1883 Haydock Douay Rheims Bible
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| Exodus 32:20 | And laying hold of the calf which they had made, he burnt it, *and beat it to powder, which he strewed into water, and gave thereof to the children of Israel to drink. Deuteronomy 9:21. | Calf. Having manifested his disapprobation of the people's conduct, in the most signal manner, by breaking the two tables; Moses proceeds to convince them of their stupidity, in adoring what he, in a few minutes, reduces to powder. (Haydock) --- He breaks the calf in pieces, after burning it, and then grinds it to dust in a mill, with files; as the Hebrew, Chaldean, and Septuagint intimate. He throws it, with contempt, into the torrent, which supplied the camp with water, and thus caused the idolaters to swallow their gods. (Tirinus) -- Sa assures us, that he saw an alchymist pulverize gold, which Abenezra says is done by means of some herbs, which turn the gold quite black, when it is melted. (Calmet) --- Some use aquafortis for this purpose. (Tirinus) --- But from the account of Moses, (Deuteronomy 9:21,) it seems fire, and the mill, or file, reduced the gold into the smallest particles, so as to be even potable. Josephus ([Antiquities?] 8:2,) mentions the gold dust used by the courtiers of Solomon. (Calmet) |