New Living Translation
2 Chronicles 11:15
15Jeroboam appointed his own priests to serve at the pagan shrines, where they worshiped the goat and calf idols he had made.
2 Chronicles 11:15 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.
- New International Version (NIV)when he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat and calf idols he had made.
- English Standard Version (ESV)and he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for the calves that he had made.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Then he appointed for himself priests for the high places, for the demons, and the calf idols which he had made.
Context of 2 Chronicles 11:15
13But all the priests and Levites living among the northern tribes of Israel sided with Rehoboam. 14The Levites even abandoned their pasturelands and property and moved to Judah and Jerusalem, because Jeroboam and his sons would not allow them to serve the Lord as priests. Jeroboam appointed his own priests to serve at the pagan shrines, where they worshiped the goat and calf idols he had made. 16From all the tribes of Israel, those who sincerely wanted to worship the Lord, the God of Israel, followed the Levites to Jerusalem, where they could offer sacrifices to the Lord, the God of their ancestors. 17This strengthened the kingdom of Judah, and for three years they supported Rehoboam son of Solomon, for during those years they faithfully followed in the footsteps of David and Solomon.
Read all of 2 Chronicles 112 Chronicles 11:15 word by word
וַיַּֽעֲמֶד־לוֹ֙ כֹּֽהֲנִ֔ים לַבָּמ֖וֹת וְלַשְּׂעִירִ֑ים וְלָעֲגָלִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for 2 Chronicles 11:15
- Leviticus 17:7The people must no longer be unfaithful to the Lord by offering sacrifices to the goat idols. This is a permanent law for them, to be observed from generation to generation.
- Deuteronomy 32:17They offered sacrifices to demons, which are not God, to gods they had not known before, to new gods only recently arrived, to gods their ancestors had never feared.
- 1 Corinthians 10:20No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don’t want you to participate with demons.
- 1 Timothy 4:1Now the Holy Spirit tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from demons.
- Revelation 16:14They are demonic spirits who work miracles and go out to all the rulers of the world to gather them for battle against the Lord on that great judgment day of God the Almighty.
- Exodus 32:4Then Aaron took the gold, melted it down, and molded it into the shape of a calf. When the people saw it, they exclaimed, “O Israel, these are the gods who brought you out of the land of Egypt!”
- 1 Kings 12:28So 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!”
- 1 Kings 14:9You have done more evil than all who lived before you. You have made other gods for yourself and have made me furious with your gold calves. And since you have turned your back on me,
- Psalms 106:19The people made a calf at Mount Sinai; they bowed before an image made of gold.
- Hosea 8:5“O Samaria, I reject this calf— this idol you have made. My fury burns against you. How long will you be incapable of innocence?
- Hosea 13:2Now they continue to sin by making silver idols, images shaped skillfully with human hands. “Sacrifice to these,” they cry, “and kiss the calf idols!”
Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 11:15
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 15And he ordained him priests - for the devils - שעירים seirim, the hairy ones; probably goats: for as the golden calves, or oxen, were in imitation of the Egyptian ox-god, Apis; so they no doubt paid Divine honors to the goat, which we know was an object of religious veneration in Egypt.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 15The high places - i. e., the two sanctuaries at Dan and Bethel. For the devils - literally, “for the goats:” probably the word is used (as in Leviticus 17:7) for objects of idolatrous worship generally.Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 13-23Verses 13-23 When the priests and Levites came to Jerusalem, the devout, pious Israelites followed them. Such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, left the inheritance of their fathers, and went to Jerusalem, that they might have free access to the altar of God, and be out of the temptation to worship the calves. That is best for us, which is best for our souls; in all our choices, religious advantages must be sought before all outward…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 15Some scholars think Jeroboam set up goat and calf idols as platforms for the Lord. They note that the Canaanites believed their gods stood on animals (compare Exodus 32:5, where the gold calf was used in “a feast to the LORD”). However, Jeroboam never specifically credited the Lord with rescuing Israel (1 Kings 12:28), so others believe he might have meant other gods stood on the animals. Still others think Jeroboam might have copied the Egyptians, who…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 13-1713-17. the priests and the Levites ... resorted to him out of all their coasts--This was an accession of moral power, for the maintenance of the true religion is the best support and safeguard of any nation; and as it was peculiarly the grand source of the strength and prosperity of the Hebrew monarchy, the great numbers of good and pious people who sought an asylum within the territories of Judah contributed greatly to consolidate the throne of Rehoboam…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Chronicles 11:15
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Chronicles 11
- 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
- John Wesley’s Notes
- 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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