Exodus 32:8
ESV
They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’"
NIV
They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’
NASB
They have quickly turned aside from the way which I commanded them. They have made for themselves a cast metal calf, and have worshiped it and have sacrificed to it and said, ‘ This is your god, Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt!’?'
CSB
They have quickly turned from the way I commanded them; they have made for themselves an image of a calf. They have bowed down to it, sacrificed to it, and said, ‘Israel, these are your gods, who brought you up from the land of Egypt.’"
NLT
How quickly they have turned away from the way I commanded them to live! They have melted down gold and made a calf, and they have bowed down and sacrificed to it. They are saying, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.’'
KJV
They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
NKJV
They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!’ ”
What does Exodus 32:8 mean?
God is angry at the people of Israel for idolatry. While Moses speaks with Him on Mount Sinai (Exodus 24:18), the people have constructed a golden image (Exodus 32:1–6). Among the first laws given to Israel was the command not to create or worship idols (Exodus 20:3–6). Not long after Moses left Aaron in charge (Exodus 24:14), Aaron cooperated as the people ignored something the Lord had just recently made clear.In this case, the Israelites are probably not worshipping a false deity. They seem to think of the idol as a representation of the God who freed them from slavery (Exodus 12:40–41). The term translated as "gods" is elōhim, which is plural but also used in reference to the true God (Genesis 1:1; Exodus 3:14–15). But the Lord was clear that worshipping manmade objects is a sin. Just as the people "forgot" God's miracles and succumbed to fear (Exodus 14:10–12; 17:3), they now "forget" His rules and choose to sin.
