Then came the fire that burned the staff Exodus 17:9: Moses was sequestered in heaven Without bread or water While a nation divided in two Gathered with insolence against Aaron Violently they grabbed him, Saying, “Where is your brother, the prophet?” They cried out like a lion or a lioness: “We will bring you to justice! Make us a god of clay. So that it will guard us.” Righteous Aaron offered his advice “Take off your earrings!” Into the fire the rebellious ones threw them And out came a calf of gold God looked down from Heaven That Israel had turned aside They defiled themselves with a foreign God He said to Moses “Go down! For your people have acted basely. Your brother Aaron is a witness.” With fury Moses went down. For the word of God made him tremble And in his heart, for the God of all spirits, He broke the tablets. Then came the fire and burned the staff: of Moses so that Israel returned to their former state before the repairs: