Jeroboam Sets Up the Golden Calves

Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. Then he went out from there and built Penuel. These places became part of life in his new kingdom, but Jeroboam was already thinking about how to keep his rule secure.

He said in his heart that the kingdom might return to the house of David. If the people kept going up to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices at the Lord’s house, he feared their hearts would turn back to Rehoboam king of Judah. Jeroboam even feared they might kill him and return to Rehoboam.

So Jeroboam took counsel and made two calves of gold. He told the people that going up to Jerusalem was too much for them, and he pointed to the calves instead. He set one in Bethel and the other in Dan.

This became a sin. The people went to worship, even travelling as far as Dan. Jeroboam also made houses of high places and appointed priests from among all the people, even though they were not from the sons of Levi.

Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month on the fifteenth day, like the feast in Judah. In Bethel he went up to the altar, sacrificed to the calves he had made, placed priests for the high places there, and went up to burn incense. The month and feast were plans he had devised himself. What happens when a leader reshapes worship around fear and his own ideas?