This study adopts a comparative and critical approach to re-examining the narrative of the “Golden Calf” in the traditions of the Hebrew Bible and the Qur’an, as well as Jewish exegetical responses to it. In the Tanakh, from Exodus to Deuteronomy, the Psalms, and prophetic literature, the calf is depicted as a symbol of collective apostasy and covenant violation. In the later royal history, the same symbol is further employed as a political instrument for consolidating Jeroboam’s authority and establishing a new cultic system in opposition to the Jerusalem temple.

In later Jewish tradition, particularly in rabbinic exegesis, this narrative underwent significant reinterpretation. Jewish commentators developed four interconnected strategies to mitigate the severity of the sin: attributing responsibility to the “mixed multitude” (ʿErev Rav) as the primary cause of deviation; interpreting the calf as a symbolic representation rather than a true deity; exonerating Aaron by framing his actions as motivated by expediency and the preservation of the people until Moses’ return; and understanding the episode as an allegory or divine test of Israel’s faith.

The Qur’an, while preserving the central motif of communal transgression, identifies the “Samaritan” as the instigator of the crisis, exonerates Aaron from the charge of idolatry, and frames the event within the theological framework of divine trial (ibtilāʾ), misguidance (ḍalāl), and repentance (tawba). The research methodology is based on intra-textual analysis of sacred texts alongside the historical development of interpretive traditions.

The findings indicate a meaningful gap between the biblical narrative and its later Jewish exegetical reinterpretations, which function primarily as identity-preserving strategies. In contrast, the Qur’anic account presents a more structured moral-educational framework, emphasizing divine testing and accountability as universal principles of human guidance.