18 Moses replied: "It is not the sound of victory, it is not the sound of defeat; it is the sound of singing that I hear."
18 And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.
18 But he said, "It is not the sound of shouting for victory, or the sound of the cry of defeat, but the sound of singing that I hear."
18 But Moses said, Those aren't songs of victory, And those aren't songs of defeat, I hear songs of people throwing a party.
18 But he said: "It is not the noise of the shout of victory, Nor the noise of the cry of defeat, But the sound of singing I hear."
18 But Moses replied, "No, it's not a shout of victory nor the wailing of defeat. I hear the sound of a celebration."
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Exodus 32:18
Commentary on Exodus 32:15-20
(Read Exodus 32:15-20)
What a change it is, to come down from the mount of communion with God, to converse with a wicked world. In God we see nothing but what is pure and pleasing; in the world nothing but what is sinful and provoking. That it might appear an idol is nothing in the world, Moses ground the calf to dust. Mixing this powder with their drink, signified that the backslider in heart should be filled with his own ways.