19 Bible Verses about Calf worship

And when the people saw that it was long or Moses came down out of the mountain, they gathered themselves together and came unto Aaron and said unto him, "Up, and make us a god to go before us: for of this Moses, the fellow that brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become." And Aaron said unto them, "Pluck off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons and of your daughters: and bring them unto me." And all the people plucked off the golden earrings that were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.read more.
And he received them of their hands and fashioned it with a graver and made it a calf of molten metal. And they said, "This is thy God, O Israel, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt."

Then the LORD said unto Moses, "Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have marred all: they are turned at once out of the way which I commanded them, and have made them a calf of molten metal, and have worshipped it and have offered thereto and have said, 'This is thy God thou Israel, which hath brought thee out of the land of Egypt.'"

They made a calf in Horeb, and worshipped the molten image. Thus they turned their glory into the similitude of a calf, that eateth hay. They forgot God their Savior, which had done so great things in Egypt,read more.
wondrous works in the land of Ham, and fearful things in the reed sea.

And they made a calf in those days, and offered sacrifice unto the image, and rejoiced in the works of their own hands.

And as soon as he came nigh unto the host and saw the calf and the dancing, his wrath waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hand, and brake them even at the hill foot. And the took the calf which they had made and burned it with fire, and stamped it unto powder and strowed it in the water, and made the children of Israel drink.

And the LORD plagued the people, because they made the calf; which Aaron made.

And when I looked and saw that ye had sinned against the LORD your God and had made you a calf of metal and had turned at once out of the way which the LORD had commanded you; Then I took the two tables and cast them out of my two hands, and brake them before your eyes. And I fell before the LORD, even as at the first time - forty days and nights, and neither ate bread nor drank water - over all your sins which ye had sinned in doing wickedly in the sight of the LORD and in provoking him.read more.
For I was afraid of the wrath and fierceness wherewith the LORD was angry with you, even for to have destroyed you; But the LORD heard my petition at that time also. The LORD was very angry with Aaron also, even for to have destroyed him: But I made intercession for Aaron also the same time. And I took your sin, the calf which ye had made and burnt him with fire and stamped him and ground him a-good, even unto small dust. And I cast the dust thereof into the brook that descended out of the mount.

So he said he would have destroyed them, had not Moses his chosen stood before him in that gap; to turn away his wrathful indignation, lest he should destroy them.

And Jeroboam thought in his heart, "Now might the kingdom return to the house of David again. For if this people shall go up and do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall their hearts turn again unto their lord Rehoboam king of Judah. And so shall they kill me and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah." Whereupon the king took counsel and made two calves of gold and said unto the people, "Ye shall not need to go any more to Jerusalem. Behold your gods, Israel, which brought you out of the land of Egypt!"read more.
And he put the one in Bethel and the other in Dan. And that doing was a cause of sin. And the people went before the one as far as Dan.

And they refused his ordinances and his covenant that he had made with their fathers, and the witness which he had witnessed to them and followed vanity and became vain, like to the heathen that were round about them, of which the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them. But they left the commandments of the LORD their God and made them Images of metal, even two calves: and made groves and bowed themselves unto all the Host of heaven, and served Baal.

Insomuch that the Levites left their suburbs and possessions and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them out from ministering unto the LORD. And he ordained him priests of hill altars - both to field devils and also to the calves which he had made.

And now ye think to prevail against the kingdom of the LORD in the hand of the sons of David, because ye be a great multitude and have with you the golden calves which Jeroboam made you for gods.

Wherefore the LORD was exceeding wroth with Israel and put them out of his sight, that there was left but the tribe of Judah only. And thereto Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the ordinances of Israel which they had made. Therefore the LORD cast up all the seed of Israel and vexed them and delivered them into the hands of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight.read more.
And Israel divided themselves from the house of David, and made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. Which Jeroboam thrust Israel away from the LORD and made them sin a great sin. And so the children of Israel walked in all the sin of Jeroboam which he had set up, and departed not therefrom, until the LORD had put Israel away out of his sight, as he said by all his servants the prophets. And so he translated Israel out of their land to Assyria, even unto this day. And the king of Assyria brought from Babylon and from Cuthah, and from Avva and from Hamath and from Sepharvaim, and put them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel. And they possessed Samaria and dwelt in the cities thereof. But at the beginning of their dwelling, they feared not the LORD. Wherefore the LORD sent lions upon them, which slew them. Then men told the king of Assyria, saying, "The nations which thou hast translated and put in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land, and therefore he hath sent lions upon them, which slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land." Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, "Carry thither one of the priests which ye brought thence, and let him go and dwell there, and teach them the fashion how to serve the God of the country." And then one of the priests which they had carried thence, went and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.

They have ordained kings, but not through me: they have made princes, and I must not know of it. Of their silver and gold have they made them images, to bring themselves to destruction. Thy calf, O Samaria, shall be taken away, for my wrathful indignation is gone forth against thee. How long will it be, before they can be cleansed? For the calf came from Israel; the workman made it: therefore can it be no God, but even to a spider's web shall the calf of Samaria be turned.read more.
They have sown wind, therefore shall they reap a whirlwind. Their seed shall bear no corn, there shall no meal be made of their increase: though they reap, yet shall strangers devour it up. Israel shall perish, the Gentiles shall entreat him as a foul vessel. Since they went up to the Assyrians, they are become like a wild ass in the desert. Ephraim giveth rewards to get lovers.

They that dwell in Samaria have worshiped the calf of Bethaven: therefore shall the people mourn over them, yea and the priests also, that in their wealthiness rejoiced with them. And why? It shall pass away from them. It shall be brought to the Assyrians for a present unto king Jareb. Ephraim shall receive full punishment; Israel shall be confounded for his own imaginations;

The images of their gods thou shalt burn with fire, and see that thou covet not the silver or gold that is on them nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therewith. For it is an abomination unto the LORD thy God.

All carvers of Images are but vain, and the carved images that they love can do no good. They must bear record themselves, that seeing they can neither see nor understand they shall be confounded. Who should now make a God, or fashion an Image, that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all the fellowship of them must be brought to confusion. Let all the workmasters of them come and stand together from among men: they must be abashed and confounded one with another.read more.
The smith taketh iron, and tempereth it with hot coals, and fashioneth it with hammers, and maketh it with all the strength of his arms: yea, sometimes he is faint for very hunger, and so thirsty, that he hath no more power. The carpenter or image carver taketh meat of the timber, and spreadeth forth his line; he marketh it with some colour; he planeth it, he ruleth it, and squareth it, and maketh it after the image of a man; and according to the beauty of a man that it may stand in the temple. Moreover, he goeth out to hew down Cedar trees: He bringeth home Elms and Oaks, and other timber of the wood. Or else the Fir trees which he planted himself, and such as the rain hath swelled, which wood serveth for men to burn. Of this he taketh and warmeth himself withal: he maketh a fire of it to bake bread. And afterward maketh a god thereof, to honour it: and an Idol to kneel before it. One piece he burneth in the fire; with another he roasteth flesh, that he may eat roast his belly full; with the third he warmeth himself, and sayeth, "Aha, I am well warmed, I have been at the fire." And of the residue he maketh him a god, and an Idol for himself. He kneeleth before it, he worshippeth it, he prayeth unto it, and sayeth, "Deliver me, for thou art my god!" Yet men neither consider nor understand; because their eyes are stopped that they cannot see, and their hearts, that they can not perceive. They ponder not in their minds, for they have neither knowledge nor understanding, to think thus, "I have burnt one piece in the fire; I have baked bread with the coals thereof; I have roasted flesh withal, and eaten it: shall I now of the residue make an abomination, and fall down before a rotten piece of wood?" The keeping of dust, and foolishness of heart hath turned them aside: so that none of them can have a free conscience to think, "Do not I err?"

Ye fools, no doubt, will take out silver and gold out of your purses, and weigh it, and hire a goldsmith to make a god of it, that men may kneel down and worship it. Yet must he be taken on men's shoulders and borne, and set in his place, that he may stand and not move. Alas that men should cry unto him, which giveth no answer; and delivereth not the man that calleth upon him, from his trouble.

inasmuch as when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful: but waxed full of vanities in their imaginations. And their foolish hearts were blinded. When they counted themselves wise, they became fools and turned the glory of the immortal God, unto the similitude of the image: of mortal man, and of birds, and four footed beasts and of serpents.