1 Kings 12:25-32
Expanded Bible
25 Then Jeroboam ·built up [fortified] Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and he lived there. He also went out and ·built up [fortified] the city of Peniel.
Jeroboam Builds Golden Calves
26 Jeroboam said ·to himself [L in his heart], “The kingdom will probably ·go back [revert] to David’s ·family [L house]. 27 If the people continue going to the ·Temple [L house] of the Lord in Jerusalem to offer sacrifices, ·they will want to be ruled again by [L the heart of the people will return to] Rehoboam king of Judah. Then they will kill me and ·follow [return to] Rehoboam king of Judah.”
28 King Jeroboam asked for advice. Then he made two golden calves [C on the model of Aaron’s calf; Ex. 32]. “It is too ·long a journey [much] for you to go to Jerusalem [C to worship],” he said to the people. “Israel, here are your gods [or this is your God; C it is possible that the image was associated with the false worship of the true God] who brought you out of Egypt.” 29 Jeroboam put one golden calf in the city of Bethel and the other in the city of Dan [C at opposite ends of his kingdom]. 30 This became a very great sin, because the people traveled as far as Dan[a] [C in the north] to worship the calf there.
31 Jeroboam built ·temples [L houses] on the ·places of worship [L high places; 3:2]. He also chose priests from all the people, not just from the tribe of Levi [C a violation of God’s command; cf. Num. 3:10]. 32 And he started a new festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, just like the festival in Judah [C the Feast of Shelters; he was trying to imitate Israel’s way of worship]. During that time the king ·offered sacrifices on [went up to] the altar, along with sacrifices to the calves in Bethel he had made. He also chose priests in Bethel to serve at the ·places of worship [L high places; 3:2] he had made.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Kings 12:30 as far as Dan The original Hebrew text may have read, “to Bethel and as far as Dan.”
1 Kings 12:25-32
New American Standard Bible
Jeroboam’s Idolatry
25 Then (A)Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived [a]there. And he went out from there and built (B)Penuel. 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom will return to the house of David. 27 (C)If this people go up to [b]offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will return to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.” 28 So the king [c]consulted, and he (D)made two golden (E)calves; and he said to [d]the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; (F)behold your gods, Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 29 And he set up (G)one in (H)Bethel, and the other he put in (I)Dan. 30 Now (J)this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. 31 And (K)he made houses on high places, and [e](L)appointed priests from [f]all the people who were not of the sons of Levi. 32 Jeroboam also [g]instituted a feast in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, (M)like the feast that is in Judah, and he [h]went up to the altar. So he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made. And he stationed in Bethel (N)the priests of the high places which he had made.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- 1 Kings 12:25 Lit in it
- 1 Kings 12:27 Lit do
- 1 Kings 12:28 Lit took counsel
- 1 Kings 12:28 Lit them
- 1 Kings 12:31 Lit made
- 1 Kings 12:31 Lit the extremities of the
- 1 Kings 12:32 Lit made
- 1 Kings 12:32 Or offered upon
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
