1 Kings 12:20–33

20 And it came to pass, when all Israel heard that Jeroboam was come again, that they sent and called him unto the congregation, and made him king over all Israel: there was none that followed the house of David, but the tribe of Judah ronly.

21 And when Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, with the tribe of Benjamin, an hundred and fourscore thousand chosen men, which were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon. 22 But the word of God came unto sShemaiah tthe man of God, saying, 23 Speak unto Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and unto all the house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the remnant of the people, saying, 24 Thus saith the Lord, Ye shall not go up, nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel: return every man to his house; ufor this thing is from me. They hearkened therefore to the word of the Lord, and returned to depart, according to the word of the Lord.

25 Then Jeroboam xbuilt Shechem yin mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and went out from thence, and built zPenuel. 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David: 27 If athis people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah. 28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made btwo calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: cbehold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 29 And he set the one in dBeth-el, and the other put he in eDan. 30 fAnd this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before gthe one, even unto eDan. 31 And he made han house of high places, and imade priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi. 32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto jthe feast that is in Judah, and he ||offered upon the altar. So did he in Beth-el, ||sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Beth-el kthe priests of the high places which he had made. 33 So he ||offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth-el the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had ldevised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he ||offered upon the altar, †and burnt incense.