Exodus 32:31-32
This page isn't yet indexed by search engines.
Moses’ plea begins with a sigh of lamentation, not a formal accusation. He cries out, "Oh, this people," highlighting a heartbreaking distance from them in this moment, a sorrowful observation rather than a self-righteous denunciation.
So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
After confronting Aaron and the people about their idolatry and witnessing the devastation caused by the Levites' enforcement of judgment, Moses ascends the mountain again to intercede with God. He laments the people's profound sin in creating a golden idol and presents himself, in a powerful act of solidarity, willing to be blotted out of God's record if the people cannot be forgiven.
Why does Moses shift from calling Israel 'Your people' to 'this people'?
When Moses first descended the mountain, having been told of the people's sin by God, he interceded for them, referring to them as 'Your people' (Exodus 32:11). But after seeing the full extent of their rebellion – the golden calf and the wild revelry – his heart breaks. In verse 31, he cries out, 'Oh, this people has sinned a great sin.'
This change in language isn't just a casual observation; it reflects a deep sorrow and a sense of their unworthiness. By shifting to 'this people,' Moses distances himself, not from their plight, but from their sin. He acknowledges the gravity of their actions and the shame they've brought upon themselves. It’s the cry of a leader who feels the weight of his people's rebellion deeply, recognizing they've acted like a separate, disobedient group, not the covenant people of God.
What made the golden calf such a profound offense?
The people didn't just make a god; they made 'gods of gold' (Exodus 32:31). This was a 'great sin' for several reasons:
Ask a follow-up
This wasn't a minor mistake; it was a profound act of unfaithfulness that struck at the very heart of their relationship with God.
What is Moses doing as he returns to the Lord?
Exodus 32:31 doesn't just show Moses reporting the sin; it marks a pivotal moment of intercession. Having seen the people's downfall, Moses returns to God, not just to report, but to plead. His lament, 'Oh, this people has sinned a great sin,' is the prelude to his courageous act in the following verse: 'Alas, if you will forgive their iniquity – but if not, blot me out of your book!'
This reveals Moses' deep compassion and his willingness to sacrifice himself for his people. While the full atonement would come later through Christ, Moses’ prayer here is a powerful Old Testament foreshadowing. He stands in the gap, recognizing that without God's mercy and some form of atonement, the people are doomed. His prayer highlights that sin has consequences, but mercy is available through a mediator.
Understand the original words
chata' · Hebrew Verb
An act of rebellion or disobedience against the will, commands, or nature of God, which separates humanity from Him and brings divine judgment.
elohim · Hebrew Noun
Physical representations used as objects of worship, which Scripture strictly forbids as idolatry, as they compete with or displace the worship of the one true God.
nasa' · Hebrew Verb
An act of divine mercy where God pardons wrongdoing and removes the guilt and consequences of sin, typically mediated through atonement.
sepher · Hebrew Noun
A metaphorical record or register of the names of those who are in a covenant relationship with God, granted life, and belong to His kingdom.
This passage highlights the utter futility and foolishness of creating idols, directly paralleling the Israelites' sin of making gods of gold.
Psalm 106:19-20This psalm recounts the golden calf incident, emphasizing how the people exchanged their glory (God) for the image of an ox, mirroring the essence of the sin described in Exodus.
Romans 1:23This New Testament passage describes a similar human tendency to exchange the truth of God for created things, leading to idolatry, which resonates with the Israelites' act.
Deuteronomy 9:8-12This passage recounts Moses' intercession after the golden calf incident, emphasizing God's anger and Moses' subsequent plea, which directly relates to the gravity of the sin Moses is addressing.
cambridgeExodus 32:31: "And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold."
31 . returned ] viz. to the mountain. Oh ] Heb. ’ânnâ , a particle of entreaty: Genesis 50:17 ‘ Oh , forgive, we pray’; Isaiah 38:3 ‘ Oh , Lord’; Nehemiah 1:5 (EVV. ‘I beseech thee’).
clarkeExodus 32:31: "And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold."
Moses returned unto the Lord - Before he went down from the mountain God had acquainted him with the general defection of the people, whereupon he immediately, without knowing the extent of their crime, began to make intercession for them; and God, having given him a general assurance that they should not be cut off, hastened him to go down, and bring them off fr…
Moses’ plea begins with a sigh of lamentation, not a formal accusation. He cries out, "Oh, this people," highlighting a heartbreaking distance from them in this moment, a sorrowful observation rather than a self-righteous denunciation.
After confronting Aaron and the people about their idolatry and witnessing the devastation caused by the Levites' enforcement of judgment, Moses ascends the mountain again to intercede with God. He laments the people's profound sin in creating a golden idol and presents himself, in a powerful act of solidarity, willing to be blotted out of God's record if the people cannot be forgiven.
After confronting Aaron and the people about their idolatry and witnessing the devastation caused by the Levites' enforcement of judgment, Moses ascends the mountain again to intercede with God. He laments the people's profound sin in creating a golden idol and presents himself, in a powerful act of solidarity, willing to be blotted out of God's record if the people cannot be forgiven.
"So Moses returned to the LORD and said, “Alas, this people has sinned a great sin. They have made for themselves gods of gold. But now, if you will forgive their sin—but if not, please blot me out of your book that you have written.”" — Moses’ plea begins with a sigh of lamentation, not a formal accusation. He cries out, "Oh, this people," highlighting a heartbreaking distance from them in this moment, a sorrowful observation rather…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026
