1 Kings 12:20-30

20 It happened, when all Yisra'el heard that Yarov`am was returned, that they sent and called him to the congregation, and made him king over all Yisra'el: there was none who followed the house of David, but the tribe of Yehudah only.
21 When Rechav`am was come to Yerushalayim, he assembled all the house of Yehudah, and the tribe of Binyamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against the house of Yisra'el, to bring the kingdom again to Rechav`am the son of Shlomo.
22 But the word of God came to Shemayah the man of God, saying,
23 Speak to Rechav`am the son of Shlomo, king of Yehudah, and to all the house of Yehudah and Binyamin, and to the rest of the people, saying,
24 Thus says the LORD, You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers the children of Yisra'el: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me. So they listened to the word of the LORD, and returned and went their way, according to the word of the LORD.
25 Then Yarov`am built Shekhem in the hill-country of Efrayim, and lived therein; and he went out from there, and built Penu'el.
26 Yarov`am said in his heart, Now will the kingdom return to the house of David:
27 if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Yerushalayim, then will the heart of this people turn again to their lord, even to Rechav`am king of Yehudah; and they will kill me, and return to Rechav`am king of Yehudah.
28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold; and he said to them, It is too much for you to go up to Yerushalayim: see your gods, Yisra'el, which brought you up out of the land of Mitzrayim.
29 He set the one in Beit-El, and the other put he in Dan.
30 This thing became a sin; for the people went [to worship] before the one, even to 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.

The Hebrew Names Version is in the public domain.