Their intentions were not good:
(19) They made a calf at Horeb and bowed down to a molten image. (20) They exchanged their glory for the image of a bull that feeds on grass. (21) They forgot God who saved them, who performed great deeds in Egypt.
וכשקבלו ישראל את התורה ר"ל עשרת הדברות לאחר ארבעים יום שכחו את אלהיהם ואמרו לאהרן המצריים היו נושאין את אלהיהם ומשוררין ומזמרין לפניו ורואין אותו לפניהם קום עשה לנו אלקים אשר ילכו לפנינו כשקוץ המצריים ונראה אותו לפנינו שנ' קום עשה לנו אלקים אשר ילכו לפנינו.
When Israel received the commandments they forgot their God after forty days, and they said to Aaron: The Egyptians were carrying their god, and they were singing and uttering hymns before it, and they saw it before them. Make unto us a god like the gods of the Egyptians, and let us see it before us, as it is said, "Up, make us a god" (Ex. xxxii. 1).
Pastor David Guzik, "The Golden Calf"
Moses delayed coming down from the mountain: This troubled the people of Israel. It is true that Moses delayed, but God had a wonderful purpose for Moses’ delay, and it would soon be over. Yet because the people couldn’t see the reason for the delay they allowed it to stumble them. How we handle God’s ordained delays is a good measure of our spiritual maturity. If we allow such delays to make us drift off into sin or lapse into resignation to fate, then we react poorly to His ordained delays. If we allow such times to deepen our perseverance in following God, then they are of good use.
Come, make us gods that shall go before us: The people wanted gods to go before them, leading them to the Promised Land. They knew the Lord led them out of Egypt and they knew the Lord God had revealed Himself at Mount Sinai. Yet, they were willing to trust a god they could make to finish what the Lord began.
Their intentions were good:
אבל הכא דלא כתיב ביה כרת אימא לא קמ"ל דאתקושי אתקוש דכתיב (שמות לב, ח) וישתחוו לו ויזבחו לו ויאמרו וגו' א"ר יוחנן אלמלא וי"ו שבהעלוך נתחייבו רשעיהם של ישראל כלייה
But here, with regard to one who accepts an idol as his god, where karet is not written explicitly, one might say that he is not obligated to bring an offering. Therefore, Rav teaches us that he is obligated to bring an offering, as the Torah compares the acceptance of an idol as a god to a case of active idol worship; as it is written: “They have made themselves a molten calf, and have bowed to it, and have sacrificed to it, and said: These are your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt” (Exodus 32:8). With regard to the aforementioned verse, Rabbi Yoḥanan says: Were it not for the vav in the term: “Which brought you up [he’elukha],” giving it a plural form, the haters of the Jewish people, a euphemism used to refer to the Jewish people themselves, would have been sentenced to destruction for their idol worship. Since they recognized that God had taken them out of Egypt, and thought that He had merely made the golden calf His partner, the Jewish people were spared.
(קג) (צז) אָמַר הֶחָבֵר: כִּי הָאֻמּוֹת כֻּלָּם בַּזְּמָן הַהוּא הָיוּ עוֹבְדִים צוּרוֹת, וְאִלּוּ הָיוּ הַפִּילוֹסוֹפִים, מְבִיאִים מוֹפֵת עַל הַיִּחוּד וְעַל הָאֱלֹהוּת לֹא הָיוּ עוֹמְדִים מִבְּלִי צוּרָה שֶׁמְּכַוְּנִים אֵלֶיהָ וְאוֹמְרִים לַהֲמוֹנָם, כִּי הַצּוּרָה הַזֹּאת יִדְבַּק בָּהּ עִנְיָן אֱלֹקִי וְכִי הִיא מְיֻחֶדֶת בְּדָבָר מֻפְלָא נָכְרִי. וּמֵהֶם מִי שֶׁמְּיַחֵס זֶה אֶל הָאֱלֹקִים, כַּאֲשֶׁר אֲנַחְנוּ עוֹשִׂים הַיּוֹם בַּמְּקוֹמוֹת הַמְכֻבָּדִים אֶצְלֵנוּ, עַד שֶׁאָנוּ מִתְבָּרְכִים בָּהֶם וּבַעֲפָרָם וְאַבְנֵיהֶם, וּמֵהֶם מִי שֶׁמְּיַחֵס אוֹתוֹ אֶל רוּחֲנִיּוּת כּוֹכָב מִן הַכּוֹכָבִים אוֹ חַיִל מִן הַחֲיָלִים אוֹ מַעֲרֶכֶת מַזָּל וְזוּלַת זֶה, וְלֹא הָיוּ מַסְכִּימִים הֶהָמוֹן עַל תּוֹרָה אֶחָת, אֶלָּא בְצוּרָה מֻרְגָּשָׁה שֶׁמְּכַוְּנִים אֵלֶיהָ. וְהָיוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מְצַפִּים לְמַה שֶּׁיָּעַד אוֹתָם משֶׁה שֶׁיּוֹרִיד לָהֶם עִנְיָן מֵאֵת ה' שֶׁיִּרְאוּ אוֹתוֹ וְיַקְבִּילוּהוּ כַאֲשֶׁר הָיוּ מַקְבִּילִים עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן וְעַמּוּד הָאֵשׁ בְּצֵאתָם מִמִּצְרַיִם, אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ מַבִּיטִים אֵלָיו וּמַקְבִּילִים וּמְגַדְּלִים אוֹתוֹ וּמְשֶׁתַּחֲוִים נִכְחוֹ לֵאלֹקִים, וְכֵן הָיוּ מַקְבִּילִים עַמּוּד הֶעָנָן אֲשֶׁר הָיָה יוֹרֵד עַל משֶׁה בְּדַבֵּר אִתּוֹ הָאֱלֹקִים וְהָיוּ עוֹמְדִים בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִשְׁתַּחֲוִים נִכְחוֹ לֵאלֹקִים. וְכַאֲשֶׁר שָׁמְעוּ הָעָם דִּבְרֵי עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים וְעָלָה משֶׁה עַל הָהָר לְהוֹרִיד לָהֶם הַלּוּחוֹת כְּתוּבִים וְלַעֲשׂוֹת לָהֶם אָרוֹן לִהְיוֹת לָהֶם דָּבָר נִרְאֶה שֶׁיְּכַוְּנוּ נֶגְדּוֹ, שֶׁבּוֹ הַבְּרִית לֵאלֹקִים וְהַבְּרִיאָה הָרִבּוֹנִית, רְצוֹנִי לוֹמַר: הַלּוּחוֹת, זוּלַת מַה שֶּׁדָּבַק בָּאָרוֹן מֵהֶעָנָן וְהַכָּבוֹד וּמַה שֶּׁנִּרְאָה בַעֲבוּרוֹ מֵהַמּוֹפְתִים, וְנִשְׁאֲרוּ הָעָם מְצַפִּים לְרֶדֶת משֶׁה וְהֵם עַל עִנְיָנָם לֹא שִׁנּוּ תָאֳרָם וְעֶדְיָם וּבִגְדֵיהֶם, אֲשֶׁר עָמְדוּ בָהֶם יוֹם מַעֲמַד הַר סִינַי אַךְ נִשְׁאֲרוּ בִתְכוּנָתָם מַמְתִּינִים לְמשֶׁה לְעִתִּים, וּבוֹשֵׁשׁ מֵהֶם אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וְהוּא לֹא לָקַח צֵידָה וְלֹא נִפְרַד מֵהֶם אֶלָּא עַל מְנָת שֶׁיָּשׁוּב לְיוֹמוֹ, אָז גָבְרָה הַמַּחֲשָׁבָה הָרָעָה עַל קְצָת הֶהָמוֹן הַהוּא הַגָּדוֹל וְהִתְחִילוּ הֲמוֹן הָעָם לְהֵחָלֵק מַחְלְקוֹת וּמַרְבִּים הָעֵצוֹת וְהַמַּחֲשָׁבוֹת עַד שֶׁנִּצְטָרְכוּ מֵהֶם אֲנָשִׁים לְבַקֵּשׁ נֶעֱבָד מֻרְגָּשׁ יְכַוְּנוּ נֶגְדּוֹ כִשְׁאָר הָאֻמּוֹת, מִבְּלִי שֶׁיְּכַחֲשׁוּ בֶאֱלֹהוּת מוֹצִיאָם מִמִּצְרַיִם, אֲבָל – שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מֻנָּח לָהֶם לְהַקְבִּיל אֵלָיו, כְּשֶׁיְּסַפְּרוּ נִפְלְאוֹת אֱלֹהֵיהֶם, כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשׂוּ הַפְּלִשְׁתִּים בָּאָרוֹן שֶׁאָמְרוּ כִּי הָאֱלֹקִים שָׁם, וְכַאֲשֶׁר אֲנַחְנוּ עוֹשִׂים בַּשָּׁמָיִם וּבְכָל דָּבָר שֶׁאָנוּ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁתְּנוּעָתוֹ אָמְנָם הִיא בְחֵפֶץ הָאֱלֹקִים מִבְּלִי מִקְרֶה וְלֹא רְצוֹן אָדָם וְלֹא טֶבַע. וְחַטָּאתָם הָיְתָה בַצִּיּוּר אֲשֶׁר נֶאֱסַר עֲלֵיהֶם וְשֶׁיִּחֲסוּ עִנְיָן אֱלֹקִי אֶל מַה שֶּׁעָשׂוּ בְיָדָם וּרְצוֹנָם מִבְּלִי מִצְוַת הָאֱלֹקִים, וְיֵשׁ לָהֶם הִתְנַצְּלוּת – בְּמַה שֶּׁקָּדַם מֵהַמַּחֲלֹקֶת בֵּינֵיהֶם, וְלֹא הִגִּיעוּ עוֹבְדָיו אֶל שְׁלשֶׁת אַלְפֵי אִיש מִכְּלָל שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף שֶׁהָיוּ. אֲבָל הִתְנַצְּלוּת הַגְּדוֹלִים שֶׁסִּיְּעוּ בַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ הָיָה – בַּעֲבוּר שֶׁיֵּרָאֶה הַמַּמְרֶה מֵהַמַּאֲמִין כְּדֵי לַהֲרֹג הַמַּמְרֶה הָעוֹבֵד אוֹתוֹ, וְנֶחְשַׁב לָהֶם לְעָוֹן מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוֹצִיאוּ הַמְּרִי מִן הַכֹּחַ וְהַמַּצְפּוּן אֶל גְּבוּל הַמַּעֲשֶׂה. וְלֹא הָיָה הֶעָוֹן הַהוּא יְצִיאָה מִכְּלָל עֲבוֹדַת מוֹצִיאָם מִמִּצְרַיִם, אַךְ הָיָה מְרִי לִקְצָת מִצְוֹתָיו, כִּי הוּא יִתְבָּרַךְ הִזְהִיר מִן הַצּוּרוֹת, וְהֵם עָשׂוּ צוּרָה, וְהָיָה לָהֶם לְהַמְתִּין, שֶׁלֹּא יִקְבְּעוּ לְעַצְמָם דָּבָר שֶׁיַּקְבִּילוּהוּ וְיִמָּשְׁכוּ אַחֲרָיו, וּמִזְבֵּחַ וְקָרְבָּנוֹת... עִם שֶׁלֹּא הָיְתָה כַוָּנַת הָעָם לָצֵאת מֵעֲבוֹדַת הָאֱלֹקִים, אַךְ הָיוּ חוֹשְׁבִים שֶׁהֵם מִשְׁתַּדְּלִים בָּעֲבוֹדָה, וְעַל כֵּן בָּאוּ אֶל אַהֲרֹן, וְאַהֲרֹן חָפֵץ לְגַלּוֹת מַצְפּוּנָם, וְעַל כֵּן סִיַּע בַּעֲשׂוֹתוֹ וְנֶאֱשַׁם בְּהוֹצָאָתוֹ מִרְיָם מִן הַכֹּחַ אֶל הַמַּעֲשֶׂה. וְהַדָּבָר הַהוּא הוּא מְרֻחָק וּמְגֻנֶּה אֶצְלֵנוּ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאֵין בַּזְּמָן הַזֶּה צוּרוֹת נֶעֱבָדוֹת בְּרֹב הָאֻמּוֹת וְהָיָה קַל בַּזְּמָן הַהוּא, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהָיוּ עוֹשִׂים כָּל הָאֻמּוֹת צוּרוֹת לַעֲבֹד אוֹתָם. וְאִלּוּ הָיְתָה חַטָּאתָם שֶׁעָשׂוּ בַּיִת בִּרְצוֹנָם לַעֲבוֹדָה, לְכַוֵּן אֵלָיו וּלְהַקְרִיב בּוֹ הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת וּלְכַבְּדוֹ, לֹא הָיָה דָבַר גָּדוֹל בְּעֵינֵינוּ, מִפְּנֵי מַה שֶּׁאֲנַחְנוּ נוֹהֲגִים בּוֹ הַיּוֹם, מֵעֲשׂוֹת בָּתִּים בִּבְחִירָתֵנוּ וְגַדְּלֵנוּ לָהֶם וְהִתְבָּרְכֵנוּ בָהֶם...וְעִם כָּל זֶה נֶעֶנְשׁוּ הָאֲנָשִׁים אֲשֶׁר עָבְדוּ הָעֵגֶל בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וַהֲרָגוּם, וְהָיָה מִסְפַּר כֻּלָּם שְׁלשֶׁת אַלְפֵי אִישׁ מִכְּלָל שֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת אֶלֶף, וְלֹא פָסַק הַמָּן לָרֶדֶת לִמְזוֹנָם, וְהֶעָנָן לְסוֹכֵךְ עֲלֵיהֶם וְעַמּוּד הָאֵשׁ לְהַנְחֹתָם, וְהַנְּבוּאָה מַתְמֶדֶת וְנוֹסֶפֶת בֵּינֵיהֶם, וְלֹא נֶעְדַּר מֵהֶם דָּבָר מִכָּל אֲשֶׁר נִתַּן לָהֶם זוּלַת שְׁתֵּי הַלּוּחוֹת, אֲשֶׁר שְׁבָרָם משֶׁה, וְהִתְפַּלֵּל לְהֲשִׁיבָם וְהוּשְׁבוּ לָהֶם וְכֻפַּר לָהֶם הֶעָוֹן הַהוּא.
(103) 97. The Rabbi: All nations were given to idolatry at that time. Even had they been philosophers, discoursing on the unity and government of God, they would have been unable to dispense with images, and would have taught the masses that a divine influence hovered over this image. which was distinguished by some miraculous feature. Some of them ascribed this to God, even as we today treat some particular spots with reverence, going so far as to believe ourselves blessed by their dust and stones. Others ascribed it to the spiritual influence of some star or constellation, or of a talisman, or to other things of that kind. The people did not pay so much attention to a single law as to a tangible image in which they believed. The Israelites had been promised that something visible would descend on them from God which they could follow, as they followed the pillars of cloud and fire when they departed from Egypt. This they pointed out, and turned to it, praising it, and worshipping God in its presence. Thus they also turned towards the cloud which hovered over Moses while God spake with him; they remained standing and adoring God opposite to it. Now when the people had heard the proclamation of the Ten Commandments, and Moses had ascended the mount in order to receive the inscribed tables which he was to bring down to them, and then make an ark which was to be the point towards which they should direct their gaze during their devotions, they waited for his return clad in the same apparel in which they had witnessed the drama on Sinai, without removing their jewels or changing their clothes, remaining just as he left them, expecting every moment to see him return. He, however, tarried forty days, although he had not provided himself with food, having only left them with the intention of returning the same day. An evil spirit overpowered a portion of the people, and they began to divide into parties and factions. Many views and opinions were expressed, till at last some decided to do like the other nations, and seek an object in which they could have faith, without, however, prejudicing the supremacy of Him who had brought them out of Egypt. On the contrary, this was to be something to which they could point when relating the wonders of God, as the Philistines did with the ark when they said that God dwelt within it. We do the same with the sky and every other object concerning which we know that it is set in motion by the divine will exclusively, and not by any accident or desire of man or nature. Their sin consisted in the manufacture of an image of a forbidden thing, and in attributing divine power to a creation of their own, something chosen by themselves without the guidance of God. Some excuse may be found for them in the dissension which had broken out among them, and in the fact that out of six hundred thousand souls the number of those who worshipped the calf was below three thousand. For those of higher station who assisted in making it an excuse might be found in the fact that they wished to clearly separate the disobedient from the pious, in order to slay those who would worship the calf. On the other hand, they sinned in causing what was only a sin of intention to become a sin in deed. This sin was not on a par with an entire lapse from all obedience to Him who had led them out of Egypt, as only one of His commands was violated by them. God had forbidden images, and in spite of this they made one. They should have waited and not have assumed power, have arranged a place of worship, an altar, and sacrifices... At the same time the people did not intend to give up their allegiance to God. On the contrary, they were, in theory, more zealous in their devotion. They therefore approached Aaron, and he, desiring to make their plan public, assisted them in their undertaking. For this reason he is to be blamed for changing their theoretical disobedience into a reality. The whole affair is repulsive to us, because in this age the majority of nations have abandoned the worship of images. It appeared less objectionable at that time, because all nations were then idolators. Had their sin consisted in constructing a house of worship of their own, and making a place of prayer, offering and veneration, the matter would not have been so grave, because nowadays we also build our houses of worship, hold them in great respect, and seek blessing through their means...In spite of these things, those who worshipped the calf were punished on the same day, and three thousand out of six hundred thousand were slain. The Manna, however, did not cease falling for their maintenance, nor the cloud to give them shade, nor the pillar of fire to guide them. Prophecy continued spreading and increasing among them, and nothing that had been granted was taken from them, except the two tables, which Moses broke. But then he pleaded for their restoration; they were restored, and the sin was forgiven.