King Jeroboam I of the Northern Kingdom of Israel commissioned two golden calves for the sanctuaries of Yahweh in Bethel and Dan, to serve as the Lord’s attendants.
It was a symbol of virility and strength associated with the Canaanite god El, and such idolatry would persist into the period of the divided monarchy. He then ordered a great feast, and all the Israelites “rose up to play” (Exodus 32:6). He ordered the people to collect all the gold in their possession, and used it to create a golden calf for worship. Rather than remaining steadfast in his faith, Aaron gave in. According to Exodus, they “gathered around Aaron and said to him: ‘Come, make gods for us, who shall go before us’” (Exodus 32:1). However, when Moses went to Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments, the Israelites grew impatient and Aaron’s resolve collapsed. Made with clay, wire, and recycled paper, the characters come to life in frame-by-frame motion.
Time travel in this animation through the history of the Bible.
