The Meaning of Exodus 32:8 Explained

Exodus 32:8

KJV: They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

YLT: they have turned aside hastily from the way that I have commanded them; they have made for themselves a molten calf, and bow themselves to it, and sacrifice to it, and say, These thy gods, O Israel, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.'

Darby: They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them: they have made themselves a molten calf, and have bowed down to it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, This is thy god, Israel, who has brought thee up out of the land of Egypt!

ASV: they have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed unto it, and said, These are thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

They have turned  aside quickly  out of the way  which I commanded  them: they have made  them a molten  calf,  and have worshipped  it, and have sacrificed  thereunto, and said,  These [be] thy gods,  O Israel,  which have brought thee up  out of the land  of Egypt. 

What does Exodus 32:8 Mean?

Context Summary

Exodus 32:1-14 - Aaron's Golden Calf Offends The Lord
The people never thought of taking Aaron as a substitute for Moses, because they instinctively recognized his moral weakness. Though he was dressed in the garments of the high priest, he was essentially a weak man. This came into evidence:
(1) By his reply to the people. When they demanded the calf he ought to have met them with an indignant negative; but instead, and to prevent the unpopularity which such an attitude might have evoked, he contented himself with putting difficulties in the way of their project. "Surely," he thought, "they will never go on with their mad scheme, if they have to pay for it with their jewels." But the event did not justify his expectations.
(2) By his reply to Moses. "There came out this calf." It was the furnace, not I, that did it. "Blame my heredity, environment, companions," says the wrongdoer. The weak becomes the sinful one. Strong Son of God, help us! Make us strong! See Jeremiah 15:20. [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 32:8 mean?

They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them they have made themselves a calf molded and worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said these [are] your gods Israel that brought you out of the land of Egypt
סָ֣רוּ מַהֵ֗ר מִן־ הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר ! צִוִּיתִ֔ם עָשׂ֣וּ לָהֶ֔ם עֵ֖גֶל מַסֵּכָ֑ה וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־ לוֹ֙ וַיִּזְבְּחוּ־ ל֔וֹ וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ אֵ֤לֶּה אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶֽעֱל֖וּךָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ ! מִצְרָֽיִם

סָ֣רוּ  They  have  turned  aside 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: סוּר 
Sense: to turn aside, depart.
מַהֵ֗ר  quickly 
Parse: Adverb
Root: מַהֵר  
Sense: hurrying, speedy, swift, hastening adv.
מִן־  out 
Parse: Preposition
Root: מִן 
Sense: from, out of, on account of, off, on the side of, since, above, than, so that not, more than.
הַדֶּ֙רֶךְ֙  of  the  way 
Parse: Article, Noun, common singular
Root: דֶּרֶךְ  
Sense: way, road, distance, journey, manner.
! צִוִּיתִ֔ם  I  commanded  them 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, first person common singular, third person masculine plural
Root: צָוָה  
Sense: to command, charge, give orders, lay charge, give charge to, order.
עָשׂ֣וּ  they  have  made 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: עָשָׂה 
Sense: to do, fashion, accomplish, make.
לָהֶ֔ם  themselves 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
עֵ֖גֶל  a  calf 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: עֵגֶל  
Sense: calf, bull-calf.
מַסֵּכָ֑ה  molded 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: מַסֵּכָה 
Sense: a pouring, libation, molten metal, cast image, drink offering.
וַיִּשְׁתַּֽחֲווּ־  and  worshiped 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hitpael, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שָׁחָה  
Sense: to bow down.
וַיִּזְבְּחוּ־  and  sacrificed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: זָבַח  
Sense: to slaughter, kill, sacrifice, slaughter for sacrifice.
ל֔וֹ  to  it 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
וַיֹּ֣אמְר֔וּ  and  said 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אֵ֤לֶּה  these  [are] 
Parse: Pronoun, common plural
Root: אֵהֶל 
Sense: these.
אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙  your  gods 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֱלֹהִים  
Sense: (plural).
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
אֲשֶׁ֥ר  that 
Parse: Pronoun, relative
Root: אֲשֶׁר 
Sense: (relative part.).
הֶֽעֱל֖וּךָ  brought  you 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person common plural, second person masculine singular
Root: סָלַק 
Sense: to go up, ascend, climb.
מֵאֶ֥רֶץ  out  of  the  land 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, feminine singular construct
Root: אֶרֶץ  
Sense: land, earth.
! מִצְרָֽיִם  of  Egypt 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מִצְרַיִם  
Sense: a country at the northeastern section of Africa, adjacent to Palestine, and through which the Nile flows adj Egyptians = “double straits”.