Jeroboam's Golden Calves

After building Shechem in Mount Ephraim and Penuel, Jeroboam considered the possibility that the kingdom might return to the house of David (1 Kings 12:25-26). He reasoned that if the people continued to offer sacrifices at the temple in Jerusalem, their hearts would turn back to King Rehoboam of Judah. Consequently, he feared they would kill him and return to his rival. To address this, the king took counsel and manufactured two calves of gold (1 Kings 12:27-28). He told the people it was too much for them to go up to Jerusalem and identified the calves as the gods who brought them out of Egypt.

Jeroboam placed one golden calf in Bethel and the other in Dan (1 Kings 12:29). This action became a sin because the people went to worship before these idols, even as far as Dan. He also constructed a house of high places and appointed priests from among the lowest of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi (1 Kings 12:30-31). The text does not say who specifically advised him during his counsel or the names of the commoners he appointed as priests.

To further solidify this new religious order, Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month on the fifteenth day, intended to be like the feast held in Judah. He offered sacrifices upon the altar he had made in Bethel and sacrificed to the calves he had fashioned (1 Kings 12:32). He placed the priests of the high places in Bethel and offered sacrifices upon the altar on the day he had devised of his own heart. The text does not say what the specific reaction of the people was during this first feast, only that he ordained it for the children of Israel and burnt incense (1 Kings 12:33).