1百姓見梅瑟遲遲不下山，就聚集到亞郎跟前，對他說：「起來，給我們製造一尊神像，在我們前面引路，因為那領我們出埃及國的梅瑟，不知道遭遇了什麼事。」 1And the people seeing that Moses delayed to come down from the mount, gathering together against Aaron, said: Arise, make us gods, that may go before us: for as to this Moses, the man that brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has befallen him.
2亞郎給他們說：「你們去摘下你們的妻子、兒女所佩戴的金耳環，給我送來。」 2And Aaron said to them: Take the golden earrings from the ears of your wives, and your sons and daughters, and bring them to me.
3眾百姓即將他們耳上的金環摘下，送到亞郎跟前。 3And the people did what he had commanded, bringing the earrings to Aaron.
4亞郎從他們手裡接過來，製了一個模型，用來鑄了一個牛像。他們遂說：「以色列，這就是領你出埃及國的天主。」 4And when he had received them, he fashioned them by founders' work, and made of them a molten calf. And they said: These are thy gods, O Israel, that have brought thee out of the land of Egypt.
5亞郎一見，就在牛犢前築了一座祭壇，宣布說：「明日是上主的慶節。」 5And when Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it, and made proclamation by a crier's voice, saying: Tomorrow is the solemnity of the Lord.
6次日清晨，他們起來，就奉獻了全燔祭及和平祭；以後百姓坐下吃喝，起來玩樂。 6And rising in the morning, they offered holocausts, and peace victims, and the people sat down to eat, and drink, and they rose up to play.
7上主訓示梅瑟說：「你下去！因為你從埃及國領出來的百姓敗壞了。 7And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Go, get thee down: thy people, which thou hast brought out of the land of Egypt, hath sinned.
8他們很快就離開了我給他們指示的道路，為自己鑄了一個牛犢，朝拜牠，向牠祭獻並且說：「以色列，這就是領你出埃及的天主。」 8They have quickly strayed from the way which thou didst shew them: and they have made to themselves a molten calf, and have adored it, and sacrificing victims to it, have said: These are thy gods, O Israel, that have brought thee out of the land of Egypt.
9上主又向梅瑟說：「我看這百姓，真是一個執拗的百姓！ 9And again the Lord said to Moses: See that this people is stiffnecked:
10你且由我向他們發怒，消滅他們；我要使你成為一個大民族。」 10Let me alone, that my wrath may be kindled against them, and that I may destroy them, and I will make of thee a great nation.
11梅瑟求上主他的天主息怒說：「上主，你為什麼要向你用大力，用強硬的手臂，由埃及國領出來的百姓發怒呢？ 11But Moses besought the Lord his God, saying: Why, O Lord, is thy indignation kindled against thy people, whom thou hast brought out of the land of Egypt, with great power, and with a mighty hand?
12為什麼要叫埃及人說：他是惡意領他們出來，要在山中殺死他們，由地面上絕滅他們呢？求你息怒，撤銷要加於你百姓的災禍。 12Let not the Egyptians say, I beseech thee: He craftily brought them out, that he might kill them in the mountains, and destroy them from the earth: let thy anger cease, and be appeased upon the wickedness of thy people.
13求你記念你的僕人亞巴郎、依撒格和以色列，你曾指著自己向他們起誓說：我要使你們的後裔，像天上的繁星那樣多；我所許的那整個地方，必賜給你們的後裔，叫他們永遠佔有。」 13Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou sworest by thy own self, saying: I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven: and this whole land that I have spoken of, I will give to you seed, and you shall possess it for ever.
14上主遂撤銷了要加於百姓的災禍。 14And the Lord was appeased from doing the evil which he had spoken against his people.
15梅瑟轉身下山，手中拿著兩塊約版，版兩面都寫著字，前面後面都有字。 15And Moses returned from the mount, carrying the two tables of the testimony in his hand, written on both sides,
16版是天主做的，字是天主寫的，刻在版上。 16And made by the work of God: the writing also of God was graven in the tables.
17若蘇厄一聽見百姓喧嘩的聲音，就對梅瑟說：「營裡有戰爭的聲音。」 17And Josue hearing the noise of the people shouting, said to Moses: The noise of battle is heard in the camp.
18梅瑟回答說：「這不是戰勝的歌聲，也不是戰敗的吵聲，我聽見的是應和的歌聲。」 18But he answered: It is not the cry of men encouraging to fight, nor the shout of men compelling to flee: but I hear the voice of singers.
19當梅瑟走近營幕的時候，見了那牛犢，看見人歌舞，遂大發憤怒，把兩塊石版由手中拋出，摔碎在山下。 19And when he came nigh to the camp, he saw the calf, and the dances: and being very angry, he threw the tables out of his hand, and broke them at the foot of the mount:
20隨後拿過他們所造的牛犢，投在火中焚燒，搗成細末，撒在水面上，叫以色列子民喝。 20And laying hold of the calf which they had made, he burnt it, and beat it to powder, which he strowed into water, and gave thereof to the children of Israel to drink.
21梅瑟對亞郎說：「這百姓對你作了什麼，你竟使他們陷於重罪？」 21And he said to Aaron: What has this people done to thee, that thou shouldst bring upon them a most heinous sin?
22亞郎回答說：「我主，請不要生氣！你知道這百姓傾向於惡。 22And he answered him: Let not my lord be offended: for thou knowest this people, that they are prone to evil.
23他們對我說：請給我們製一神像，在我們前面引路，因為那領我們出埃及國的梅瑟，不知道遭遇了什麼事。 23They said to me: Make us gods, that may go before us: for as to this Moses, who brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is befallen him.
24我給他們說：誰有金子，就摘下來！他們遂給我送來。我把金子投在火中，這牛犢便出來了。」 24And I said to them: Which of you hath any gold? and they took and brought it to me: and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out.
25梅瑟見百姓這樣放肆，──因為亞郎放縱了他們，成了敵人的笑柄；── 25And when Moses saw that the people were naked, (for Aaron had stripped them by occasion of the shame of the filth, and had set them naked among their enemies,)
26就站在營幕門口說：「凡屬上主的，到我跟前來！」於是肋未的子孫聚到梅瑟前。 26Then standing in the gate of the camp, he said: If any man be on the Lord's side let him join with me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him:
27梅瑟向他們說：「上主，以色列的天主這樣說：每人要把刀佩在腰間，在營中往來，從這門到那門，要殺自己的兄弟、朋友和親人。」 27And he said to them: Thus saith the Lord God of Israel: Put every man his sword upon his thigh: go, and return from gate to gate through the midst of the camp, and let every man kill his brother, and friend, and neighbour.
28肋未的子孫就照梅瑟的吩咐作了，那一天百姓中被殺的約有三千人。 28And the sons of Levi did according to the words of Moses, and there were slain that day about three and twenty thousand men.
29梅瑟說：「今天你們應接受奉事上主的聖職，因為你們每人犧牲了自己的兒子和兄弟，上主今日必賜福與你們。」 29And Moses said: You have consecrated your hands this day to the Lord, every man in his son and in his brother, that a blessing may be given to you.
30到了次日，梅瑟向百姓說：「你們犯了重罪，現在我要上到上主台前，也許我能為你們贖罪。」 30And when the next day was come, Moses spoke to the people: You have sinned a very great sin: I will go up to the Lord, if by any means I may be able to entreat him for your crime.
31梅瑟回到上主那裡說：「唉！這百姓犯了重罪，為自己製造了金神像。 31And returning to the Lord, he said: I beseech thee: this people hath sinned a heinous sin, and they have made to themselves gods of gold: either forgive them this trespass,
32現在只求你赦免他們的罪，不然，就把我從你所記錄的冊子上抹去罷！」 32Or if thou do not, strike me out of the book that thou hast written.
33上主回答梅瑟說：「誰犯罪得罪我，我就把誰從我的冊子上抹去。 33And the Lord answered him: He that hath sinned against me, him will I strike out of my book:
34現在你去領我的百姓到我吩咐你的地方去。看，我的使者在你前面引路。在我懲罰之日，我必懲罰他們的罪。」 34But go thou, and lead this people whither I have told thee: my angel shall go before thee. And I in the day of revenge will visit this sin also of theirs.
35以後上主打擊了百姓，因他們敬拜了亞郎製造的牛犢。 35The Lord therefore struck the people for the guilt on occasion of the calf which Aaron had made.
32:1-6
以色列人要求制造金牛犊来敬拜，本来不是背弃天主，因为他们愿意用金牛来代表天主。近东古国，人民多以牛为神的象徵，因为牛是有大力和繁殖的动物。天主曾发显大能拯救了以色列人，他们一定感念天主的大恩。但因天主严禁人制造神像，因而有罪。6节所描述的情形，好似日後他们在史廷的狂欢（户25）。圣保禄曾拿这狂欢的恶果警告过当时的基督徒（格前10:7）。
32:9-14
梅瑟如亚巴郎一样（创18:16-33），是一伟大的中保（出5:22,23; 8:4; 9:28; 10:17；户11:2; 12:13; 14:13-19; 16:22; 21:7；申9:25-29；耶15:1；咏99:6; 106:23；德45:3）。梅瑟因求天主息怒，宽赦百姓的行为，成了耶稣的预像。
32:17-18
关於若苏厄，见24:13。
32:20
梅瑟叫百姓喝下搀有金牛碎末的水，是要他们深信，金牛和其他偶像一样，都是虚无。
32:25-29
所记被杀的数字，似乎言过其实。梅瑟杀犯人的目的，是为警戒百姓不要再违犯天主的命令，是为防止以色列人中的破坏分子与敌人暗中勾结。肋未人的大义灭亲和忠勇，受到了表扬（申33:8,9）。
32:31-33
「册子」是天主所爱者的名册。「从你的册子上将我抹去」，说明梅瑟心胸豁达的气度。参阅罗9:3。
32:35
35节似为日後补入。经学者认为以色列人所以在旷野漂流了四十年，是由於他们制造金牛，和崇拜金牛的罪。