Golden Calves at Bethel and Dan

²⁵ Then Jeroboam fortified Shechem^(A) in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. From there he went out and built up Peniel.^[a](B)

²⁶ Jeroboam thought to himself, “The kingdom will now likely revert to the house of David. ²⁷ If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem,^(C) they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to King Rehoboam.”