New Living Translation
Exodus 32:2
2So Aaron said, “Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and 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 how long it was taking Moses to come back down the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gods who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt.” So Aaron said, “Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.” 3All the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land 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 12:35And the people of Israel did as Moses had instructed; they asked the Egyptians for clothing and articles of silver and gold.
- Genesis 24:22Then at last, when the camels had finished drinking, he took out a gold ring for her nose and two large gold bracelets for her wrists.
- Judges 8:24However, I do have one request—that each of you give me an earring from the plunder you collected from your fallen enemies.” (The enemies, being Ishmaelites, all wore gold earrings.)
- Ezekiel 16:11I gave you lovely jewelry, bracelets, beautiful necklaces,
- Hosea 2:8She doesn’t realize it was I who gave her everything she has— the grain, the new wine, the olive oil; I even gave her silver and gold. But she gave all my gifts to 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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