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1 Kings 12:25-32
Modern English Version
1 Kings 12:25-32
Modern English Version
Jeroboam’s Golden Calves
25 Then Jeroboam built Shechem in Mount Ephraim and lived there and went out from there and built Peniel.
26 Jeroboam said in his heart, “The kingdom will return to the house of David. 27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again to their lord, even to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.”
28 At that point, the king got some advice and made two golden calves and said to the people, “It is too difficult for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” 29 He set one in Bethel, and he put the other in Dan. 30 This was a sin, for the people went to worship before the one, even all the way in Dan.
31 He also made houses on high places and appointed priests from among all the people who were not Levites. 32 Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like the feast in Judah, and he offered sacrifice on the altar. He did this in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made, and he stationed in Bethel the priests of the high places he had made.
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1 Kings 12:25-32
New International Version
1 Kings 12:25-32
New International Version
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.”
28 After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves.(D) He said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”(E) 29 One he set up in Bethel,(F) and the other in Dan.(G) 30 And this thing became a sin;(H) the people came to worship the one at Bethel and went as far as Dan to worship the other.[b]
31 Jeroboam built shrines(I) on high places and appointed priests(J) from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites. 32 He instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth(K) month, like the festival held in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. This he did in Bethel,(L) sacrificing to the calves he had made. And at Bethel he also installed priests at the high places he had made.
Footnotes
- 1 Kings 12:25 Hebrew Penuel, a variant of Peniel
- 1 Kings 12:30 Probable reading of the original Hebrew text; Masoretic Text people went to the one as far as Dan
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