(25) “Then Jeroboam built Shechem in the hill-country of Ephraim, and dwelt therein; and he went out from thence, and built Penuel. (26) And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now will the kingdom return to the house of David: (27) if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of Jehovah at Jerusalem, then will the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah; and they will kill me, and return to Rehoboam king of Judah. (28) Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold; and he 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 Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan. (30) And this thing became a sin; for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan. (31) And he made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, that 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 went up unto the altar; so did he in Beth-el, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places that he had made. (33) And he went up unto the altar which he had made in Beth-el on the fifteenth day in the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart: and he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and went up unto the altar, to burn incense.”
Golden Text.— “Keep yourselves from idols.” I John 5: 21.
SUGGESTIVE QUESTIONS.
(1) Where did Jeroboam locate the capital of his kingdom? What other point of ancient note did he fortify? Verse 25. Note 1. (2) What danger was suggested to the mind of Jeroboam? Verse 26. (3) By what means did he think the people would be induced to return to Rehoboam? Verse 27. Note 2. (4) What counsel did the king take? How did he justify this course before the people? How did he introduce the idols to the people? Verse 28. Notes 3 and 4. (5) Where did Jeroboam set up the idols permanently? Verse 29. Note 5. (6) What was the effect of Jeroboam’s action? Verse 30. Note 6. (7) What further preparation was made for carrying on this idolatry? Verse 31. Note 7. (8) What feast did Jeroboam ordain? What part did the king himself take in this feast? Verse 32. (9) Whose devising was all this service? Verse 33. Note 8.
NOTES.
1. Shechem was a very ancient place, being the stopping-point of Jacob when he returned from Padan-aram to Canaan. It had been utterly destroyed by Abimelech, the son of Gideon’s maid, who caused Gideon’s sons to be slain in order that he might become ruler of Israel. See Judges 9. Penuel, or Peniel (face of God), was the place where Jacob wrestled with the angel and gained the victory. See Genesis 32.
2. Jeroboam began wisely by fortifying his capital and other strategic points, but he lacked faith in the promise of God. This was his weakness, and the cause of his downfall, as it must be that of every other man so affected. God had promised that if he would keep the commandments, as David had done, he should also have a sure house. But he was afraid to be faithful in worship, and to let the people be faithful, lest it might cause him to lose his kingdom. Thus he was afraid to do the very thing which God had assured him would be the means of establishing his house in the kingdom.
3. The counsel which Jeroboam sought was of men of like character of himself,—men who thought they must devise plans to perpetuate division. The king and his counselors were unable to see that two nations could be united in the worship of God and yet be politically separate. Despite the Lord’s promise, Jeroboam thought that in order to make sure of the continued allegiance of his people, he must needs build up a state religion different from that of the rival kingdom—that in order to maintain peace, he must build up enmity.
4. “It is too much,” or, as in the margin, “Ye have gone up long enough,” was a play of false sympathy. He would make the people believe that he was very solicitous for their convenience and comfort. They had broken off from the original kingdom because of oppressive tribute in labor and taxes, and now Jeroboam would have them believe that the religious convocations at Jerusalem were too exacting. Had he trusted God’s promise to establish his house in the kingdom, he would have known that faithfulness in religious duty would have strengthened the people in the matter of carrying out God’s purpose with reference to the kingdom.
5. Having ignored the counsel of God, Jeroboam placed himself in the hands of the adversary, who led him to the extreme of folly—gross idolatry. A departure from the commandment of God, even in jot or tittle, always opens the way to further license. This principle is made clear by the Apostle James when he says, “Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is become guilty of all.” So Jeroboam’s lack of faith in God’s promise let loose the floodgate of sin upon him.
6. “Because of sin,” etc.—That is, it spread to the people, to the extent of their eventual destruction as a nation. As stated in chapter 13:34, “This thing became sin unto the house of Jeroboam, to cut it off, and to destroy it from off the face of the earth,” so it was with the kingdom. “Before the one” implies before the one or the other, as was most convenient.
7. Ordaining priests from the ranks of the common people was another evidence that Jeroboam wished to cut loose from the worship of Jehovah. The Levites refused to worship idols, and went to the land of Judah, leaving their possessions among the tribes that fell to Jeroboam. See 2 Chron. 11:13-17.
8. The feast in the eighth month was a variation of the command for a feast in the seventh month (the feast of tabernacles). The time was of Jeroboam’s own devising, purposely a perversion of the Lord’s appointed occasion. The expression, “devised of his own heart” contains the condemnation of the entire system of worship established by Jeroboam, and justifies the inspired record in its oft-repeated accusation that “Jeroboam made Israel to sin.” So Jeroboam is another in the long list of men with grand opportunities who let them slip through unbelief of God’s Word. How is it with you?
