Jeroboam's Golden Calves

1 Kings 12

25 Then Jeroboam s built 1 Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim, and dwelt there. Also he went out from there and built t Penuel. 26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now the kingdom may return to the house of David: 27 "If these people u go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah." 28 Therefore the king asked advice, v made two calves of gold, and said to the people, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. w Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!" 29 And he set up one in x Bethel, and the other he put in y Dan. 30 Now this thing became z a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. 31 He made 2 shrines on the high places, a and made priests from every class of people, who were not of the sons of Levi. 32 Jeroboam 3 ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like b the feast that was in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. c And at Bethel he installed the priests of the high places which he had made. 33 So he made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had d devised in his own heart. And he 4 ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and offered sacrifices on the altar and e burned incense.

  1. Cross References
    Genesis 12:6
    Abram passed through the land to the place of Shechem, as far as the terebinth tree of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land.
    Judges 9:45 - 49
    So Abimelech fought against the city all that day; he took the city and killed the people who were in it; and he demolished the city and sowed it with salt.
    1 Kings 12:1
    And Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king.
  2. Cross References
    Genesis 32:30
    So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel: "For I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.
    Genesis 32:31
    Just as he crossed over Penuel the sun rose on him, and he limped on his hip.
    Judges 8:8
    Then he went up from there to Penuel and spoke to them in the same way. And the men of Penuel answered him as the men of Succoth had answered.
    Judges 8:17
    Then he tore down the tower of Penuel and killed the men of the city.
  3. Cross References
    Deuteronomy 12:5 - 7
    But you shall seek the place where the LORD your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go.
    Deuteronomy 12:14
    But in the place which the LORD chooses, in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.
  4. Cross References
    2 Kings 10:29
    However Jehu did not turn away from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who had made Israel sin, that is, from the golden calves that were at Bethel and Dan.
    2 Kings 17:16
    So they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, made for themselves a molded image and two calves, made a wooden image and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.
    Hosea 8:4 - 7
    They set up kings, but not by Me; They made princes, but I did not acknowledge them. From their silver and gold They made idols for themselves - That they might be cut off.
  5. Cross References
    Exodus 32:4
    And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, "This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!
    Exodus 32:8
    "They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, 'This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!'"
  6. Cross References
    Genesis 28:19
    And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously.
  7. Cross References
    Judges 18:26 - 31
    Then the children of Dan went their way. And when Micah saw that they were too strong for him, he turned and went back to his house.
  8. Cross References
    1 Kings 13:34
    And this thing was the sin of the house of Jeroboam, so as to exterminate and destroy it from the face of the earth.
    2 Kings 17:21
    For He tore Israel from the house of David, and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king. Then Jeroboam drove Israel from following the LORD, and made them commit a great sin.
  9. Cross References
    Numbers 3:10
    "So you shall appoint Aaron and his sons, and t...
    Numbers 17:1 - 11
    And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying:
    Judges 17:5
    The man Micah had a shrine, and made an ephod a...
    1 Kings 13:33
    After this event Jeroboam did not turn from his...
    2 Kings 17:32
    So they feared the LORD, and from every class t...
    2 Chronicles 11:14
    For the Levites left their common-lands and the...
    2 Chronicles 11:15
    Then he appointed for himself priests for the h...
  10. Cross References
    Leviticus 23:33
    Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying.
    Leviticus 23:34
    Speak to the children of Israel, saying: 'The fifteenth day of this seventh month shall be the Feast of Tabernacles for seven days to the LORD.
    Numbers 29:12
    On the fifteenth day of the seventh month you shall have a holy convocation. You shall do no customary work, and you shall keep a feast to the LORD seven days.
    1 Kings 8:2
    Therefore all the men of Israel assembled with King Solomon at the feast in the month of Ethanim, which is the seventh month.
    1 Kings 8:5
    Also King Solomon, and all the congregation of Israel who were assembled with him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing sheep and oxen that could not be counted or numbered for multitude.
  11. Cross References
    Amos 7:10 - 13
    Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, "Amos has conspired against you in the midst of the house of Israel. The land is not able to bear all his words.
  12. Cross References
    Numbers 15:39
    And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the LORD and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined.
  13. Cross References
    1 Kings 13:1
    And behold, a man of God went from Judah to Bethel by the word of the LORD, and Jeroboam stood by the altar to burn incense.
New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.
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