Exodus 32:20
ESV
He took the calf that they had made and burned it with fire and ground it to powder and scattered it on the water and made the people of Israel drink it.
NIV
And he took the calf the people had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it.
NASB
Then he took the calf which they had made and completely burned it with fire, and ground it to powder, and scattered it over the surface of the water and made the sons of Israel drink it.
CSB
He took the calf they had made, burned it up, and ground it to powder. He scattered the powder over the surface of the water and forced the Israelites to drink the water.
NLT
He took the calf they had made and burned it. Then he ground it into powder, threw it into the water, and forced the people to drink it.
KJV
And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.
NKJV
Then he took the calf which they had made, burned it in the fire, and ground it to powder; and he scattered it on the water and made the children of Israel drink it.
What does Exodus 32:20 mean?
Shortly after Israel learned God's fundamental laws (Exodus 20:3–17), Moses went onto Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:12). Aaron was among those left in charge (Exodus 24:14). But Moses was gone longer than the people expected (Exodus 24:18). They convinced Aaron to make an idol (Exodus 32:1–6). The Lord was furious and told Moses to go back and see what was happening (Exodus 32:7–14). Moses brought two stone tablets with God's laws written on them. In anger at seeing Israel's idolatry, he smashed the tablets on the ground (Exodus 32:19).Moses now demonstrates God's absolute hatred of idols (Deuteronomy 27:15). The "calf" which Israel made is completely disintegrated. It is burnt, which would take out any wood elements and melt the precious metals. Whatever is left is powdered. Moses throws the resulting dust into a nearby stream coming from Sinai (Deuteronomy 9:21). He makes the Israelites drink this, to symbolize their guilt. This disposes of every tiny speck of this idol.
Some interpreters suggest that drinking the idol-dusted water was a form of guilt testing. Moses will soon call loyal Israelites to execute thousands of their fellow men (Exodus 32:27–29). Perhaps those guilty of participating directly in the idol's creation reacted to the water (Numbers 5:11–28). Such would have been the ones killed. Scripture is not clear about this, however.
