1 Kings 12:25–33

JEROBOAM’S IDOLATRY

²⁵Jeroboam built Shechem^b in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. From there he went out and built Penuel.^{c 26}Jeroboam said to himself, “The kingdom might now return to the house of David.^{d 27}If these people regularly go to offer sacrifices in the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem,^e the heart of these people will return to their lord, King Rehoboam of Judah. They will kill me and go back to the king of Judah.” ²⁸So the king sought advice.

Then he made two golden calves, and he said to the people, “Going to Jerusalem is too difficult for you. Israel, here are your gods^B who brought you up from the land of Egypt.”^{f 29}He set up one in Bethel,^g and put the other in Dan.^{h 30}This led to sin;ⁱ the people walked in procession before one of the calves all the way to Dan.^Cj

³¹Jeroboam also made shrines^D on the high places^k and made priests from the ranks of the people who were not Levites.^{l 32}Jeroboam made a festival in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival in Judah.^m He offered sacrifices on the altar; he made this offering in Bethel to sacrifice to the calves he had made. He also stationed the priests in Bethel for the high places he had made.^{n 33}He offered sacrifices on^E the altar he had set up in Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month. He chose this month on his own.^o He made a festival for the Israelites, offered sacrifices on the altar, and burned incense.^p