1 Kings 12:25-33

New International Version

Golden Calves at Bethel and Dan

²⁵ Then Jeroboam fortified Shechem^(A) in the hill country of Ephraim and lived there. From there he went out and built up Peniel.^[a](B)

²⁶ Jeroboam thought to himself, “The kingdom will now likely revert to the house of David. ²⁷ If these people go up to offer sacrifices at the temple of the Lord in Jerusalem,^(C) they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to King Rehoboam.”

²⁸ After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves.^(D) He said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”^{(E) 29} One he set up in Bethel,^(F) and the other in Dan.^{(G) 30} And this thing became a sin;^(H) the people came to worship the one at Bethel and went as far as Dan to worship the other.^[b]

³¹ Jeroboam built shrines^(I) on high places and appointed priests^(J) from all sorts of people, even though they were not Levites. ³² He instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth^(K) month, like the festival held in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. This he did in Bethel,^(L) sacrificing to the calves he had made. And at Bethel he also installed priests at the high places he had made. ³³ On the fifteenth day of the eighth month, a month of his own choosing, he offered sacrifices on the altar he had built at Bethel.^(M) So he instituted the festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to make offerings.