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Exodus 32:20

King James Version (KJV)

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— D.L. Moody

Exodus 32:20

Verse 20 of 35

Scripture focus

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].

Exodus 32:20 — KJV

Commentary

Commentary on Exodus 32:20

Theological / Devotional

He took the calf. Compare this with similar action by Josiah (2 Kings 23:1-27).

Strawed it. That is, “sprinkled” or “scattered” it. Since this “water” was “the brook” that descended out of the mount (Deut. 9:21), and was the only water available, when the Israelites drank it they risked swallowing particles of gold. Thus it was that the instrument of their sin became also the instrument of their punishment. Sin repays in its own coin (Ps. 7:15, 16; 9:15; Prov. 1:31, 32; 5:22). In completely destroying the golden calf, Moses taught the people the utter futility and nothingness of an idol (1 Cor. 8:4). If the calf could not save itself, it certainly could not save its worshipers (Ps. 115:3-9; Isa. 46:5-7).

By SdaBc