1. After the people saw that Moses had been on the mountain for a long time, they went to Aaron and said, “Make us an image of a god who will lead and protect us. Moses brought us out of Egypt, but nobody knows what has happened to him.”
2. Aaron told them, “Bring me the gold earrings that your wives and sons and daughters are wearing.”
3. Everybody took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron,
4. then he melted them and made an idol in the shape of a young bull.All the people said to one another, “This is the god who brought us out of Egypt!”
5. When Aaron saw what was happening, he built an altar in front of the idol and said, “Tomorrow we will celebrate in honour of the Lord.”
6. The people got up early the next morning and killed some animals to be used for sacrifices and others to be eaten. Then everyone ate and drank so much that they began to carry on like wild people.