Exodus 32:19
ESV
And as soon as he came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses ' anger burned hot, and he threw the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.
NIV
When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.
NASB
And it came about, as soon as Moses approached the camp, that he saw the calf and the people dancing; and Moses’ anger burned, and he threw the tablets from his hands and shattered them to pieces at the foot of the mountain.
CSB
As he approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, Moses became enraged and threw the tablets out of his hands, smashing them at the base of the mountain.
NLT
When they came near the camp, Moses saw the calf and the dancing, and he burned with anger. He threw the stone tablets to the ground, smashing them at the foot of the mountain.
KJV
And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.
NKJV
So it was, as soon as he came near the camp, that he saw the calf and the dancing. So Moses’ anger became hot, and he cast the tablets out of his hands and broke them at the foot of the mountain.
What does Exodus 32:19 mean?
God called Moses to Mount Sinai to receive tablets recording the Ten Commandments (Exodus 24:12; 31:18; Deuteronomy 4:12). God then sent Moses back, after forty days (Exodus 24:18). The people had ignored the Lord's commands (Exodus 20:3–6) and began committing idolatry (Exodus 32:7–10). They constructed a golden image, then treated it like God (Exodus 32:1–6).Moses reacts dramatically when he returns to camp. He smashes the tablets in a moment of righteous rage. Israel has already broken the covenant; the tablets of God's law are now broken, as well. This is not the only response Moses will give. He will immediately have the idol incinerated. The figure was probably made of carved wood and covered with gold; what could not be burnt was turned into powder (Exodus 32:20).
