When the people saw how long it was taking Moses to come back down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron. “Come on,” they said, “make us some gos who can lead us. We don’t know what happened to this fellow Moses, who brought us here from the land of Egypt”
So Aaron said, “Take the gold rings from the ears of your wives and sons and daughters, and bring them to me.”
All the people took the gold rings from their ears and brought them to Aaron. Then Aaron melted it down, and molded it into a shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!”
Aaron saw who excited the people were, so he built an altar in front of the calf. Then he announced, “Tomorrow will be a festival to the Lord.”
The people got up early the next morning to sacrifice burnt offerings and peace offerings. After this, they celebrated with fasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry. (vv. 1-6, NLT)