John Gill Commentary Psalms 106:19

"They made a calf in Horeb, And worshipped a molten image." — Psalms 106:19 (ASV)

They made a calf in Horeb
A golden one, of the earrings of gold which were in the ears of their wives, sons, and daughters; these they took and melted down, and cast into the figure of a calf, or an ox, as it is afterwards said, in imitation of the Egyptians, who worshipped the ox; a people that had used them ill, from whose bondage they were just delivered; on whom they had seen the judgments of God inflicted, and who were notoriously wicked and an idolatrous people, and yet these they imitated.

And, which was still a greater aggravation, this they did in Horeb, the mountain in which God appeared in so terrible a manner, with thunder and lightnings, and in fire, out of which he spoke to them; and when he gave them a body of laws, among which were one that forbid the worshipping of graven images; and yet they made and worshipped one in this very place, from which they received this law; as follows.

And worshipped the molten image ;
when fashioned with a graving tool, and made a molten calf, they said, these are your gods, O Israel, which brought you out of Egypt; and they brought their burnt offerings and peace offerings, and ate and drank before it, and danced about it; all which were acts of idolatrous worship, (Exodus 32:1–6) (1 Corinthians 10:7) . This was so heinous a sin, that the Jews say it is not expiated to this day, and that no punishment comes upon them but it contains an ounce of the golden calf in it ^F17 .

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FOOTNOTES:

• F17: T. Hieros. Taanioth, fol. 80. 4.