Idols and Altars

²² Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven:^{(A) 23} Do not make any gods to be alongside me;^(B) do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold.^(C)

²⁴ “‘Make an altar^(D) of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings^(E) and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name^(F) to be honored, I will come to you and bless^(G) you.

² Aaron answered them, “Take off the gold earrings^(A) that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.” ³ So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. ⁴ He took what they handed him and made it into an idol^(B) cast in the shape of a calf,^(C) fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, “These are your gods,^[a](D) Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”^(E)