Moses climbed Mount Sinai, and God gave him two stone tablets, on which these commandments were written. For forty days Moses remained at the top of the mountain, and God spoke to him, telling him the laws and rules to be followed in everyday life. Meanwhile, Moses’ companions were waiting for him at the foot of the mountain. Days passed after days, but Moses was not there.
The Israelites became worried, doubted the favor of God for Moses, and decided to return to their former, pagan gods. They began to demand from Aaron, threatening with stones: “Stand up and make us a god who would walk in front of us; for with this man, with Moses, who led us out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become.”
They collected all their gold jewelry from the women and cast a golden calf. They installed it on a pedestal and began to worship the golden calf as a god, offered sacrifices to it, and then arranged a meal and sacred dances.
Moses and the golden calf by Domenico Bekafyumi 
Dance around the golden calf by Nicola Poussin 
Moses with the Tablets of Laws by Rembrandt Harmens Van Rhine 
Moses Driver by Nicholas Roerich 
Flood by Karel van Mander 
Hijos de Israel bailando alrededor del becerro de oro – Karel van Mander 
Fils d’Israël dansant autour du veau d’or – Karel van Mander 
The generosity of Scipio by Karel van Mander