1 Kings 12:20-30

20 It came about when all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, that they sent and called him to the assembly and made him king over all Israel. ¹None but the tribe of Judah followed the house of David.

21 ²Now when Rehoboam had come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 * * chosen men who were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.

22 But the word of God came to ³Shemaiah the man of God, saying,

23 "Speak to Rehoboam the son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all the house of Judah and Benjamin and to the ⁴rest of the people, saying,

24 'Thus says the LORD, "You must not go up and fight against your relatives the sons of Israel; return every man to his house, ⁵for this thing has come from Me.""' So they listened to the word of the LORD, and returned and went their way according to the word of the LORD.

Jeroboam's Idolatry

25 Then ⁶Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived there. And he went out from there and built ⁷Penuel.

26 Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom will return to the house of David.

27 "⁸If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will return to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah."

28 So the king consulted, and ⁹made two golden ¹⁰calves, and he said to them, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; ¹¹behold your gods, O Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt."

29 He set ¹²one in ¹³Bethel, and the other he put in ¹⁴Dan.

30 Now ¹⁵this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan.

1 Kings 12:20-30 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 KINGS 12

This chapter relates Rehoboam's going to Shechem to be made king, and Jeroboam's return from Egypt, 1Ki 12:1,2, the people's request to Rehoboam to be eased of their taxes, as the condition of making him king, 1Ki 12:3,4, his answer to them, after three days, having had the advice both of the old and young men, which latter he followed, and gave in a rough answer, 1Ki 12:5-15, upon which ten tribes revolted from him, and two abode by him, 1Ki 12:16-20, wherefore he meditated a war against the ten tribes, but was forbid by the Lord to engage in it, 1Ki 12:21-24 and Jeroboam, in order to establish his kingdom, and preserve the people from a revolt to the house of David, because of the temple worship at Jerusalem, devised a scheme of idolatrous worship in his own territories, 1Ki 12:25-33.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Kin 11:13, 32, 36
• 2. 2 Chronicles 11:1
• 3. 2 Chronicles 11:2; 2 Chronicles 12:5-7
• 4. 1 Kings 12:17
• 5. 1 Kings 12:15
• 6. Genesis 12:6; Judges 9:45-49
• 7. Genesis 32:30, 31; Judges 8:8, 17
• 8. Deut 12:5-7, 14
• 9. 2 Kings 10:29; 2 Kings 17:16; Hosea 8:4-7
• 10. Hosea 10:5
• 11. Exodus 32:4, 8
• 12. Hosea 10:5
• 13. Genesis 28:19
• 14. Judges 18:26-31
• 15. 1 Kings 13:34; 2 Kings 17:21

Footnotes

• [a] Lit "brothers"
• [b] Lit "in it"
• [c] Lit "took counsel"