Exodus 32:5Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The account suggests that Aaron, out of fear, constructed an altar for the calf, which implies that Hur may have been killed when the people forced them to worship the idol. To delay the inevitable until Moses returned from the mountain, Aaron declared, "the feast of the Lord." They then proceeded to offer sacrifices to the bull.

The perspective shared at the conclusion of the previous commentary appears to find support in the current verse 5. There is no question that Aaron did not succumb to the chaos of the people; rather, he was apprehensive about the unruly crowd. Displaying the tendency for half-hearted actions often seen in individuals of weaker resolve, he contrives to construct an altar, likely in accordance with the Mosaic laws, and announces for the following day a celebration unto the Lord. Through this, he aims to subtly guide the people back to the worship of the God of Israel, while also attempting to clear himself of any guilt associated with idol worship.