Psalms 106:19 — Word Study
WLCיַעֲשׂוּ־ עֵ֥גֶל בְּחֹרֵ֑ב וַ֝יִּשְׁתַּחֲו֗וּ לְמַסֵּכָֽה׃
BSAAt HorebChôrêb [Mount Sinai, the mountain of God's presence] they madeʻâsâh▸ [formed, created] a calfʻêgel [young ox, idol] and worshipedshâchâh▸ [bowed down to, gave reverence to] a molten imagemaççêkâh [cast metal, liquid]
| Greek | English | Parsing |
|---|---|---|
| יַעֲשׂוּ־ | they made | Verb, Qal, imperfect third person masculine plural |
| עֵ֥גֶל | a calf | Noun common, masculine singular absolute |
| בְּחֹרֵ֑ב | at Horeb | Preposition, noun proper |
| וַ֝יִּשְׁתַּחֲו֗וּ | and they bowed down | Verb pilpel, sequential imperfect third person masculine plural |
| לְמַסֵּכָֽה׃ | to a molten image | Preposition, noun common feminine singular absolute |
Every word in the verse. Click a row to open it in the panel on the left.
| BSB | At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped a molten image. |
| KJV | They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image. |
| ASV | They made a calf in Horeb, And worshipped a molten image. |
| YLT | They make a calf in Horeb, And bow themselves to a molten image, |
| WEB | They made a calf in Horeb, and worshiped a molten image. |
| BBE | They made a young ox in Horeb, and gave worship to an image of gold. |
The translations agree on the actions of making a calf and worshiping a molten image.
The sentence has a main clause with two actions: making the calf and bowing down to the image, showing a clear sequence of rebellion.
8 commentators on this verse
Gill, Jamieson, Poole, Trapp & more — read them ›
clause
verbעָשָׂה
The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.
Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.
Deep Study — Psalms 106:19
Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.
Context — Israel's Rebellion at Horebgenerated
Psalms 106:19 recounts the moment when the Israelites, in their disbelief, crafted a calf while Moses was on Mount Sinai. This act of idolatry represents a significant failure in their covenant relationship with God, as they turned to a physical representation instead of worshiping the invisible God who had delivered them from Egypt. The surrounding verses highlight the consequences of their actions and their forgetfulness of God's mighty deeds.
Cross References
| Reference | Text (BSB) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exodus 32:4–8 | He took the gold from their hands, and with an engraving tool he fashioned it into a molten calf. And they said, “These, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” |
| 2 | Deuteronomy 9:12–16 | And the LORD said to me, “Get up and go down from here at once, for your people, whom you brought out of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. How quickly they have turned aside from the way that I commanded them! They have made for themselves a molten image.” |
| 3 | Nehemiah 9:18 | Even when they cast for themselves an image of a calf and said, ‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt,’ and when they committed terrible blasphemies, |
| 4 | 1 Corinthians 10:7 | Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written: “The people sat down to eat and to drink, and got up to indulge in revelry.” |
The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge — 4 references, hung on the phrase they belong to
The Key Word — עָשָׂה, ya.'a.su-generated
The verb עָשָׂה (asah) means to make or do, encompassing a broad range of activities from creation to performance. In this verse, it indicates the active role of the Israelites in forming the calf as an idol, reflecting their rejection of God's authority.
This verb appears frequently in the Hebrew Bible, emphasizing both physical creation and moral actions. The imperfect tense indicates an ongoing action, suggesting that the making of the calf was a deliberate and collective effort by the people.
How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated
All translations agree on the core meaning of the verse.
Sentence Structuregenerated
The main verb יַעֲשׂוּ governs the clause, indicating the action taken by the Israelites. It is followed by a direct object עֵ֥גֶל, specifying what was made, and a subsequent verb phrase וַ֝יִּשְׁתַּחֲו֗וּ that shows the action of worshiping.
The structure emphasizes the sequence of actions: first, they made the calf, and then they bowed down to it, highlighting their rebellion against God.
Septuagint Backgroundgenerated
The Septuagint translates עָשָׂה as ἐποίησαν, which carries a similar meaning of making or doing. This choice aligns with the Hebrew sense of active creation.
The Greek term μόσξον for עֵ֥גֶל indicates a young bull, maintaining the focus on the idol's nature as a representation of strength, which resonates with the original Hebrew context.
In plain words — the whole versegenerated
Psalms 106:19 tells us that at Horeb, the Israelites made a calf and worshiped a molten image. This reflects their turning away from God during a crucial time in their journey, illustrating a significant moment of rebellion against their covenant.
Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated
The calf represents idolatry and a rejection of God, as the Israelites chose to worship a physical object instead of the God who delivered them from slavery in Egypt.
Horeb, also known as Mount Sinai, is significant because it is where God revealed Himself to the Israelites and gave them the law, making their rebellion even more poignant.
Israel's actions at Horeb serve as a warning about the dangers of turning away from God and the temptation to create our own representations of Him.
This verse connects to other passages that address idolatry, such as Exodus 32:4-8 and Deuteronomy 9:12-16, highlighting the recurring theme of Israel's unfaithfulness.
Reflection Questionsgenerated
- What does this verse teach us about the nature of idolatry?
- How can we guard against creating modern-day idols in our lives?
- In what ways do we see God's faithfulness contrasted with human unfaithfulness in this passage?
- How can understanding this event at Horeb help us in our own spiritual journeys?
The early church on this verse — how the Fathers read it
The early church fathers referenced this verse to discuss the nature of idolatry and the consequences of turning away from God.
"And they made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the graven image" [Psalms 106:19].Early Church Fathers on Psalms 106 →
Commentators on this verse — 8 expositors, verse by verse
Each of these wrote on Psalms 106:19 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.
John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThey made a calf in Horeb,.... A golden one, of the earrings of gold which were in the ears of their wives, sons, and daughters; these they took and melted down, and cast into the figure of a calf,
Read John Gill on Psalms 106 →Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's CommentaryThey soon forgat his works; they waited not for his counsel: -Three transgressions of Israel in the wilderness are detailed, rising in gradation of moral guilt, without respect to time: (1) Their
Read Robert Jamieson on Psalms 106 →Matthew Poole1624–1679Matthew Poole's Commentary on the Holy BibleWhen they were but very lately brought out of Egypt by such wonderful power and goodness of God, and had seen the dreadful plagues of God upon the Egyptian idolaters, and upon their idols too, as is noted, , and when the law of God was but newly delivered to them in such a solemn and tremendous manner, and the most high God was yet present, and delivering further precepts to Moses for their benefit upon the top of that very mount. This greatly aggravated their sin.
Read Matthew Poole on Psalms 106 →John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New TestamentsPsalms 106:19 They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.Ver. 19. They made a calf in Horeb] i.e. In the country near to that mountain, where they at same time saw visible tokens of God’ s dreadful presence. Well might Aaron say of this people, that they were wholly set upon wickedness, Exodus 32:22. This piece of idolatry they had learned belike of the Egyptians, who worshipped Apis in such a shape, so catching is sin, and so dangerous is ill company (Lege Lacrant. and Aug. lib. 1, de Mirab. Script. cap. 15).
Read John Trapp on Psalms 106 →Charles John Ellicott1819–1905Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(19) In Horeb.—This expression, which is Deuteronomic (see Deuteronomy 4:15; Deuteronomy 5:2, &c), shows that Deuteronomy 9:8-12, as well as Exodus 32, was before the poet.
Read Charles John Ellicott on Psalms 106 →CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges19–23. A fourth sin; the worship of the calf (Exodus 32; Deuteronomy 9:8 ff.).
Read Cambridge on Psalms 106 →Albert Barnes1798–1870Barnes' Notes on the BibleThey made a calf in Horeb - Exodus 32:4. Probably in resemblance of the Egyptian god “Apis.” The image was made by Aaron out of materials furnished by the people, and at their request Exodus 32:1-3,
Read Albert Barnes on Psalms 106 →Daniel Denison Whedon1808–1885Whedon's Commentary on the Bible19. They made a calf—In imitation of the sacred bulls of the Egyptians— Apis, at Memphis, and Mnevis, at Heliopolis. But they called it Eloheem, God.
Read Daniel Denison Whedon on Psalms 106 →The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company
Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.
Modern formal
At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped a molten image.
They made a calf in Horeb, and worshiped a molten image.
At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped a molten image.
They made an image of a calf at Horeb, and worshiped a metal idol.
Tyndale line
They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.
They made a calf in Horeb, And worshipped a molten image.
They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped a molten image.
They made a calf in Horeb, and worshiped the molten image.
They made a calfe in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image.
Strictly literal
They made a calf in Horeb, and did homage to a molten image;
They make a calf in Horeb, And bow themselves to a molten image,
They make a calf in Horeb, || And bow themselves to a molten image,
They made a calf in Horeb, and bowed themselves down to a molten image.
They made a calf at Horeb and worshiped a cast metal figure.
From the Latin
And they cried to the Lord in their affliction: and he delivered them out of their distresses.
Simplified
At Mount Sinai they made a calf, they bowed down before a metal idol.
They made a young ox in Horeb, and gave worship to an image of gold.
Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.
The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank
This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.
Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.
The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran
The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in their wording for this verse, with all five Hebrew words matched in the Greek translation. This indicates a consistent understanding of the text across these traditions.
יַעֲשׂוּ־ עֵ֥גֶל בְּחֹרֵ֑ב וַ֝יִּשְׁתַּחֲו֗וּ לְמַסֵּכָֽה׃
5 of the 5 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.
Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.
The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with
This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.
Lexicons — every word in Psalms 106:19
One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.
Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.
עָשָׂה (asah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to do or make, encompassing a wide range of actions such as producing, preparing, and observing. It can refer to both concrete and abstract activities, including making offerings and attending to tasks. The verb also has forms indicating passive meanings, such as being made or offered. Notably, the Piel form refers to pressing or squeezing.
עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make
Qal 2524
do (1560 t.)
deal with
oft. in phr. do kindness with
abs. act, act with effect
make (670 t.)
produce, yield
prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food
make offering
attend to, put in order
observe, celebrate, religious festival
acquire property of various kinds
appoint priests
bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance
use
spend, pass, days of life
Niph.
97be done
be made, of concr. things
be produced from vine
be prepared, of food
be offered
be observed, passover
be used
Pu. I was made
base
[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze
base
H6213a עָשָׂה do, make .. . do (1560 + t.)
. deal with
. oft. in phr. do kindness with
. abs. act, act with effect
. . make (670 + t.)
. produce, yield
. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food
. make offering
. attend to, put in order
. observe, celebrate, religious festival
. acquire property of various kinds
. appoint priests
. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance
. use
. spend, pass, days of life
. . be done
. . be made, of concr. things
. be produced from vine
. be prepared, of food
. be offered
. be observed, passover
. be used
. I was made
H6213b עָשָׂה Pi. press, squeeze
6213 `asah aw-saw'
a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and
widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance,
appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,
bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal
(with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in)
execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, +
finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go
about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X
indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain,
make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare,
bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure,
provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin,
spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be
(warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.
עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make: do.
: do/perform
1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to do, work, make, produce
1a1a) to do
1a1b) to work
1a1c) to deal (with)
1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect
1a2) to make
1a2a) to make
1a2b) to produce
1a2c) to prepare
1a2d) to make (an offering)
1a2e) to attend to, put in order
1a2f) to observe, celebrate
1a2g) to acquire (property)
1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute
1a2i) to bring about
1a2j) to use
1a2k) to spend, pass
1b) (Niphal)
1b1) to be done
1b2) to be made
1b3) to be produced
1b4) to be offered
1b5) to be observed
1b6) to be used
1c) (Pual) to be made
עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to press.
(Piel) to press, squeeze
עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make.
: make(OBJECT)
1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make
1a) (Qal)
1a1) to do, work, make, produce
1a1a) to do
1a1b) to work
1a1c) to deal (with)
1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect
1a2) to make
1a2a) to make
1a2b) to produce
V-Qal-Imperf-3mp — Verb · Qal · imperfect third person masculine pluralHVqi3mp
עֵ֫גֶל (egel) refers to a male calf, particularly one that is nearly grown, and is associated with the idea of frisking or circling about. The term is used in the context of livestock, specifically as a bull-calf or steer, as noted in various lexicons.
עֵ֫גֶל n.m. calf (as rolling or circling about ?)
base
H5695 עֵ֫גֶל calf (as rolling or circling about ?)
5695 `egel ay-ghel
from the same as 5696; a (male) calf (as frisking round),
especially one nearly grown (i.e. a steer):--bullock, calf.
see HEBREW for 05696
עֵ֫גֶל (e.gel) — calf.
calf, bull-calf
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absoluteHNcmsa
kaf (`eghel; par, or par, often rendered "bullock"): The etymology of both words is uncertain, but the former has a close parallel in the Arabic `ijl, "calf." Par is generally used of animals for sacrifice, `eghel, in that and other senses. `Eghel is used of the golden calves and frequently in the expression, `eghel marbeq, "fatted calf," or "calf of the stall," the latter being the literal meaning (1Sa 28:24; Jer 46:21; Am 6:4; Mal 4:2).
At the present day beef is not highly esteemed by the people of the country, but mutton is much prized. In the houses of the peasantry it is common to see a young ram being literally stuffed with food, mulberry or other leaves being forced…
Calf
Calves were commonly made use of in sacrifices, and are therefore frequently mentioned in Scripture. The “fatted calf” was regarded as the choicest of animal food; it was frequently also offered as a special sacrifice (1 Sam. 28:24; Amos 6:4; Luke 15:23). The words used in Jer. 34:18, 19, “cut the calf in twain,” allude to the custom of dividing a sacrifice into two parts, between which the parties ratifying a covenant passed (Gen. 15:9, 10, 17, 18). The sacrifice of the lips, i.e., priase, is called “the calves of our lips” (Hos. 14:2, R.V., “as bullocks the…
The calf was held in high esteem by the Jews as food. (1 Samuel 28:24; Luke 15:23) The molten calf prepared by Aaron for the people to worship, (Exodus 32:4) was probably a wooden figure laminated with gold, a process which is known to have existed in Egypt. [AARON]
The young of the cow, a clean animal much used in sacrifice; hence the expression, "So will we render the calves of our lips," Ho 14:2, meaning, we will offer as sacrifices the prayers and praises of our lips, Heb 13:15. The fatted calf was considered the choicest animal food, Ge 18:7 Am 6:4 Lu 15:23.
In Jer 34:18, "they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof," there is an allusion to an ancient mode of ratifying a covenant; the parties thus signifying their willingness to be themselves cut in pieces if unfaithful,
חֹרֵב, transliterated as Choreb, means 'desert' or 'waste.' It refers specifically to the Sinaitic mountains, serving as another name for Mount Sinai, where God gave the law to Moses and the Israelites. The word is built from the root meaning desolate, indicating a barren landscape.
חֹרֵב, חוֹרֵב n.pr.mont. Horeb (waste, desert)
base
H2722 חֹרֵב, חוֹרֵב Horeb (waste, desert)
2722 Choreb kho-rabe'
from 2717; desolate; Choreb, a (generic) name for the
Sinaitic mountains:--Horeb.
see HEBREW for 02717
חֹרֵב (cho.rev) — Horeb.
Horeb = "desert"
another name for Mount Sinai from which God gave the law to Moses and the Israelites
Another name of si.nay (סִינַי "Sinai" H5514G)
Prep | N-proper — Preposition · noun properHR/Npl
ho'-reb.
See SINAI.
Horeb
Desert or mountain of the dried-up ground, a general name for the whole mountain range of which Sinai was one of the summits (Ex. 3:1; 17:6; 33:6; Ps. 106:19, etc.). The modern name of the whole range is Jebel Musa. It is a huge mountain block, about 2 miles long by about 1 in breadth, with a very spacious plain at its north-east end, called the Er Rahah, in which the Israelites encamped for nearly a whole year. (See SINAI.)
(desert). [SINAI, OR SINAI]
See SINAI.
The Hebrew word שָׁחָה (*shachah*) is a primitive root meaning to bow down or prostrate oneself, particularly in homage to a superior or in worship before God. It can also imply a figurative sense of being depressed by anxiety. The entries highlight its use in various contexts, including worship of both God and false gods.
[שָׁחָה] 172 vb. bow down
Qal bow down
Hiph. fig., anxiety depresses it
Hithpa‛lēl
bow down, prostrate oneself, before a monarch or superior, in homage, etc.
before God, in worship
before other gods
base
H7812 שָׁחָה bow down .bow down
. fig., anxiety depresses it
.. bow down, prostrate oneself, before a monarch or superior, in homage, etc.
. before God, in worship
. before other gods
7812 shachah shaw-khaw'
a primitive root; to depress, i.e. prostrate (especially
reflexive, in homage to royalty or God):--bow (self) down,
crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance,
do reverence, make to stoop, worship.
שָׁחָה (sha.chah) — to bow.
1) to bow down
1a) (Qal) to bow down
1b)(Hiphil) to depress (fig)
1c) (Hithpael)
1c1) to bow down, prostrate oneself
1c1a) before superior in homage
1c1b) before God in worship
1c1c) before false gods
1c1d) before angel
Conj | V-Hithpael-ConsecImperf-3mp — Verb pilpel · sequential imperfect third person masculine pluralHc/Vvw3mp
מַסֵּכָה (maccekah) refers to a concept of pouring or fusion, primarily associated with molten metal or images, as well as libations or drink offerings. It can also denote woven materials, such as coverings or veils. The term encompasses both physical objects and ritual practices, highlighting its dual significance in ancient contexts.
מַסֵּכָה n.f. 1. molten metal, or image; 2. libation
libation, with covenant sacrif. in making covenant
molten metal, or image
base
מַסֵּכָה n.f. woven stuff, web, esp. as covering
base
H4541a מַסֵּכָה . molten metal, or image
. libation
H4541b מַסֵּכָה woven stuff, web, esp. as covering
4541 maccekah mas-say-kaw'
from 5258; properly, a pouring over, i.e. fusion of metal
(especially a cast image); by implication, a libation, i.e.
league; concretely a coverlet (as if poured out):--covering,
molten (image), vail.
see HEBREW for 05258
מַסֵּכָה (mas.se.khah) — liquid.
1) a pouring, libation, molten metal, cast image, drink offering
1a) libation (with covenant sacrifice)
1b) molten metal, molten image, molten gods
מַסֵּכָה (mas.se.khah) — veil.
web, covering, veil, woven stuff
Prep | N-fs — Preposition · noun common feminine singular absoluteHR/Ncfsa
mol'-t'-n.
See IMAGES.