1 Kings 12:29

29 He put one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.

1 Kings 12:29 Meaning and Commentary

1 Kings 12:29

And he set the one in Bethel
In the southern part of the land, on the border of Ephraim and Benjamin; and the rather he chose this place, because its name signifies the house of God, and had been a sacred place, where Jacob more than once enjoyed the divine Presence:

and the other put he in Dan:
in the northern part of the land, for the convenience of the inhabitants of those parts; and the rather, since it had been a place resorted to in former times, because of the teraphim of Micah there.

1 Kings 12:29 In-Context

27 if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of Yahweh in Jerusalem. The heart of this people will return to their master Rehoboam the king of Judah, and they shall kill me and {return to him}."

28 And the king had decided, so he made two golden calves and he said to them, "{You have been going up to Jerusalem long enough}; here are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up from the land of Egypt."

29 He put one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.

30 This thing became a sin, and the people walked before the one as far as Dan.

31 Then he built the houses on the high places, and he appointed priests {from all walks of life} who were not from the sons of Levi.