And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and scattered it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it.
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Ambrose of Milan
AD 397
Moses ground the head of the golden calf into powder and cast it into water and gave it to the people to drink—for “their hearts were fat” with gross faithlessness—so that their hearts might be softened and they might embrace the keenness of faith. Finally, the woman who grinds well will be accepted, but she who grinds poorly will be rejected. ()..
For Moses ground down the calf’s head, and sprinkled it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink it. All the unbelieving are ground: they believe by degrees; and they are drunk by the people of God and pass into Christ’s body.
Therefore perhaps that calf, being ground to powder, was cast into the water and given to the children of Israel to drink, that so the body of ungodliness might be swallowed up by Israel.
Calf. Having manifested his disapprobation of the people's conduct, in the most signal manner, by breaking the two tables; Moses proceeds to convince them of their stupidity, in adoring what he, in a few minutes, reduces to powder. (Haydock)
He breaks the calf in pieces, after burning it, and then grinds it to dust in a mill, with files; as the Hebrew, Chaldean, and Septuagint intimate. He throws it, with contempt, into the torrent, which supplied the camp with water, and thus caused the idolaters to swallow their gods. (Tirinus) -- Sa assures us, that he saw an alchymist pulverize gold, which Abenezra says is done by means of some herbs, which turn the gold quite black, when it is melted. (Calmet)
Some use aqua Fortis for this purpose. (Tirinus)
But from the account of Moses, (Deuteronomy ix. 21,) it seems fire, and the mill, or file, reduced the gold into the smallest particles, so as to be even potable. Josephus ( viii. 2,) mentions the gold dust used by the courtiers of Solomon....
