1Ki 12:28-32 | NETfull | STEP | After the king had consulted with his advisers, he made two golden calves. Then he said to the people, “It is too much trouble for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look, Israel, here are your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt.”

1 Kings 12:28-32

28 After the king had consulted with his advisers, ^{▼▼ The words “with his advisers” are supplied in the translation for clarification.} he made two golden calves. Then he said to the people, ^{▼▼ Heb “to them,” although this may be a corruption of “to the people.” Cf. the Old Greek translation.} “It is too much trouble for you to go up to Jerusalem. Look, Israel, here are your gods who brought you up from the land of Egypt.” 29 He put one in Bethel ^{▼▼ For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.} and the other in Dan. 30 This caused Israel to sin; ^{▼▼ Heb “and this thing became a sin.”} the people went to Bethel and Dan to worship the calves. ^{▼▼ The MT reads “and the people went before the one to Dan.” It is likely that some words have been accidentally omitted and that the text originally said, “and the people went before the one at Bethel and before the one at Dan.”}

31 He built temples ^{▼▼ The Hebrew text has the singular, but the plural is preferable here (see 1 Kgs 13:32). The Old Greek translation and the Vulgate have the plural.} on the high places and appointed as priests people who were not Levites. 32 Jeroboam inaugurated a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, ^{▼▼ The eighth month would correspond to October-November in modern reckoning.} like the festival celebrated in Judah. ^{▼▼ The festival he celebrated in Judah probably refers to the Feast of Tabernacles (i.e., Booths or Temporary Shelters), held in the seventh month (September-October). See also 1 Kgs 8:2.} On the altar in Bethel he offered sacrifices to the calves he had made. ^{▼▼ Heb “and he offered up [sacrifices] on the altar; he did this in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made.”} In Bethel he also appointed priests for the high places he had made.