New English Translation
Exodus 32:2
2So Aaron said to them, “Break off the gold earrings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.”
Exodus 32:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And Aaron said unto them, Break off the golden earrings, which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters, and bring them unto me.
- New International Version (NIV)Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)So Aaron said to them, "Take off the rings of gold that are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And Aaron said to them, “Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.”
Context of Exodus 32:2
1When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Get up, make us gods that will go before us. As for this fellow Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him!” So Aaron said to them, “Break off the gold earrings that are on the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” 3So all the people broke off the gold earrings that were on their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4He accepted the gold from them, fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molten calf. Then they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”
Read all of Exodus 32Exodus 32:2 word by word
וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲלֵהֶם֙ אַהֲרֹ֔ן פָּֽרְקוּ֙ נִזְמֵ֣י הַזָּהָ֔ב אֲשֶׁר֙ בְּאָזְנֵ֣י נְשֵׁיכֶ֔ם בְּנֵיכֶ֖ם וּבְנֹתֵיכֶ֑ם וְהָבִ֖יאוּ אֵלָֽי׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And Aaronאַהֲרֹן'ahărôn · AaronH175
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- unto them, Break offפָּרַקpâraq · to tearH6561
- the goldenזָהָבzâhâb · goldH2091
- earringsנֶ֫זֶםnezem · ringH5141
- in the earsאֹ֫זֶן'ôzen · earH241
- of your wivesאִשָּׁה'ishshâh nâshîym · woman: wifeH802
- of your sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- and of your daughtersבַּתbath · daughterH1323
- and bringבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
Cross-references for Exodus 32:2
- Exodus 12:35Now the Israelites had done as Moses told them – they had requested from the Egyptians silver and gold items and clothing.
- Genesis 24:22After the camels had finished drinking, the man took out a gold nose ring weighing a beka and two gold bracelets weighing ten shekels and gave them to her.
- Judges 8:24Gideon continued, “I would like to make one request. Each of you give me an earring from the plunder you have taken.” (The Midianites had gold earrings because they were Ishmaelites.)
- Ezekiel 16:11I adorned you with jewelry. I put bracelets on your hands and a necklace around your neck.
- Hosea 2:8Yet until now she has refused to acknowledge that I was the one who gave her the grain, the new wine, and the olive oil; and that it was I who lavished on her the silver and gold – which they used in worshiping Baal!
Commentaries on Exodus 32:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Golden ear-rings - Both men and women wore these ornaments, and we may suppose that these were a part of the spoils which they brought out of Egypt. How strange, that the very things which were granted them by an especial influence and providence of God, should be now abused to the basest idolatrous purposes! But it is frequently the case that the gifts of God become desecrated by being employed in the service of sin; I will curse your blessings, saith…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 1-6Verses 1-6 In all probability these three chapters originally formed a distinct composition. The main incidents recorded in them follow in the order of time, and are therefore in their proper place as regards historical sequence. The golden calf - The people had, to a great extent, lost the patriarchal faith, and were but imperfectly instructed in the reality of a personal unseen God. Being disappointed at the long absence of Moses, they seem to have…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-4Aaron, who served as a priest (religious leader), asked the people to bring gold rings. After that, he did not allow them to take part in the work. This was very different from what God commanded for building the tabernacle. In that case, the people were invited to bring many kinds of offerings as they were willing (25:1–9; 35:4–36:7). They also shared in the work under the direction of a skilled worker whom God filled with his Spirit, not under a priest…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. Aaron said, ... Break off ... earrings--It was not an Egyptian custom for young men to wear earrings, and the circumstance, therefore, seems to point out "the mixed rabble," who were chiefly foreign slaves, as the ringleaders in this insurrection. In giving direction to break their earrings, Aaron probably calculated on gaining time; or, perhaps, on their covetousness and love of finery proving stronger than their idolatrous propensity. If such were…Read the comment
Topics related to Exodus 32:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Exodus 32
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Calvin’s Commentaries
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Original Douay–Rheims Annotations
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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