Deep Dive

Deuteronomy 9:21

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And I took that sinful thing, the calf you had made, and burned it in the fire. Then I crushed it and ground it to powder as fine as dust, and I cast it into the stream that came down from the mountain.

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Commentaries

Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.

Matthew Henry Bible Commentaryv. 21

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.

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Original language

The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).

Strong's Concordancev. 21

לָקַח (lâqach, H3947) — to take (in the widest variety of applications) חַטָּאָה (chaṭṭâʼâh, H2403) — an offence (sometimes habitual sinfulness), and its penalty, occasion, sacrifice, or… עֵגֶל (ʻêgel, H5695) — a (male) calf (as frisking round), especially one nearly grown (i.e. a steer) עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh, H6213) — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application שָׂרַף (sâraph, H8313) — to be (causatively, set) on fire אֵשׁ (ʼêsh, H784) — fire (literally or figuratively) כָּתַת (kâthath, H3807) — to bruise or violently strike טָחַן (ṭâchan, H2912) — to grind meal; hence, to be aconcubine (that being their employment) יָטַב (yâṭab, H3190) — to be (causative) make well, literally (sound, beautiful) or figuratively (happy,… דָּקַק (dâqaq, H1854) — to crush (or intransitively) crumble עָפָר (ʻâphâr, H6083) — dust (as powdered or gray); hence, clay, earth, mud שָׁלַךְ (shâlak, H7993) — to throw out, down or away (literally or figuratively) נַחַל (nachal, H5158) — a stream, especially a winter torrent; (by implication) a (narrow) valley (in which a… יָרַד (yârad, H3381) — to descend (literally, to go downwards; or conventionally to a lower region, as the…

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Cross-references

Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.

Exodus 32:20rank 6

Then he took the calf they had made, burned it in the fire, ground it to powder, and scattered the powder over the face of the water. Then he forced the Israelites to drink it.

Isaiah 31:7rank 3

For on that day, every one of you will reject the idols of silver and gold that your own hands have sinfully made.

Isaiah 30:22rank 2

So you will desecrate your silver-plated idols and your gold-plated images. You will throw them away like menstrual cloths, saying to them, “Be gone!”

Hosea 8:11rank 2

Though Ephraim multiplied the altars for sin, they became his altars for sinning.

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