Deuteronomy 9:12
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And the LORD said to me, “Get up and go down from here at once, for your people, whom you brought out of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. How quickly they have turned aside from the way that I commanded them! They have made for themselves a molten image.”
Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
The design of Moses in this chapter is to convince the people of Israel of their utter unworthiness to receive from God those great favours that were now to be conferred upon them, writing this, as it were, in capital letters at the head of their charter, "Not for your sake, be it known unto you," Eze 36:32. I. He assures them of victory over their enemies (Deu 9:1-3). II. He cautions them not to attribute their successes to their own merit, but to God's justice, which was engaged against their enemies, and his faithfulness, which was engaged to their fathers (Deu 9:4-6). III. To make it evident that they had no reason to boast of their own righteousness, he mentions their faults, shows Israel their transgressions, and the house of Jacob their sins. In general, they had been all along a provoking people (v. 7-24). In particular, 1. In the matter of the golden calf, the story of which he largely relates (Deu 9:8-21). 2. He mentions some other instances of their rebellion (Deu 9:22, Deu 9:23). And, 3. Returns, at Deu 9:25, to speak of the intercession he had made for them at Horeb, to prevent their being ruined for the golden calf.
Open source ↗9:12 The type of idol (from a Hebrew word meaning cast or pour) mentioned here was formed by pouring liquid metal into a mold (Exod 32:1-4). Other idols were made of carved wood, stone, clay, or precious metals hammered in thin sheets over wooden cores.
Open source ↗Cross-references
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For I know that after my death you will become utterly corrupt and turn from the path I have commanded you. And in the days to come, disaster will befall you because you will do evil in the sight of the LORD to provoke Him to anger by the work of your hands.”
Israel, however, did not listen to their judges. Instead, they prostituted themselves with other gods and bowed down to them. They quickly turned from the way of their fathers, who had walked in obedience to the LORD’s commandments; they did not do as their fathers had done.
I am amazed how quickly you are deserting the One who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—
What shall I do with you, O Ephraim? What shall I do with you, O Judah? For your loyalty is like a morning mist, like the early dew that vanishes.
His people have acted corruptly toward Him; the spot on them is not that of His children, but of a perverse and crooked generation.
They turned back and were faithless like their fathers, twisted like a faulty bow.
And I saw how you had sinned against the LORD your God; you had made for yourselves a molten calf. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the LORD had commanded you.
These men, however, slander what they do not understand, and like irrational animals, they will be destroyed by the things they do instinctively.
that you do not act corruptly and make an idol for yourselves of any form or shape, whether in the likeness of a male or female,