1 Kings 12:21-33 ▼

21 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized one hundred eighty thousand fit young soldiers from the entire house of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin to fight against the house of Israel to restore the kingdom to Rehoboam son of Solomon.

22 But the word of God came to Shemaiah, the man of God:

23 “Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon, king of Judah, to the whole house of Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people,

24 ‘This is what the LORD says: You are not to march up and fight against your brothers, the Israelites. Each of you return home, for this situation is from me.’ ” So they listened to the word of the LORD and went back according to the word of the LORD.

25 Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. From there he went out and built Penuel.

26 Jeroboam said to himself, “The kingdom might now return to the house of David.

27 If these people regularly go to offer sacrifices in the LORD’s temple in Jerusalem, 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 who brought you up from the land of Egypt.”

29 He set up one in Bethel, and put the other in Dan.

30 This led to sin; the people walked in procession before one of the calves all the way to Dan.

31 Jeroboam also made shrines on the high places and made priests from the ranks of the people who were not Levites.

32 Jeroboam made a festival in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival in Judah. He offered sacrifices on the altar; he made this offering in Bethel to sacrifice to the calves he had made. He also stationed the priests in Bethel for the high places he had made.

33 He offered sacrifices on the altar he had set up in Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month. He chose this month on his own. He made a festival for the Israelites, offered sacrifices on the altar, and burned incense.