Many people, when first reading this story, may think “Why in the world would they want to worship a calf? Or any animal for that matter?”

There is a very logical explanation for this. During this time in human history, many gods were represented by animals. Ra, an Egyptian god, was one of many that were depicted as part cat. Ammut and the solar god Horus (also of Egypt) were portrayed as crocodiles, either in part or whole. So, the Israelites had spent generations in a land that was one of many with “animal” gods, or more accurately, animal statues that represented the gods.

So, why a calf? Several of the most prominent Egyptian cults had a calf or bull as their statue. El, a common god in the Canaanite region, was referred to as the “heavenly bull” and depicted as such. Baal the storm god was another very popular god in the Canaanite region and beyond and was also depicted as a bull.

This, of course, doesn’t mean that the making of the golden calf as right, of course. However, it does explain why, when full of doubt and craving a “god” to “take care of them,” they turned to the familiar shape of a calf.