ments. When he heard the shouts of the people, and saw them dance before the golden calf, he dashed the tables to the ground and broke them [1] at the foot of the mount. Then, laying hold of the calf, he burnt it and beat it to powder[2].
He severely rebuked Aaron for yielding to the wicked desires of the people. Then, standing in the gate of the camp, he said: “If any man be on the Lord’s side, let him join with me.” And all the sons of Levi[3] gathered around him. Then Moses ordered them to take their swords, go through the camp, and slay every man whom they found practising idolatry.
They did as they were commanded, and about twenty-three thousand men were put to death that day.
Next day Moses again ascended the mountain, and earnestly entreated the Lord for His ungrateful people. But the Lord said: “Let me alone that I may destroy them.” Still Moses insisted, saying: “I beseech Thee, this people hath sinned: either forgive them this trespass, or, if Thou do not, strike me out of the book[4] that Thou hast written.”
The Lord heard his prayer, and ordered him to cut two other tables of stone. Moses obeyed, and on those tables the Lord again wrote the Ten Commandments. But when Moses came down from the mountain with the tables in his hands, his face was so radiant[5] with glory that the Israelites were afraid to come near; hence he veiled his face whenever he spoke to the people.
- ↑ Broke them . The people having broken their covenant with God, Moses broke the words of the covenant. He meant also to show by this action that the people had proved themselves unworthy of the benefits of the law.
- ↑ To powder. He ground it into gold dust. He did this to make the people understand the utter nothingness of idols, and the folly of worshipping them.
- ↑ The sons of Levi. The descendants of Jacob’s son Levi. Most of the tribe of Levi had refrained from the worship of the golden calf.
- ↑ The book. The book in which are written the names of the just and heirs to heaven. By this forcible language Moses wished to say: “I (if I could do so without sin) would renounce eternal life rather than that this whole people should perish."
- ↑ Radiant . With a wonderful, supernatural light. Therefore Moses is always drawn with two rays of light on his brow.
