The Meaning of Exodus 32:31 Explained

Exodus 32:31

KJV: And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.

YLT: And Moses turneth back unto Jehovah, and saith, 'Oh this people hath sinned a great sin, that they make to themselves a god of gold;

Darby: And Moses returned to Jehovah, and said, Alas, this people has sinned a great sin, and they have made themselves a god of gold!

ASV: And Moses returned unto Jehovah, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Moses  returned  unto the LORD,  and said,  Oh,  this people  have sinned  a great  sin,  and have made  them gods  of gold. 

What does Exodus 32:31 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 32:25-35 - Moses Punishes Idolaters And Prays For The People
The heart of Moses was full of that wonderful new word, atonement. For many days Jehovah had been speaking to him about it. But he seemed to feel that on this occasion, the blood of goats and bulls could not avail to put away the black transgression of His people. Then there arose within him the noble resolve to which he gave expression, when he returned by the well-worn path to the summit of Sinai.
His voice was very broken as he commenced to plead. Mark that unfinished sentence, "If thou wilt forgive their sin-I." It was arrested by a burst of uncontrollable emotion. Can we finish it? "If thou wilt forgive, thou wilt act worthily of thyself and bind us to thee forever; but if not, and if the blood of beasts does not avail, let me be their atoning sacrifice, and blot me from thy book!" See Romans 9:1-3, r.v. [source]

Chapter Summary: Exodus 32

1  The people in the absence of Moses, caused Aaron to make a calf
7  God informs Moses, who intercedes for Israel, and prevails
15  Moses comes down with the tablets
19  He breaks them
20  He destroys the calf
22  Aaron's excuse for himself
25  Moses causes the idolaters to be slain
30  He prays for the people

What do the individual words in Exodus 32:31 mean?

And returned Moses to Yahweh and said Oh have committed people this a sin great and have made for themselves a god of gold
וַיָּ֧שָׁב מֹשֶׁ֛ה אֶל־ יְהוָ֖ה וַיֹּאמַ֑ר אָ֣נָּ֗א חָטָ֞א הָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ חֲטָאָ֣ה גְדֹלָ֔ה וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם אֱלֹהֵ֥י זָהָֽב

וַיָּ֧שָׁב  And  returned 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
מֹשֶׁ֛ה  Moses 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֹשֶׁה  
Sense: the prophet and lawgiver, leader of the exodus.
יְהוָ֖ה  Yahweh 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יהוה 
Sense: the proper name of the one true God.
וַיֹּאמַ֑ר  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אָ֣נָּ֗א  Oh 
Parse: Interjection
Root: אָנָּא 
Sense: ah now! I/we beseech you, oh now!, pray now! (participle of entreaty usually followed by the imperative verb).
חָטָ֞א  have  committed 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: חָטָא 
Sense: to sin, miss, miss the way, go wrong, incur guilt, forfeit, purify from uncleanness.
הָעָ֤ם  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הַזֶּה֙  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
חֲטָאָ֣ה  a  sin 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: חֲטָאָה  
Sense: sin, sin offering.
גְדֹלָ֔ה  great 
Parse: Adjective, feminine singular
Root: גָּבֹול 
Sense: great.
וַיַּֽעֲשׂ֥וּ  and  have  made 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לָהֶ֖ם  for  themselves 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
אֱלֹהֵ֥י  a  god 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
זָהָֽב  of  gold 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: זָהָב  
Sense: gold.