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Moses and the golden calf

The people of Israel make an idol of gold.
Contributed by MYELLOVE
Story also available on our translated websites: Spanish, German, French, Hindi
1
When the people saw that Moses was spending a long time on Mount Sinai, they gathered around Aaron and said, ‘Come, make us a god who will lead us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’ – Slide 1
2
Aaron replied, ‘Take off the gold earrings that your wives, sons and daughters are wearing. Bring them to me.” Aaron took the gold from the people and melted it to make a statue of a calf. Then the people said, ‘Israel! These are your gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!’ <br/>The next morning they made offerings to the golden calf. They ate and had wild parties. – Slide 2
3
The Lord said to Moses, ‘Go down from this mountain. The people have made a calf of melted gold. They have worshiped and offered sacrifices to it. How stubborn they are. I am so angry with them that I am going to destroy them. Then I will make you and your descendants a great nation.’ <br/>Moses begged the Lord his God not to destroy the people and God listened to him. – Slide 3
4
Moses went down the mountain. In his hands he carried the two stone tablets God had made with His commands written on both sides. <br/>When Moses came close to the camp, he saw the golden calf and the dancing. He became very angry. He threw down the stone tablets and broke them at the bottom of the mountain. Then he took the calf that the people had made and melted it in the fire. He ground the gold until it became powder and threw the powder into the water. Then he forced the Israelites to drink that water. – Slide 4
5
Moses stood at the entrance to the camp and said, ‘Let anyone who wants to follow the Lord come to me.’ And all the people from the family of Levi gathered around Moses. – Slide 5
6
Moses then ordered the people of Levi to punish those who had disobeyed and did not want follow the Lord. – Slide 6
7
Then Moses prayed to the Lord, ‘These people have done a terrible thing. Now, please forgive them. If you will not, then erase my name from the book in which you have written the names of your people.’ <br/>But the Lord told Moses, ‘I will erase from my book the names of the people who sin against me. Go and lead the people where I have told you. My angel will lead you. <br/>When the time comes, I will punish them for their disobedience.’ – Slide 7
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Slide 8