1 Kings 12:28-33

28 And by counsel thought out, Jeroboam made twain golden calves, and he said to the people, Do not ye ascend more into Jerusalem; Israel, lo! thy gods, that led thee out of the land of Egypt. (And so, by counsel carefully thought out, Jeroboam made two gold calves, and he said to the people, Do not ye go up to Jerusalem any more; Israel, lo! thy gods, that led thee out of the land of Egypt.)
29 And he set one calf in Bethel, and the tother in Dan.
30 And this word was made to Israel into sin; for the people went into Dan, to worship the calf. (And this thing became a sin in Israel; and some people went all the way up to Dan to worship the calf there.)
31 And Jeroboam made temples in high places (And Jeroboam made temples at the hill shrines), and he made priests (out) of the last men of the people, the which were not of the sons of Levi.
32 And the king ordained a solemn day in the eighth month, in the fifteen day of the month, by [the] likeness of the solemnity that was hallowed in Judah. And the king went up, and made in like manner an altar in Bethel, that he should offer to the calves, which he had made; and he ordained in Bethel priests of the high places, which he had made. (And the king ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteen day of the month, like the feast that was kept in Judah. And the king went up to Bethel, and offered on the altar that he had made to the calves, which he had made; and he ordered the priests of the hill shrines, to serve at the altar in Bethel, which he had made.)
33 And he went up upon the altar, which he had builded in Bethel, in the fifteenth day of the eighth month, which he had feigned of his heart; and he made a solemnity to the sons of Israel, and he went upon the altar, that he should burn incense. (And so he went up to the altar, which he had built in Bethel, on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, which month he had chosen out of his own heart; and he made a feast for the sons of Israel, and he went up to the altar, so that he could burn incense on it.)

1 Kings 12:28-33 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.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.