Who was responsible for building the golden calf in the book of Exodus?

The story of the golden calf is one of the most well-known episodes in the book of Exodus. This story describes how the Israelites, led by Aaron, created a golden calf to worship while Moses was away on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments from God. While the Bible is clear that Aaron was responsible for building the golden calf, the question of who is ultimately responsible for this act of idolatry is more complex.

In Exodus 32:1-6, we read that the Israelites became impatient while Moses was on Mount Sinai and asked Aaron to make them a god to worship. Aaron then collected gold from the people and fashioned it into the form of a calf, and the people began to worship it.

While Aaron is clearly the one who physically created the golden calf, it is important to remember that he did so under pressure from the Israelites. In fact, when Moses returned from Mount Sinai and saw what the Israelites had done, he confronted Aaron and asked him why he had allowed the people to commit such a grave sin.

Moreover, it is also worth noting that the Israelites themselves were ultimately responsible for the creation of the golden calf. They were the ones who demanded a god to worship, and they were the ones who provided the gold to make it. The golden calf was a symbol of their lack of faith and their failure to trust in God's promise to lead them to the Promised Land.