The most notorious act of idolatry in the Old Testament happens while Moses is still on the mountain: Israel melts its gold into a calf and says, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”
Full sung version coming soon.
Lyrics
When the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain The people gathered themselves together to Aaron And said to him, come, make us gods Which shall go before us
For as for this Moses the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt We don’t know what has become of him Aaron said to them, take off the golden rings Which are in the ears of your wives, of your sons, and of your daughters
And bring them to me All the people took off the golden rings Which were in their ears and brought them to Aaron He received what they handed him
Fashioned it with an engraving tool And made it a moulded calf Then they said, these are your gods, Israel Which brought you up out of the land of Egypt
When Aaron saw this he built an altar before it And Aaron made a proclamation and said Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD They rose up early on the next day and offered burnt offerings
And brought peace offerings And the people sat down to eat and to drink And rose up to play The LORD spoke to Moses, go, get down
For your people whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt Have corrupted themselves They have turned away quickly out of the way which I commanded them They have made themselves a moulded calf
And have worshipped it and have sacrificed to it And said, these are your gods, Israel Which brought you up out of the land of Egypt The LORD said to Moses, I have seen these people
And behold, they are a stiff-necked people Now therefore leave me alone that my wrath may burn hot against them And that I may consume them And I will make of you a great nation
Moses begged the LORD his God and said LORD why does your wrath burn hot against your people? That you have brought out of the land of Egypt With great power and with a mighty hand?
When Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted He said to Moses, there is the noise of war in the camp Moses said, it isn’t the voice of those who shout for victory But the noise of those who sing that I hear As soon as he came near to the camp he saw the calf and the dancing Then Moses’ anger grew hot and he threw the tablets out of his hands And broke them beneath the mountain
Listen
Exodus 32 sung by Psalm Selah. The whole Bible, one chapter at a time.