1 Kings 12:26

26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom may return to the house of David:

1 Kings 12:26 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 12:26

And Jeroboam said in his heart,
&c,] As he was musing about the state of his kingdom and the affairs of it:

now shall the kingdom return to the house of David;
such were his fears, unless some method could be taken to prevent it, particularly with respect to religion, which was what his thoughts were employed about.

1 Kings 12:26 In-Context

24 'Thus says the Lord: "You shall not go up nor fight against your brethren the children of Israel. Let every man return to his house, for this thing is from Me." ' " Therefore they obeyed the word of the Lord, and turned back, according to the word of the Lord.

25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and dwelt there. Also he went out from there and built Penuel.

26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom may return to the house of David:

27 If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah."

28 Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!"