Allah, the Exalted, informs of Harun's attempt to prohibit them from worshipping the calf and his telling them that this was only a test for them. He told them that their Lord was the Most Beneficent, Who created everything and decreed for everything its just measure. He is the Owner of the Mighty Throne, the One Who does whatever He wants.

[فَاتَّبِعُونِى وَأَطِيعُواْ أَمْرِى]

(so follow me and obey my order.) Meaning, "Follow me in that which I am commanding you with and leave that which I forbid you from.''

[قَالُواْ لَن نَّبْرَحَ عَلَيْهِ عَـكِفِينَ حَتَّى يَرْجِعَ إِلَيْنَا مُوسَى ]

(They said: "We will not stop worshipping it, until Musa returns to us.'') meaning, "We will not cease in our worship of this calf until we hear what Musa has to say about it.'' So they opposed Harun in this matter and they fought against him, nearly killing him.

[قَالَ يهَـرُونُ مَا مَنَعَكَ إِذْ رَأَيْتَهُمْ ضَلُّواْ - أَلاَّ تَتَّبِعَنِ أَفَعَصَيْتَ أَمْرِى - قَالَ يَبْنَؤُمَّ لاَ تَأْخُذْ بِلِحْيَتِى وَلاَ بِرَأْسِى إِنِّى خَشِيتُ أَن تَقُولَ فَرَّقْتَ بَيْنَ بَنِى إِسْرءِيلَ وَلَمْ تَرْقُبْ قَوْلِى ]

(92. (Musa) said: "O Harun! What prevented you when you saw them going astray;'') (93. "That you followed me not (according to my advice to you) Have you then disobeyed my order'') (94. He (Harun) said: "O son of my mother! Seize (me) not by my beard, nor by my head! Verily, I feared lest you should say: `You have caused a division among the Children of Israel, and you have not respected my word!''')