21
When Rehoboam was come to Jerusalem, he assembled all the house of Judah, and the tribe of Benjamin, a hundred and eighty thousand chosen men, who were warriors, to fight against the house of Israel, to bring the kingdom again to Rehoboam the son of Solomon.
22
But the word of God came to Shemaiah 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 rest of the people, saying,
24
Thus says Yahweh, You shall not go up, nor fight against your brothers the children of Israel: return every man to his house; for this thing is of me. So they listened to the word of Yahweh, and returned and went their way, according to the word of Yahweh.
25
Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and lived therein; and he went out from there, and built Penuel.
26
Jeroboam 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 Yahweh at Jerusalem, then will the heart of this people turn again to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.
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 Jerusalem: see your gods, Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
29
He set the one in Bethel, 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.
31
He made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.