1 Kings 12:19-33

19Israel has rebelled against David’s dynasty to this day.

20When all Israel heard that Jeroboam had returned, they sent men to invite him to the assembly. They made him king of all Israel. Only the tribe of Judah remained loyal to David’s dynasty.

21When Rehoboam came to Jerusalem, he gathered all the people of Judah and the tribe of Benjamin, 180,000 of the best soldiers, to fight against the people of Israel and return the kingdom to Rehoboam, son of Solomon.

22But God spoke his word to Shemaiah, the man of God. He said,

23“Speak to Judah’s King Rehoboam, son of Solomon, and all the people of Judah and Benjamin, and the rest of the people.

24This is what the Lord says: Don’t wage war against your relatives from Israel. Everyone, go home. What has happened is my doing.” So they obeyed the Lord’s word. They returned ⌞home⌟, as the Lord told them.

25Jeroboam rebuilt Shechem in the hills of Ephraim and lived there. Then he left that place and built Penuel.

26He said to himself, “The kingdom will probably return to David’s dynasty now.

27King Rehoboam of Judah, the former master of these people, will regain popularity if they go to sacrifice in the Lord’s temple in Jerusalem. Then they will kill me and return to King Rehoboam of Judah.”

28After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves. He said, “You’ve been worshiping in Jerusalem long enough. Israel, here are your gods who brought you out of Egypt.”

29He put one in Bethel and the other in Dan.

30Worshiping them became ⌞Israel’s⌟ sin. The people went as far as Dan to worship the one calf.

31Jeroboam built worship sites on hilltops. He appointed men who were not descended from Levi to be priests.

32Jeroboam appointed a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, just like the festival in Judah. He went to the altar in Bethel to sacrifice to the calves he had made. He appointed priests from the illegal worship sites ⌞to serve⌟ in Bethel.

33He went to his altar in Bethel to burn an offering on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, ⌞the festival⌟ he had invented for the Israelites.