New Living Translation
1 Kings 12:30
30But this became a great sin, for the people worshiped the idols, traveling as far north as Dan to worship the one there.
1 Kings 12:30 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.
- New International Version (NIV)And this thing became a sin; the people came to worship the one at Bethel and went as far as Dan to worship the other.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then this thing became a sin, for the people went as far as Dan to be before one.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan.
Context of 1 Kings 12:30
28So on the advice of his counselors, the king made two gold calves. He said to the people, “It is too much trouble for you to worship in Jerusalem. Look, Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of Egypt!” 29He placed these calf idols in Bethel and in Dan—at either end of his kingdom. But this became a great sin, for the people worshiped the idols, traveling as far north as Dan to worship the one there. 31Jeroboam also erected buildings at the pagan shrines and ordained priests from the common people—those who were not from the priestly tribe of Levi. 32And Jeroboam instituted a religious festival in Bethel, held on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in imitation of the annual Festival of Shelters in Judah. There at Bethel he himself offered sacrifices to the calves he had made, and he appointed priests for the pagan shrines he had made.
Read all of 1 Kings 121 Kings 12:30 word by word
וַיְהִ֛י הַדָּבָ֥ר הַזֶּ֖ה לְחַטָּ֑את וַיֵּלְכ֥וּ הָעָ֛ם לִפְנֵ֥י הָאֶחָ֖ד עַד־דָּֽן׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for 1 Kings 12:30
- 1 Kings 13:34This became a great sin and resulted in the utter destruction of Jeroboam’s dynasty from the face of the earth.
- 2 Kings 10:31But Jehu did not obey the Law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart. He refused to turn from the sins that Jeroboam had led Israel to commit.
- 2 Kings 17:21For when the Lord tore Israel away from the kingdom of David, they chose Jeroboam son of Nebat as their king. But Jeroboam drew Israel away from following the Lord and made them commit a great sin.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 12:30
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 30This thing became a sin - i. e., this act of Jeroboam‘s became an occasion of sin to the people. The author perhaps wrote the following words thus: “The people went to worship before the one to Bethel and before the other to Dan.”Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 25-33Verses 25-33 Jeroboam distrusted the providence of God; he would contrive ways and means, and sinful ones too, for his own safety. A practical disbelief of God's all-sufficiency is at the bottom of all our departures from him. Though it is probable he meant his worship for Jehovah the God of Israel, it was contrary to the Divine law, and dishonourable to the Divine majesty to be thus represented. The people might be less shocked at worshipping the God of…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 29-30Jeroboam placed calf idols in Bethel (southern Israel) and Dan (northern Israel). These locations had long religious traditions (see Genesis 12:8; 28:11–19; Judges 18:30–31). Archaeologists found a high place, an altar for pagan worship, in Dan. Bethel was where Jacob dreamed (Genesis 28:10–22). It was also where the ark of the covenant rested during the time of the judges (Judges 20:18–28) and served as a sanctuary in Samuel’s time (1 Samuel 7:16; 10:3).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 26-3226-32. Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David--Having received the kingdom from God, he should have relied on the divine protection. But he did not. With a view to withdraw the people from the temple and destroy the sacred associations connected with Jerusalem, he made serious and unwarranted innovations on the religious observances of the country, on pretext of saving the people the trouble and expense of a distant…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 12:30
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Kings 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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