So they took all their gold ear-rings and melted them, and made an image of a golden calf. And then these foolish wicked people began to feast and dance, and worship this golden idol.
Moses was coming down Mount Sinai with the two Tables of the Commandments in his hands. And first he heard a shouting and singing; then he saw the people leaping and dancing, and the great golden idol standing in the midst. Then he was sure it was of no use to bring them the Commandments if they minded them no better. So he took the two tables of stone, and threw them out of his hand, and broke them to pieces.
Then he went down, and severely punished the worst of the Israelites for having disobeyed the commandment. And he broke the golden calf to pieces, and ground it to powder.
Then he went and prayed to God to forgive the people. God did forgive them, and let Moses bring two fresh tables of stone to be written with the Ten Commandments. But the first that they had lost were the tables God had given, and they could never have them back again!
QUESTIONS.
1. Where was Moses gone? 2. What was God going to give him? 3. Who were left below? 4. What did the Israelites want? 5. What did they take off? 6. What did they make of their ear-rings? 7. What is the Second Commandment? 8. How did they break the Second Commandment? 9. What did Moses do to the Tables of the Law? 10. Why did he throw them down? 11. What did he do with the golden calf? 12. Where did he go then? 13. What did he do for the Israelites?
ANCIENT MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.