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◄ Acts 7:40►

New International Version
They told Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt—we don’t know what has happened to him!’

New Living Translation
They told Aaron, ‘Make us some gods who can lead us, for we don’t know what has become of this Moses, who brought us out of Egypt.’

English Standard Version
saying to Aaron, ‘Make for us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’

Berean Standard Bible
They said to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us! As for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’

Berean Literal Bible
having said to Aaron, 'Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us out fromthe land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.'

King James Bible
Saying unto Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: foras for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

New King James Version
saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods to go before us;as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.’

New American Standard Bible
saying to Aaron, ‘MAKE US A GOD WHO WILL GO BEFORE US; FOR THIS MOSES WHO LED US OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT—WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM.’

NASB 1995
SAYING TO AARON, ‘MAKE FOR US GODS WHO WILL GO BEFORE US; FOR THIS MOSES WHO LED US OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT— WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM.’

NASB 1977
SAYING TO AARON, ‘MAKE FOR US GODS WHO WILL GO BEFORE US; FOR THIS MOSES WHO LED US OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT—WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM.’

Legacy Standard Bible
SAYING TO AARON, ‘MAKE FOR US GODS WHO WILL GO BEFORE US; FOR THIS MOSES WHO LED US OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT—WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAS BECOME OF HIM.’

Amplified Bible
THEY SAID TO AARON, ‘MAKE FOR US GODS WHO WILL GO BEFORE US; FOR THIS MOSES WHO LED US OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT, WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HIM.’

Christian Standard Bible
They told Aaron: Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what’s happened to him.

Holman Christian Standard Bible
They told Aaron: Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what’s happened to him.

American Standard Version
saying unto Aaron, Make us gods that shall go before us: for as for this Moses, who led us forth out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.

Contemporary English Version
The people said to Aaron, "Make some gods to lead us! Moses led us out of Egypt, but we don't know what's happened to him now."

English Revised Version
saying unto Aaron, Make us gods which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, which led us forth out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
They told Aaron, 'We don't know what has happened to this Moses, who led us out of Egypt. So make gods who will lead us.'

Good News Translation
So they said to Aaron, 'Make us some gods who will lead us. We do not know what has happened to that man Moses, who brought us out of Egypt.'

International Standard Version
They told Aaron, 'Make gods for us who will lead us. This Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt—we don't know what happened to him!'

NET Bible
saying to Aaron, 'Make us gods who will go in front of us, for this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt--we do not know what has happened to him!'

New Heart English Bible
saying to Aaron, 'Make us gods that will go before us, for as for this Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'

Webster's Bible Translation
Saying to Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.

Weymouth New Testament
They said to Aaron, "'Make gods for us, to march in front of us; for as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'

Majority Text Translations

Majority Standard Bible
They said to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will go before us! As for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’

World English Bible
saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods that will go before us, for as for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we don’t know what has become of him.’

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
saying to Aaron, Make to us gods who will go on before us, for this Moses, who brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, we have not known what has happened to him.

Berean Literal Bible
having said to Aaron, 'Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us out fromthe land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.'

Young's Literal Translation
saying to Aaron, Make to us gods who shall go on before us, for this Moses, who brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, we have not known what hath happened to him.

Smith's Literal Translation
Having said to Aaron, Make us gods who shall go before us: for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has been to him.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Saying to Aaron: Make us gods to go before us. For as for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.

Catholic Public Domain Version
saying to Aaron: ‘Make gods for us, which may go before us. For this Moses, who led us away from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’

New American Bible
saying to Aaron, ‘Make us gods who will be our leaders. As for that Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’

New Revised Standard Version
saying to Aaron, ‘Make gods for us who will lead the way for us; as for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.’

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
They said to Aar’on, Make us gods to go before us, for this very Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.

Aramaic Bible in Plain English
As they said to Aaron, 'Make gods for us to go before us, because we do not know what has become of this Moses who brought us out from the land of Egypt.'

NT Translations

Anderson New Testament
saying to Aaron: Make us gods that shall go be fore us; for, as for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what has become of him.

Godbey New Testament
saying to Aaron, Make us gods who shall go before us: for this Moses, who led us out from the land of Egypt, we know not what happened to him.

Haweis New Testament
saying to Aaron, Make us gods who shall go before us: for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what hath happened to him.

Mace New Testament
"make us gods, said they to Aaron, to be our guides: for as for this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him."

Weymouth New Testament
They said to Aaron, "'Make gods for us, to march in front of us; for as for this Moses who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.'

Worrell New Testament
saying to Aaron, 'Make us gods who shall go before us; foras for this Moses who brought us forth out of the land of Egypt, we know not what happened to him.'

Worsley New Testament
saying to Aaron, Make us gods to go before us; foras to this Moses, who brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him. And they made a calf in those days,

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Stephen's Address to the Sanhedrin
…39But our fathers refused to obey him. Instead, they rejected him and in their hearts turned back to Egypt.40They said to Aaron,‘Make us gods who will go before us!As for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt,we do not know what has happened to him.’41At that time they made a calf and offered a sacrifice to the idol, rejoicing in the works of their hands.…

Berean Standard Bible ·Download

Cross References

Exodus 32:1
Now when the people saw that Moses was delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him!”

Exodus 32:23
They told me, ‘Make us gods who will go before us. As for this Moses who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him!’

Deuteronomy 9:16
And I saw how you had sinned against the LORD your God; you had made for yourselves a molten calf. You had turned aside quickly from the way that the LORD had commanded you.

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,

Psalm 106:19-20
At Horeb they made a calf and worshiped a molten image. / They exchanged their Glory for the image of a grass-eating ox.

1 Kings 12:28
After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves and said to the people, “Going up to Jerusalem is too much for you. Here, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.”

2 Kings 17:16
They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served Baal.

Isaiah 44:17
From the rest he makes a god, his graven image. He bows down to it and worships; he prays to it and says, “Save me, for you are my god.”

Jeremiah 2:11
Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But My people have exchanged their Glory for useless idols.

Hosea 8:4-6
They set up kings, but not by Me. They make princes, but without My approval. With their silver and gold they make themselves idols, to their own destruction. / He has rejected your calf, O Samaria. My anger burns against them. How long will they be incapable of innocence? / For this thing is from Israel—a craftsman made it, and it is not God. It will be broken to pieces, that calf of Samaria.

1 Corinthians 10:7
Do not be idolaters, as some of them were. As it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”

Romans 1:23
and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images of mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

Galatians 4:8
Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.

Revelation 9:20
Now the rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the works of their hands. They did not stop worshiping demons and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk.

Acts 19:26
And you can see and hear that not only in Ephesus, but in nearly the whole province of Asia, this Paul has persuaded a great number of people to turn away. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all.

Treasury of Scripture

Saying to Aaron, Make us gods to go before us: for as for this Moses, which brought us out of the land of Egypt, we know not what is become of him.

unto.

Exodus 32:1
And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; foras for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

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Acts 7

1.Stephen, permitted to answer to the accusation of blasphemy,
2.shows that Abraham worshipped God rightly, and how God chose the fathers,
20.before Moses was born, and before the tabernacle and temple were built;
37.that Moses himself witnessed of Christ;
44.and that all outward ceremonies were ordained to last but for a time;
51.reprehending their rebellion, and murdering of Christ, whom the prophets foretold.
54.Whereupon they stone Stephen to death,
59.who commends his soul to Jesus, and humbly prays for them.

Study Bible

Book ◦ Chapter

They said to Aaron,
This phrase refers to the Israelites speaking to Aaron, Moses' brother and the high priest. Aaron's role as a leader in Moses' absence highlights the Israelites' reliance on human leadership rather than divine guidance. This moment is pivotal as it tests Aaron's faithfulness to God amidst pressure from the people.

‘Make us gods who will go before us!
The Israelites' request for gods to lead them reflects their impatience and lack of faith in the invisible God who delivered them from Egypt. This demand for tangible deities echoes the polytheistic practices of Egypt, where they had lived for centuries. It reveals a struggle between the worship of the one true God and the temptation to revert to familiar idolatry.

As for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt,
The phrase underscores the Israelites' forgetfulness and ingratitude. Despite witnessing numerous miracles, they refer to Moses dismissively, as if his leadership and the divine acts through him were insignificant. This reflects a broader theme of human forgetfulness and rebellion against God's chosen leaders, seen throughout the Old Testament.

we do not know what has happened to him.’
This statement highlights the Israelites' uncertainty and fear during Moses' prolonged absence on Mount Sinai. It illustrates a lack of trust in God's plan and timing. The impatience and doubt here are reminiscent of other biblical instances where God's people struggle with waiting, such as the impatience of Saul in1 Samuel 13. This moment foreshadows the recurring theme of Israel's disobedience and the need for a faithful mediator, ultimately fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Persons / Places / Events

1.Aaron
The brother of Moses and the first high priest of Israel. He was left in charge while Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments.

2.Moses
The leader of the Israelites who brought them out of Egypt. At this point in the account, he is on Mount Sinai communing with God.

3.The Israelites
The people of God who were delivered from slavery in Egypt. They are expressing their impatience and lack of faith in Moses' return.

4.Mount Sinai
The mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments from God. It is a place of divine revelation and covenant.

5.The Golden Calf Incident
This event refers to the Israelites' demand for a tangible god, leading to the creation of the golden calf, which they worshiped in place of the true God.

Teaching Points

The Danger of Impatience
Impatience can lead to poor decisions and idolatry. The Israelites' demand for a god was rooted in their inability to wait for Moses and trust in God's timing.

The Temptation of Idolatry
Idolatry is not just the worship of physical idols but can be anything that takes the place of God in our lives. We must guard our hearts against modern forms of idolatry.

Leadership and Responsibility
Aaron's failure to stand firm in his leadership role serves as a reminder of the importance of godly leadership and accountability.

Faith in the Unseen
The Israelites' demand for a visible god highlights the challenge of maintaining faith in what is unseen. As believers, we are called to walk by faith, not by sight.

The Consequences of Disobedience
The golden calf incident resulted in severe consequences for the Israelites. Disobedience to God can lead to spiritual and physical repercussions.

Bible Study Questions and Answers

1.What is the meaning of Acts 7:40?

2.How does Acts 7:40 reveal Israel's struggle with faith and idolatry?

3.What lessons can we learn from Israel's impatience in Acts 7:40?

4.How does Exodus 32:1 relate to the events in Acts 7:40?

5.How can we avoid creating "gods" when feeling abandoned by God?

6.What modern idols might distract us from trusting God's timing and plan?

7.Why did the Israelites demand Aaron make gods in Acts 7:40?

8.How does Acts 7:40 reflect human tendency towards idolatry?

9.What does Acts 7:40 reveal about Israel's faith during Moses' absence?

10.What are the top 10 Lessons from Acts 7?

11.What was Moses' age at death?

12.How does the portrayal of Aaron's role in Exodus 32 align with other biblical depictions of him, and does it reveal inconsistencies across different texts?

13.Why does Stephen cite a 400-year period in Acts 7:6 when Exodus 12:40 indicates 430 years of Israelite bondage?

14.Acts 13:19-20: Why does Paul's recounting of Israel's history (a 450-year period) seem to conflict with Old Testament timelines?

What Does Acts 7:40 Mean

They said to Aaron

• Israel’s leaders turn from waiting on God’s appointed mediator to pressuring Aaron for immediate action (Exodus 32:1).

• The people speak “to Aaron,” revealing their misplaced confidence in human leadership when faith is tested (1 Samuel 8:19-20).

• Their collective demand displays corporate responsibility; sin here is communal, not merely individual (Nehemiah 9:26).

‘Make us gods who will go before us!’

• The request is idolatrous and impatient: “Make” substitutes human craftsmanship for divine revelation (Isaiah 44:9-17).

• “Gods” (plural) betrays a desire to reshape the one true God into manageable images (Romans 1:22-23).

• “Who will go before us” mimics language God used of Himself (Exodus 13:21-22), showing how sin counterfeits truth.

• Their words echo earlier pagan fears—seeking visible security rather than trusting the unseen Lord (Hebrews 11:27).

As for this Moses who led us out of the land of Egypt

• They reduce Moses to “this Moses,” distancing themselves from God’s chosen servant (Numbers 12:6-8).

• Forgetting his role “who led us out” exposes spiritual amnesia regarding recent deliverance (Psalm 106:7).

• The phrase recalls Stephen’s larger sermon theme: Israel consistently resists divinely appointed deliverers (Acts 7:35-39).

we do not know what has happened to him

• Forty days of waiting (Exodus 24:18) felt like abandonment; impatience often breeds rebellion (James 1:4).

• Their uncertainty becomes an excuse for idolatry rather than an invitation to seek God (Psalm 27:14).

• By focusing on Moses’ absence, they ignore God’s abiding presence and covenant promises (Joshua 1:5).

summary

Acts 7:40 captures a decisive moment of unbelief: the people shift their trust from the invisible yet faithful God to visible, human-made substitutes. Impatience with God’s timing, forgetfulness of past deliverance, and reliance on human leadership converge, leading to idolatry. Stephen cites this episode to warn that rejecting God’s appointed Savior—then Moses, now Christ—repeats a tragic pattern. The verse calls believers to steadfast faith, patient waiting, and exclusive loyalty to the Lord who alone “goes before” His people (Deuteronomy 31:8).

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(40)Make us gods.--The speech follows the LXX. and the English version ofExodus 32:4 in giving the plural, but it is probable that the Hebrew, Elohim,was used in its ordinary sense as singularin meaning, though plural in form, and that the sin of the Golden Calf was thus a transgression of the Second, and not of the First Commandment.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 40. -Whichshall go forto go, A.V.;led us forth forbrought us, A.V.

Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

They said
εἰπόντες(eipontes)
Verb - Aorist Participle Active - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2036:Answer, bid, bring word, command. A primary verb; to speak or say.

to Aaron,
Ἀαρών(Aarōn)
Noun - Dative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2:Aaron, son of Amram and Jochebed, brother of Moses. Of Hebrew origin; Aaron, the brother of Moses.

‘Make
Ποίησον(Poiēson)
Verb - Aorist Imperative Active - 2nd Person Singular
Strong's 4160:(a) I make, manufacture, construct, (b) I do, act, cause. Apparently a prolonged form of an obsolete primary; to make or do.

us
ἡμῖν(hēmin)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473:I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

gods
θεοὺς(theous)
Noun - Accusative Masculine Plural
Strong's 2316:A deity, especially the supreme Divinity; figuratively, a magistrate; by Hebraism, very.

who
οἳ(hoi)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Plural
Strong's 3739:Who, which, what, that.

will go before
προπορεύσονται(proporeusontai)
Verb - Future Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Plural
Strong's 4313:To precede, pass on before, go before. From pro and poreuomai; to precede.

us!
ἡμῶν(hēmōn)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1473:I, the first-person pronoun. A primary pronoun of the first person I.

As for
γὰρ(gar)
Conjunction
Strong's 1063:For. A primary particle; properly, assigning a reason.

this
οὗτος(houtos)
Demonstrative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3778:This; he, she, it.

Moses
Μωϋσῆς(Mōusēs)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3475:Or Moses, or Mouses of Hebrew origin; Moseus, Moses, or Mouses, the Hebrew lawgiver.

who
ὃς(hos)
Personal / Relative Pronoun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 3739:Who, which, what, that.

led us
ἐξήγαγεν(exēgagen)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1806:To lead out, sometimes to death, execution. From ek and ago; to lead forth.

out of
ἐκ(ek)
Preposition
Strong's 1537:From out, out from among, from, suggesting from the interior outwards. A primary preposition denoting origin, from, out.

Egypt,
Αἰγύπτου(Aigyptou)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 125:Egypt. Of uncertain derivation.

we do not know
οἴδαμεν(oidamen)
Verb - Perfect Indicative Active - 1st Person Plural
Strong's 1492:To know, remember, appreciate.

what
τί(ti)
Interrogative / Indefinite Pronoun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 5101:Who, which, what, why. Probably emphatic of tis; an interrogative pronoun, who, which or what.

has happened
ἐγένετο(egeneto)
Verb - Aorist Indicative Middle - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1096:A prolongation and middle voice form of a primary verb; to cause to be, i.e. to become, used with great latitude.

to him.’
αὐτῷ(autō)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Dative Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846:He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

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NT Apostles: Acts 7:40 Saying to Aaron 'Make us gods that (Acts of the Apostles Ac)