Exodus 32:6
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Exodus 32:6
6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
Chapter Context
Exodus 32 is a narrative with legal sections chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of grace, worship, love. Written during the Egyptian bondage and wilderness wandering (c. 1446-1406 BCE), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Egypt was the dominant superpower with a complex polytheistic religion and a god-king pharaoh.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-35: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it foreshadows Christ's work through typology and prophetic elements. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Exodus and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Exodus 32:6
6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
Analysis
The people 'rose early' (וַיַּשְׁכִּימוּ, vayyashkimu) showing enthusiasm for false worship contrasted with sluggishness toward God. They offered עֹלֹת (olot, burnt offerings) and שְׁלָמִים (shelamim, peace offerings)—legitimate sacrificial terminology applied to illegitimate worship. The phrase 'sat down to eat and drink' followed by 'rose up to play' (לְצַחֵק, letzacheq) uses a word suggesting immoral revelry (same root as Isaac's name, but here meaning carousing or sensual play), indicating the worship degenerated into drunken, possibly sexual, pagan celebration like Egyptian festivals.
Historical Context
This scene mirrors Canaanite and Egyptian fertility festivals where worship included feasting, drunkenness, and sexual immorality. Paul references this event in 1 Corinthians 10:7 as a warning against idolatry.
Reflection
- How quickly does your worship degenerate when not centered on God's holiness?
- What role does sensual indulgence play in spiritual compromise?
Cross-References
- Sacrifice: Numbers 25:2
- Parallel theme: 1 Corinthians 10:7