1 Kings 12:26-33

Christian Standard Bible

²⁶ Jeroboam said to himself, “The kingdom might now return to the house of David.^{(A) 27} If these people regularly go to offer sacrifices in the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem,^(B) 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^[a] who brought you up from the land of Egypt.”^{(C) 29} He set up one in Bethel,^(D) and put the other in Dan.^{(E) 30} This led to sin;^(F) the people walked in procession before one of the calves all the way to Dan.^[b](G)

³¹ Jeroboam also made shrines^[c] on the high places^(H) and made priests from the ranks of the people who were not Levites.^{(I) 32} Jeroboam made a festival in the eighth month on the fifteenth day of the month, like the festival in Judah.^(J) 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.^{(K) 33} He offered sacrifices on^[d] the altar he had set up in Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month. He chose this month on his own.^(L) He made a festival for the Israelites, offered sacrifices on the altar, and burned incense.^(M)