Jeroboam’s Idolatry

²⁵ Jeroboam built Shechem^(A) in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. From there he went out and built Penuel.^{(B) 26} Jeroboam said to himself, “The kingdom might now return to the house of David.^{(C) 27} If these people regularly go to offer sacrifices in the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem,^(D) the heart of these people will return to their lord, King Rehoboam of Judah. They will kill me and go back to the king of Judah.” ²⁸ So the king sought advice.

Then he made two golden calves, and he said to the people, “Going to Jerusalem is too difficult for you. Israel, here are your gods^[a] who brought you up from the land of Egypt.”^{(E) 29} He set up one in Bethel,^(F) and put the other in Dan.^(G)