Study Desk

Then ^(C1)Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim, and lived ^(F1)there. And he went out from there and built ^(C2)Penuel.

And Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom will return to the house of David.

"^(C1)If this people go up to ^(F1)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."

So the king ^(F1)consulted, and he ^(C1)made two golden ^(C2)calves; and he said to ^(F2)the people, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; ^(C3)behold your gods, Israel, that brought you up from the land of Egypt."

And he set up ^(C1)one in ^(C2)Bethel, and the other he put in ^(C3)Dan.

Now ^(C1)this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan.

And ^(C1)he made houses on high places, and ^(F1)(C2)appointed priests from ^(F2)all the people who were not of the sons of Levi.

Jeroboam also ^(F1)instituted a feast in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, ^(C1)like the feast that is in Judah, and he ^(F2)went up to the altar. So he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made. And he stationed in Bethel ^(C2)the priests of the high places which he had made.