1 Kings 12:20-33

1 Kings 12:20-33

[20] And it came to pass, when all Israel  heard  that Jeroboam  was come again,  that they sent  and called  him unto the congregation,  and made him king  over all Israel:  there was none that followed  the house  of David,  but  the tribe  of Judah  [21] And when Rehoboam  was come  to Jerusalem,  he assembled  all the house  of Judah,  with the tribe  of Benjamin,  an hundred  and fourscore  thousand  which were warriors,  to fight  against the house  of Israel,  the kingdom  again  to Rehoboam  the son  of Solomon.  [22] But the word  of God  came unto Shemaiah  the man  of God,  saying,  [23] Speak  unto Rehoboam,  the son  of Solomon,  king  of Judah,  and unto all the house  of Judah  and Benjamin,  and to the remnant  of the people,  saying,  [24] Thus saith  Ye shall not go up,  nor fight  against your brethren  the children  of Israel:  return  every man  to his house;  for this thing  is  from me. They hearkened  therefore to the word  and returned  according to the word  [25] Then Jeroboam  built  Shechem  in mount  Ephraim,  and dwelt  therein; and went out  from thence, and built  Penuel.  [26] And Jeroboam  said  in his heart,  Now shall the kingdom  return  to the house  of David:  [27] If this people  go up  to do  sacrifice  in the house  of the LORD  at Jerusalem,  then shall the heart  of this people  turn again  unto their lord,  even unto Rehoboam  king  of Judah,  and they shall kill  me, and go again  to Rehoboam  king  of Judah.  [28] Whereupon the king  took counsel,  and made  two  calves  of gold,  and said  unto them, It is too much  for you to go up  to Jerusalem:  behold thy gods,  O Israel,  which brought thee up  out of the land  of Egypt.  [29] And he set  the one  in Bethel,  and the other  put  he in Dan.  [30] And this thing  became a sin:  for the people  to worship before  the one,  even unto Dan.  [31] And he made  an house  of high places,  and made  priests  of the lowest  of the people,  which were not of the sons  of Levi.  [32] And Jeroboam  ordained  a feast  in the eighth  month,  on the fifteenth  day  of the month,  like unto the feast  that is in Judah,  and he offered  upon the altar.  So did  he in Bethel,  sacrificing  unto the calves  that he had made:  and he placed  in Bethel  the priests  of the high places  which he had made.  [33] So he offered  upon the altar  which he had made  in Bethel  the fifteenth  day  of the eighth  month,  which he had devised  and ordained  a feast  unto the children  of Israel:  and he offered  upon the altar,  and burnt incense.