zeal for God’s glory. They were to obey to the letter the command he had given them.
2. In the doing of this work, they were sternly to repress all natural impulses: “every man upon his son, and upon his brother” (Exo 32:29; cf. Deu 33:9). So earthly ties are not to be permitted to stand between us and duty to Christ (Mat 8:21, Mat 8:22; Mat 10:27).
IV. THE EXECUTION OF THE MANDATE.
1. The Levites showed unflinching zeal in the work entrusted to them. By their zeal on this, and on other occasions (Deu 33:8), they reversed the curse which lay upon their tribe, and won for themselves great honour and blessing. In particular, they won the privilege of serving in the sanctuary.
2. They slew three thousand of the people (Exo 32:28). “Terrible surgery this,” as Carlyle says of the storming of Drogheda; “but is it surgery, and judgment, or atrocious murder merely?” The number of the slain was after all small as compared with the whole body of the people. Probably only the ringleaders and chief instigators of the revolt were put to death, with those who still showed the disposition to resist. Note, that notwithstanding their great zeal on this occasion, the Levites were among those afterwards excluded from Canaan for unbelief. This is a striking circumstance. It shows how those that think they stand need to take heed lest they fall (1Co 10:12). It reminds us that one heroic act of service is not enough to win for us the kingdom of God. “We are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence fast unto the end” (Heb 3:14). It may suggest to us also, that many of the Israelites who failed under the later trial, and so were excluded from Canaan, thus forfeiting the earthly inheritance, may yet have had the root of the matter in them, and so, spiritually, were saved.J.O.
Exo 32:26
Who is on the Lord’s side? Let him come unto me.
The following points suggest a practical treatment of the passage
I. IN THE WARFARE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL, THERE IS NEED FOR TAKING SIDES. Some side we must take. We cannot remain neutral. Not to be on the Lord’s side, is to be on the side of his enemies. It is our duty to choose the Lord’s side.
(1) He has a claim on our allegiance.
(2) It is the side of honour and of duty.
(3) It is the side we will ultimately wish we had chosen.
II. THE EXAMPLE OF ONE GOOD MAN, IN DECLARING HIMSELF ON THE LORD‘S SIDE, AFFORDS A RALLYING–POINT FOR OTHERS. He gathers others around him. His influence decides and emboldens them.
III. THE TEST OF BEING ON THE LORD‘S SIDE IS, THAT, WHEN OTHERS ARE APOSTATISING AROUND US, WE REMAIN FAITHFUL. Weak natures will always go with the multitude. Decided piety shows itself in being able to resist the contagion of numbers. It needs courage to be singular.
IV. BEING ON THE LORD‘S SIDE CARRIES WITH IT CERTAIN OBLIGATIONS.
(1) The obligation of personal consecration.
(2) The obligation of renouncing earthly ties, so far as inconsistent with the higher allegiance.
(3) The obligation of doing the Lord’s work.
V. FIDELITY ON THE LORD‘S SIDE WILL MEET WITH AN ULTIMATE REWARD.J.O.
Fuente: The Complete Pulpit Commentary
Exo 32:25. When Moses saw, &c. Some expositors understand by this passage, not only their being divested of their virtue and piety, which was their ornament and defence, but also their being unarmed, dispersed up and down the plain at their sports; nay, and even guilty of acts of abominable conduct in the midst of their idolatrous mirth. But if this had been implied, one should have conceived, that the same word would have been used here as in Gen 3:7 where Adam’s loss of his original virtue is spoken of. A different word is here used, parung, which signifies to apostatize, to break loose from the true religion and worship; a sense, which seems better adapted to this place, than that which our translation gives. Houbigant, however, gives another interpretation to the word; which, he says, signifies, to be free from business, to hold a feast: (see ch. Exo 5:4.) and he gives also a different interpretation to the word that we render amongst their enemies: we subjoin his translation of the verse; which, as he observes very justly, is an introduction to the slaughter by the Levites, mentioned in the next verse. But Moses, when he saw the people feasting, (for, by the command of Aaron, they held a feast, Exo 32:5.) and easy to be slain, if any one should fall upon them, Exo 32:26 stood in the gate of the camp, and said, &c. The gate of the camp was the place where the courts of judgment were held, a custom which seems derived from the patriarchal times; (Gen 10:18; Gen 34:20.) and was continued under the commonwealth of Israel; see Rth 1:11. Deu 17:5. See the Abbe Fleury’s history of the Israelites, ch. 22:
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Gen 3:10 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Exo 32:25 And when Moses saw that the people [were] naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto [their] shame among their enemies:)
Ver. 25. Aaron had made them naked. ] As Aaron’s engraving instrument writes down his sin: so the confession of other more ingenuous Jews proclaims the Israelites, saying that, No punishment befalleth thee, O Israel, in which there is not an ounce of this calf. a
a Mos. Gerund.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Moses Punishes Idolaters and Prays for the People
Exo 32:25-35
The heart of Moses was full of that wonderful new word, atonement. For many days Jehovah had been speaking to him about it. But he seemed to feel that on this occasion, the blood of goats and bulls could not avail to put away the black transgression of His people. Then there arose within him the noble resolve to which he gave expression, when he returned by the well-worn path to the summit of Sinai.
His voice was very broken as he commenced to plead. Mark that unfinished sentence, If thou wilt forgive their sin-I. It was arrested by a burst of uncontrollable emotion. Can we finish it? If thou wilt forgive, thou wilt act worthily of thyself and bind us to thee forever; but if not, and if the blood of beasts does not avail, let me be their atoning sacrifice, and blot me from thy book! See Rom 9:1-3, r.v.
Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary
naked: The term naked may mean either that they were unarmed and defenceless, or ashamed from the consciousness of guilt. Exo 33:4-6, Gen 3:10, Isa 47:3, Hos 2:3, Mic 1:11, Rev 3:17, Rev 3:18, Rev 16:15
Aaron: Deu 9:20, 2Ch 28:19
shame: Eze 16:63, Dan 12:2, Rom 6:21
their enemies: Heb. those that rose up against them
Reciprocal: Gen 2:25 – ashamed Exo 32:35 – General Deu 33:9 – Who said Hab 2:15 – that thou 2Co 5:3 – being
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Exo 32:25. Moses saw that the people were naked This is the most common and obvious meaning of the word , paruang, here used, as many examples in the Old Testament show, and it is the sense which seems best to suit this place. They were stripped of their ornament and armour, not only of their jewels, but of the innocence of their minds and lives, and of their defence, the favour and protection of God, by which alone they were secured from the Egyptians, and by which they were to be defended against those many and mighty enemies toward whom they were about to march, and to whom, being thus disarmed and helpless, they would become an easy prey.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
32:25 And when Moses saw that the people [were] {k} naked;
(for Aaron had made them naked unto [their] shame among their enemies:)
(k) Both destitute of God’s favour, and an occasion for their enemies to speak evil of their God.
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
The Levites’ loyalty 32:25-29
The Levites were Moses’ closest kinsmen. Perhaps it was for this reason, as well as their loyalty to the Lord, that they sided with Moses. Their decision and obedience (Exo 32:28) demonstrated their faith in God. They chose to go the way of His appointed leader, Moses, instead of following their rebellious brethren.
God’s punishment of the rebels was severe (Exo 32:27) because of the seriousness of their offense. It was also merciful; only 3,000 of the 600,000 men died (Exo 32:28).
The Levites’ blessing was God’s choice of their tribe as the priestly tribe in Israel (Num 3:12-13). The nation as a whole forfeited its right to be a kingdom of priests (Exo 19:6) by its rebellion here.
"The idiom ’fill the hands’ [the literal meaning of "dedicate yourselves," NASB, or "you have been set apart," NIV, Exo 32:29] means ’institute to a priestly office,’ ’install,’ ’inaugurate,’ and the like." [Note: Hyatt, p. 310.]