JE GOLDEN CALF NARRATIVE

(EXODUS 32:1-34:28)

Exodus 32 relates the story of Israel’s Golden Calf Apostasy

In 32:1-25 While Moses is at the top of Mount Sinai (Horeb in E), Aaron
leads the Israelites below in fashioning and worshipping a Golden Calf
In 32:26-29 the Levites are instructed to purge Israel of the offenders by
killing their brothers, friends, and neighbors. They killed 3,000 and were
rewarded with ordination and YHWH’s blessing. Cf. the Peor incident
32:26 then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, "Who is on the Lord's side?
Come to me!" And all the sons of Levi gathered around him. "Thus says the LORD, the
God of Israel, 'Put your sword on your side, each of you! Go back and forth from gate to
gate throughout the camp, and each of you kill your brother, your friend, and your
neighbor.'" 32:28 The sons of Levi did as Moses commanded, and about three thousand
of the people fell on that day. 32:29 Moses said, "Today you have ordained yourselves for
the service of the LORD, each one at the cost of a son or a brother, and so have brought a
blessing on yourselves this day."

32:34-33:6 is an edited double narrative (J & E combined)

*Note the confusion about the ornaments in vv. 33:4-5
32:34 But now go, lead the people to the place about which I have spoken to you; see, my
angel shall go in front of you. Nevertheless, when the day comes for punishment, I will
punish them for their sin." 32:35 Then the LORD sent a plague on the people, because
they made the calf--the one that Aaron made. 33:1 The LORD said to Moses, "Go, leave
this place, you and the people whom you have brought up out of the land of Egypt, and go
to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, 'To your descendants I
will give it.' 33:2 I will send an angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanites, the
Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. 33:3 Go up to a land
flowing with milk and honey; but I will not go up among you, or I would consume you on
the way, for you are a stiff-necked people." 33:4 When the people heard these harsh
words, they mourned, and no one put on ornaments. 33:5 For the LORD had said to
Moses, "Say to the Israelites, 'You are a stiff-necked people; if for a single moment I
should go up among you, I would consume you. So now take off your ornaments, and I will
decide what to do to you.'"

Exodus 33:6-11 is from the Elohist

Ex 33:6 And the children of Israel stripped themselves of their ornaments
by the mount Horeb. 33:7 Now Moses used to take the tent and pitch it
outside the camp, far off from the camp; he called it the tent of meeting.
And everyone who sought the LORD would go out to the tent of meeting,
which was outside the camp. 33:8 Whenever Moses went out to the tent,
all the people would rise and stand, each of them, at the entrance of their
tents and watch Moses until he had gone into the tent. 33:9 When Moses
entered the tent, the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the
entrance of the tent, and the LORD would speak with Moses. 33:10 When
all the people saw the pillar of cloud standing at the entrance of the tent,
all the people would rise and bow down, all of them, at the entrance of
their tent. 33:11 Thus the LORD used to speak to Moses face to
face, as one speaks to a friend. Then he would return to the camp;
but his young assistant, Joshua son of Nun, would not leave the tent.

Exodus 33:12-34:9 is from the Jahwist

Ex 33:18 And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. 33:19 And he
said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the
name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be
gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. 33:20 And he
said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see
me, and live. 33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me,
and thou shalt stand upon a rock: 33:22 And it shall come to pass, while
my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover
thee with my hand while I pass by: 33:23 And I will take away mine
hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not
be seen. 34:1 And the LORD said unto Moses, Hew thee two tables of
stone like unto the first: and I will write upon [these] tables the words that
were in the first tables, which thou brakest. 34:2 And be ready in the
morning, and come up in the morning unto mount Sinai, and present
thyself there to me in the top of the mount. 34:3 And no man shall come
up with thee, neither let any man be seen throughout all the mount;
neither let the flocks nor herds feed before that mount. 34:4 And he hewed
two tables of stone like unto the first; and Moses rose up early in the
morning, and went up unto mount Sinai, as the LORD had commanded
him, and took in his hand the two tables of stone. 34:5 And the LORD
descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and
proclaimed the name of the LORD. 34:6 And the LORD passed
by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God,
merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in
goodness and truth.