What did the Hebrews worship while Moses was on the mountain to receive the 10 Commandments?

Answer 1

The story of the golden calf in the Exodus from Egypt should not be read as suggesting that the Israelites foolishly thought that if they made an idol and worshipped it, then good things would happen. Nor should it be read as suggesting that the Israelites suddenly decided to worship animals. The Hebrew people were polytheistic right down to the religious reforms of Josiah, king of Judah in the seventh century BCE. The notion of the Hebrews as monotheistic followers of one God was written back into the history from the seventh century BCE onwards

The golden calf was a symbol of the moon god, whom the early Israelites worshipped. We see this in a further reference to the golden calf at 1 Kings chapter 12, the Israelite king Jeroboam made two calves of gold, setting one up in Bethel and one in Dan. He made priests and ordained a national feast day to the god symbolised by these calves, and the people came to worship. This story was written much later by a scribe from Judah during monotheistic times and demonstrates an apparent attempt to vilify Jeroboam, but the essential feature of worshipping the golden calf should not be discounted.

The story of the golden calf on the Exodus from Egypt is no doubt legendary, but it reflects the very real beliefs of the Hebrew people in the first millennium BCE, when The Bible was being written.

Answer 2

They melted their gold and made a golden calf.

Answer 3

The Israelites were dancing and drinking and worshiping the golden calf.