Jeroboam Establishes Golden Calves
1 Kings 12:25-33
1 K.12.25 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויבן: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- ירבעם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- את: PRT,acc
- שכם: NOUN,prop,m,sg
- בהר: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,def
- אפרים: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- וישב: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- בה: PREP+PRON,3,f,sg
- ויצא: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- משם: PREP
- ויבן: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- פנואל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Genesis 33:18 (verbal): Jacob came to and settled at Shechem and bought land there—establishes Shechem as an ancestral/settlement site later reused by Jeroboam as a political center.
- Genesis 32:30 (verbal): The place Peniel/Penuel is named by Jacob after wrestling with God (Peniel/ Penuel), linking Jeroboam’s building of Penuel to an older sacred tradition and geographic memory.
- Judges 9:1-6 (thematic): Shechem serves earlier as the locus of Abimelech’s rise and a center for revolt/kingship; parallels Jeroboam’s choice of Shechem as the initial seat of his rule in the north.
- 1 Kings 12:26-29 (structural): Immediate continuation of the same narrative: after building Shechem and Penuel Jeroboam establishes alternative cultic centers (Bethel/Dan) and non-Levitical worship—shows the political and religious program initiated from these sites.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Jeroboam built Shechem in Mount Ephraim, and dwelt there; and he went out from there and built Penuel.
- Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and settled there; then he went out from there and built Penuel.
1 K.12.26 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- ירבעם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בלבו: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs+3,m,sg
- עתה: ADV
- תשוב: VERB,qal,imperfect,3,f,sg
- הממלכה: NOUN,f,sg,def
- לבית: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,cns
- דוד: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- 1Kgs.11.31 (allusion): Ahijah's prophecy that Jeroboam would rule over ten tribes provides the prophetic background for Jeroboam's later fear that the kingdom might 'return to the house of David.'
- 1Kgs.12.27-30 (structural): Immediate narrative continuation: Jeroboam's fear that the people will go to Jerusalem ('return the kingdom to the house of David') prompts him to set up rival shrines and golden calves to secure his rule.
- 2Chr.11.14-17 (thematic): Parallel account of Jeroboam's religious innovations and non-Levitical priests—shows the same motive of securing the break from Davidic/temple worship described in 1 Kgs 12:26–31.
- Exod.32.1-6 (thematic): The golden-calf episode functions as an earlier precedent for creating an alternative cult to retain popular loyalty—thematically parallel to Jeroboam establishing calves and a new sanctuary to prevent pilgrims returning to Jerusalem.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Jeroboam said in his heart, "Now will the kingdom return to the house of David."
- Jeroboam thought in his heart, 'Now the kingdom will return to the house of David.'
1 K.12.27 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- אם: CONJ
- יעלה: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- הזה: DEM,m,sg
- לעשות: VERB,qal,inf
- זבחים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- בבית: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,def
- יהוה: NOUN,prop,m,sg,abs
- בירושלם: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- ושב: VERB,qal,imp,2,m,sg
- לב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- הזה: DEM,m,sg
- אל: NEG
- אדניהם: NOUN,m,pl,abs+PRON,3,pl
- אל: NEG
- רחבעם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- יהודה: NOUN,m,sg,prop
- והרגני: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- ושבו: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,pl
- אל: NEG
- רחבעם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- מלך: NOUN,m,sg,cons
- יהודה: NOUN,m,sg,prop
Parallels
- 1 Kings 12:28-30 (structural): Immediate narrative continuation: Jeroboam creates two golden calves and establishes alternative sanctuaries explicitly to prevent the people from going up to Jerusalem (the direct response to the fear expressed in 12:27).
- 1 Kings 12:16-20 (thematic): Describes the original split of the northern tribes and their rejection of Rehoboam—background to Jeroboam’s anxiety that worship in Jerusalem could restore their loyalty to Judah (the political source of his fear).
- 1 Kings 13:1-2, 11-32 (allusion): The ‘man of God’ who denounces the altar at Bethel and pronounces judgment on Jeroboam’s shrine—religious and prophetic critique of the rival sanctuaries Jeroboam erected to forestall return to Jerusalem.
- 2 Chronicles 11:14-16 (thematic): Reports priests and Levites abandoning Israel to live and minister in Judah because they would not serve in Jeroboam’s non‑Levitical cult—shows the religious consequences of Jeroboam’s measures and the enduring pull of Jerusalem worship.
Alternative generated candidates
- If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then will the heart of this people turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and they will return to Rehoboam king of Judah.
- If this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, the heart of this people will turn back to their lord—Rehoboam king of Judah—and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.
1 K.12.28 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויועץ: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- המלך: NOUN,m,sg,def
- ויעש: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- שני: NUM,m,pl,construct
- עגלי: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- זהב: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויאמר: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- אלהם: PREP+PRON,3,m,pl
- רב: ADJ,m,sg
- לכם: PREP,2,m,pl
- מעלות: NOUN,f,pl,abs
- ירושלם: NOUN,f,sg,abs
- הנה: PART
- אלהיך: NOUN,m,sg,prsuf-2ms
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- אשר: PRON,rel
- העלוך: VERB,hiph,perf,3,pl,+PRON,2,pl
- מארץ: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- מצרים: NOUN,f,pl,abs
Parallels
- Exodus 32:4 (verbal): Aaron fashions a golden calf and the people call it ‘your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt’—Jeroboam’s language and action echo this original calf episode almost verbatim.
- Psalm 106:19-20 (quotation): The psalm recounts Israel’s making of the golden calf at Horeb and the people’s idolatrous worship, linking Jeroboam’s calves to the older cultic failure.
- Hosea 8:6 (allusion): Prophetic denunciation of the ‘calf of Samaria’ (the northern kingdom’s idol); Hosea condemns a locally made calf as a false god—directly alluding to Jeroboam’s innovation.
- Acts 7:41 (quotation): Stephen’s speech recalls Israel’s making of a calf and offering sacrifices, treating the calf episode as paradigmatic idolatry—paralleling Jeroboam’s establishment of golden calves as apostasy.
Alternative generated candidates
- Therefore the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold; and he said to them, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt."
- So the king took counsel and made two golden calves, and he said to them, 'It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.'
1 K.12.29 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- וישם: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- האחד: PRON,indef,sg,m
- בבית: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,def
- אל: NEG
- ואת: CONJ
- האחד: PRON,indef,sg,m
- נתן: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- בדן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Exodus 32:4-5 (verbal): Aaron fashions a golden calf for Israel to worship — a direct verbal and thematic parallel to Jeroboam’s making/setting up of calves as cultic images.
- Deuteronomy 4:15-19 (thematic): God’s warning against forming images or likenesses of anything to worship; provides the legal/theological critique of Jeroboam’s action of erecting cultic images at Bethel and Dan.
- Judges 18:30-31 (thematic): The Danites set up an idol and a shrine in Dan (the house of Micah’s image); parallels the placement of a cultic object at Dan and the pattern of local idol-worship.
- 1 Kings 13:32-34 (allusion): Later narrative about the man of God and the altar at Bethel refers back to Jeroboam’s establishment of worship there and announces the altar’s coming judgment.
- 2 Chronicles 11:15 (structural): Chronicles’ account of Jeroboam’s institutions for worship (priests/high places) and the continued rival cult in Bethel and Dan echoes and expands the same administrative/ritual move recorded in 1 Kings 12:29.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he set one in Bethel, and he put the other in Dan.
- He put one in Bethel, and the other he set up in Dan.
1 K.12.30 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויהי: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,sg
- הדבר: NOUN,m,sg,def
- הזה: DEM,m,sg
- לחטאת: PREP+NOUN,f,sg,abs
- וילכו: VERB,qal,wayyiqtol,3,m,pl
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- לפני: PREP
- האחד: PRON,indef,sg,m
- עד: PREP
- דן: NOUN,m,sg,abs
Parallels
- Exodus 32:4 (verbal): Israel makes a golden calf and the people worship it—direct verbal and thematic parallel to the calf/idolatry motif and communal sin.
- Exodus 32:8 (thematic): God (and Moses’ recounting) characterizes the people’s idolatry as turning away from Yahweh—same theological judgment as 1 Kgs 12:30.
- Judges 18:30–31 (structural): The Danites set up a carved image in their new inheritance at Dan—an earlier narrative that mirrors Jeroboam’s establishment of worship at Dan.
- Hosea 10:5 (allusion): Refers to the ‘calves of Beth‑aven’ (Bethel) and connects northern Israel’s calf‑worship with prophetic condemnation.
- Acts 7:41 (quotation): Stephen cites Israel’s golden‑calf episode as corporate idolatry; New Testament echo of the same pattern of sin criticized in 1 Kgs 12:30.
Alternative generated candidates
- And this thing became a sin; for the people went as far as Dan to worship before one.
- This thing became a sin; the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan.
1 K.12.31 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויעש: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- את: PRT,acc
- בית: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- במות: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויעש: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- כהנים: NOUN,m,pl,abs
- מקצות: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,abs
- העם: NOUN,m,sg,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- לא: PART_NEG
- היו: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,pl
- מבני: PREP+NOUN,m,pl,cs
- לוי: PROPN,m,sg
Parallels
- 1 Kings 13:33 (verbal): Direct continuation/repetition of the same practice — explicitly states Jeroboam ‘made priests of the lowest of the people’ for the high places.
- 1 Kings 12:32-33 (structural): Immediate context describing the establishment of high places, altars, calves and non‑Levite priests — same narrative cluster condemning cultic innovation.
- 2 Chronicles 11:15 (thematic): Parallel Chronicler’s account: describes priests and Levites defecting to Judah and Jeroboam’s appointment of priests for the high places (including non‑Levites).
- Deuteronomy 18:1-2 (thematic): Law establishing that the priests are to be the Levites (their portion and duties) — provides the normative Torah background that Jeroboam’s appointment contravenes.
- Ezekiel 44:10-12 (allusion): Prophetic regulation condemning unauthorized (non‑Levitical/stranger) persons approaching to perform priestly service — contrasts later prophetic rejection of non‑Levite cult officiants.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he made houses of high places, and made priests from whatever were not of the sons of Levi.
- He made houses of high places and appointed priests from among all sorts of people who were not of the sons of Levi.
1 K.12.32 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויעש: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- ירבעם: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- חג: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בחדש: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,cstr
- השמיני: ADJ,ord,m,sg,def
- בחמשה: PREP+NUM,m,pl
- עשר: NUM,card,m,sg,cons
- יום: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לחדש: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- כחג: PREP
- אשר: PRON,rel
- ביהודה: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויעל: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- על: PREP
- המזבח: NOUN,m,sg,def
- כן: ADV
- עשה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- בבית: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,def
- אל: NEG
- לזבח: VERB,qal,inf
- לעגלים: PREP
- אשר: PRON,rel
- עשה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- והעמיד: VERB,hiph,impf,3,m,sg
- בבית: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,def
- אל: NEG
- את: PRT,acc
- כהני: NOUN,m,pl,cons
- הבמות: NOUN,f,pl,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- עשה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
Parallels
- 1 Kings 12:28-30 (verbal): Same episode: Jeroboam makes two golden calves, says ‘Here are your gods,’ and appoints non-Levite priests—directly parallels the actions summarized in 12:32.
- 1 Kings 12:33 (structural): Immediate continuation of the narrative about Jeroboam’s festival and altar at Bethel; 12:33 explicitly comments on his motive and the evil of his actions.
- 1 Kings 13:2 (allusion): A prophet stands at the Bethel altar and pronounces judgment on it—directly responding to the altar and cultic festivities established by Jeroboam in 12:32.
- 2 Chronicles 11:13-17 (structural): Describes the Levitical priests and Levites who left Judah and were appointed by Jeroboam to serve at his high places—parallels the creation of nontraditional priests and shrines in 12:32.
- Deuteronomy 16:13-15 (thematic): Prescribes a festival on the fifteenth day of a month (the Feast of Booths); Jeroboam imitates the fifteenth-day form but changes the month—highlighting his counterfeit imitation of an established Israelite feast.
Alternative generated candidates
- And Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival that is observed in Judah; and he offered on the altar—so he did at Bethel—to the calves that he had made, and he appointed at Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made.
- Jeroboam instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival that is celebrated in Judah; he offered on the altar. He did likewise at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made and appointing at Bethel the priests of the high places that he had made.
1 K.12.33 - Details
Original Text
Morphology
- ויעל: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- על: PREP
- המזבח: NOUN,m,sg,def
- אשר: PRON,rel
- עשה: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- בבית: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,def
- אל: NEG
- בחמשה: PREP+NUM,m,pl
- עשר: NUM,card,m,sg,cons
- יום: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- בחדש: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,cstr
- השמיני: ADJ,ord,m,sg,def
- בחדש: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,cstr
- אשר: PRON,rel
- בדא: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- מלבו: PREP+NOUN,m,sg,poss3,m,sg
- ויעש: VERB,qal,impf,3,m,sg
- חג: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- לבני: PREP
- ישראל: NOUN,m,sg,abs
- ויעל: VERB,qal,perf,3,m,sg
- על: PREP
- המזבח: NOUN,m,sg,def
- להקטיר: VERB,hiph,inf
Parallels
- 1 Kings 12:28-30 (verbal): Immediate account of Jeroboam's cultic innovation — making golden calves, setting one in Bethel and instituting alternate worship to prevent pilgrimages to Jerusalem (direct narrative background to v.33).
- 1 Kings 13:33-34 (structural): Later summary statement about Jeroboam's continued practice of making priests and offering on the altar at Bethel and keeping the festival in the eighth month (direct continuation/repetition of the same action).
- 2 Chronicles 11:15 (allusion): Chronicles records that Jeroboam appointed priests for the high places and for the calves he had made, paralleling the illicit priestly/altar appointments and rituals at Bethel described in 1 Kgs 12:33.
- Deuteronomy 12:13-14 (thematic): Law commanding that sacrifices and festivals be observed only at the place the LORD chooses (centralized worship in Jerusalem) — Jeroboam's establishment of an alternate festival and altar in Bethel directly violates this command.
- Deuteronomy 16:16 (thematic): Requirement that Israelites appear at the LORD's chosen place three times a year for pilgrim feasts — Jeroboam's creation of a separate feast in the eighth month functions to divert pilgrims from the commanded central sanctuary.
Alternative generated candidates
- And he went up on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, on the month that he had devised in his own heart; and he established a feast for the children of Israel, and he went up on the altar to burn incense.
- On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, on the altar which he had made in Bethel—in the month he had devised in his own heart—he went up to the altar to burn incense. Thus he established a festival for the people of Israel and went up to the altar to offer incense.
Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there; then he went out from there and built Penuel.
Jeroboam said in his heart, 'Now the kingdom will return to the house of David.'
If this people go up to offer sacrifices at the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah.
The king took counsel and made two golden calves, and he said to the people, 'It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem; behold your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.'
He set one in Bethel and placed the other in Dan.
This thing became a sin; the people went to worship before the one at Dan.
He made shrines on the high places and appointed priests from among the people who were not of the sons of Levi.
Jeroboam instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival held in Judah, and he offered on the altar; so he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made and appointing in Bethel the priests of the high places whom he had made.
On the fifteenth day of the eighth month he sacrificed on the altar that he had made in Bethel. In the month that he had devised in his own heart he made a feast for all Israel and offered on the altar to burn incense.