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Study This Verse
Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers 1 Kings 12:25–33. His four-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
We have here the beginning of the reign of Jeroboam. He built Shechem first and then Penuel - beautified and fortified them, and probably had a palace in each of them for himself (Kg1 12:25), the former in Ephraim, the latter in Gad, on the other side Jordan. This might be proper; but he formed another project for the establishing of his kingdom which was fatal to the interests of religion in it.
I.That which he designed was by some effectual means to secure those to himself who had now chosen him for their king, and to prevent their return to the house of David, Kg1 12:26, Kg1 12:27. It seems,
1.He was jealous of the people, afraid that, some time or other, they would kill him and go again to Rehoboam. Many that have been advanced in one tumult have been hurled down in another. Jeroboam could not put any confidence in the affections of his people, though now they seemed extremely fond of him; for what is got by wrong and usurpation cannot be enjoyed nor kept with any security or satisfaction.
2.He was distrustful of the promise of God, could not take his word that, if he would keep close to his duty, God would build him a sure house (Kg1 11:38); but 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 treacherous departures from him.
II.The way he took to do this was by keeping the people from going up to Jerusalem to worship.
That was the place God had chosen, to put his name there. Solomon's temple was there, which God had, in the sight of all Israel, and in the memory of many now living, taken solemn possession of in a cloud of glory. At the altar there the priest of the Lord attended, there all Israel were to keep the feasts, and thither they were to bring their sacrifices. Now,
1.Jeroboam apprehended that, if the people continued to do this, they would in time return to the house of David, allured by the magnificence both of the court and of the temple. If they cleave to their old religion, they will go back to their old king. We may suppose, if he had treated with Rehoboam for the safe conduct of himself and his people to and from Jerusalem at the times appointed for their solemn feasts, it would not have been denied him; therefore he fears not their being driven back by force, but their going back voluntarily to Rehoboam.
2.He therefore dissuaded them from going up to Jerusalem, pretending to consult their ease: "It is too much for you to go so far to worship God, Kg1 12:28. It is a heavy yoke, and it is time to shake it off; you have gone long enough to Jerusalem" (so some read it); "the temple, now that you are used to it, does not appear so glorious and sacred as it did at first" (sensible glories wither by degrees in men's estimation); "you have greed yourselves from other burdens, free yourselves from this: why should we now be tied to one place any more than in Samuel's time?"
3.He provided for the assistance of their devotion at home. Upon consultation with some of his politicians, he came to this resolve, to set up two golden calves, as tokens or signs of the divine presence, and persuade the people that they might as well stay at home and offer sacrifice to those as go to Jerusalem to worship before the ark: and some are so charitable as to think they were made to represent the mercy-seat and the cherubim over the ark; but more probably he adopted the idolatry of the Egyptians, in whose land he had sojourned for some time and who worshipped their god Apis under the similitude of a bull or calf.
(1.)He would not be at the charge of building a golden temple, as Solomon had done; two golden calves are the most that he can afford.
(2.)He intended, no doubt, by these to represent, or rather make present, not any false god, as Moloch or Chemosh, but the true God only, the God of Israel, the God that brought them up out of the land of Egypt, as he declares, Kg1 12:28. So that it was no violation of the first commandment, but the second. And he chose thus to engage the people's devotion because he knew there were many among them so in love with images that for the sake of the calves they would willingly quit God's temple, where all images were forbidden.
(3.)He set up two, by degrees to break people off from the belief of the unity of the godhead, which would pave the way to the polytheism of the Pagans. He set up these two at Dan and Beth-el (one the utmost border of his country northward), the other southward, as if they were the guardians and protectors of the kingdom. Beth-el lay close to Judah. He set up one there, to tempt those of Rehoboam's subjects over to him who were inclined to image-worship, in lieu of those of his subjects that would continue to go to Jerusalem. He set up the other at Dan, for the convenience of those that lay most remote, and because Micah's images had been set up there, and great veneration paid to them for many ages, Jdg 18:30, Jdg 18:31. Beth-el signifies the house of God, which gave some colour to the superstition; but the prophet called it Beth-aven, the house of vanity, or iniquity.
4.The people complied with him herein, and were fond enough of the novelty: They went to worship before the one, even unto Dan (Kg1 12:30), to that at Dan first because it was first set up, or even to that at Dan, though it lay such a great way off. Those that thought it much to go to Jerusalem, to worship God according to his institution, made no difficulty of going twice as far, to Dan, to worship him according to their own inventions. Or they are said to go to one of the calves at Dan because Abijah, king of Judah, within twenty years, recovered Beth-el (Ch2 13:19), and it is likely removed the golden calf, or forbade the use of it, and then they had only that at Dan to go to. This became a sin; and a great sin it was, against the express letter of the second commandment. God had sometimes dispensed with the law concerning worshipping in one place, but never allowed the worship of him by images. Hereby they justified their fathers in making the calf at Horeb, though God had so fully shown his displeasure against them for it and threatened to visit for it in the day of visitation (Exo 32:34), so that it was as great a contempt of God's wrath as it was of his law; and thus they added sin to sin. Bishop Patrick quotes a saying of the Jews, That till Jeroboam's time the Israelites sucked but one calf, but from that time they sucked two.
5.Having set up the gods, he fitted up accommodations for them; and wherein he varied from the divine appointment we are here told, which intimates that in other things he imitated what was done in Judah (Kg1 12:32) as well as he could. See how one error multiplied into many.
(1.)He made a house of high-places, or of altars, one temple at Dan, we may suppose, and another at Beth-el (Kg1 12:31), and in each many altars, probably complaining of it as an inconvenience that in the temple at Jerusalem there was but one. The multiplying of altars passed with some for a piece of devotion, but God, by the prophet, puts another construction upon it, Hos 8:11. Ephraim has made many altars to sin.
(2.)He made priests of the lowest of the people; and the lowest of the people were good enough to be priests to his calves, and too good. He made priests from the extremest parts of the people, that is, some out of every corner of the country, whom he ordered to reside among their neighbours, to instruct them in his appointments and reconcile them to them. Thus were they dispersed as the Levites, but were not of the sons of Levi. But the priests of the high-laces, or altars, he ordered to reside in Beth-el, as the priests at Jerusalem (Kg1 12:32), to attend the public service.
(3.)The feast of tabernacles, which God had appointed on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, he adjourned to the fifteenth day of the eighth month (Kg1 12:32), the month which he devised of his own heart, to show his power in ecclesiastical matters, Kg1 12:33. The passover and pentecost he observed in their proper season, or did not observe them at all, or with little solemnity in comparison with this.
(4.)He himself assuming a power to make priests, no marvel if he undertook to do the priests' work with his own hands: He offered upon the altar. This is twice mentioned (Kg1 12:32, Kg1 12:33), as also that he burnt incense. This was connived at in him because it was of a piece with the rest of his irregularities; but in king Uzziah it was immediately punished with the plague of leprosy. He did it himself, to make himself look great among the people and to get the reputation of a devout man, also to grace the solemnity of his new festival, with which, it is likely, at this time he joined the feast of the dedication of his altar. And thus,
[1.]Jeroboam sinned himself, yet perhaps excused himself to the world and his own conscience with this, that he did not do so ill as Solomon did, who worshipped other gods.
[2.]He made Israel to sin, drew them off from the worship of God and entailed idolatry upon their seed. And hereby they were punished for deserting the thrones of the house of David. The learned Mr. Whiston, in his chronology, for the adjusting of the annals of the two kingdoms of Judah and Israel, supposes that Jeroboam changed the calculation of the year and made it to contain but eleven months, and that by those years the reigns of the kings of Israel are measured till Jehu's revolution and no longer, so that during this interval eleven years of the annals of Judah answer to twelve in those of Israel.
Historical interpretation
Two Centuries of Reception
3 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
The people were divided in those times into the kingdom of ten tribes under Jeroboam and the kingdom of two tribes under Rehoboam. And those under Jeroboam were called Israel, and those under Rehoboam Judah. And the division of the people persisted, according to the history, until today. For we know of nothing in the history that united Israel and Judah “into the same nation.” Then Israel first, under Jeroboam and under his successors, sinned excessively, and Israel sinned so much beyond Judah that they were sentenced by Providence to become captives “to the Assyrians until the sign,” as the Scripture says. After this, the sons of Judah also sinned, and as captives they were sentenced to Babylon, not until a sign, as Israel, but for “seventy years,” which Jeremiah prophesied and Daniel also mentioned.
The Scriptures tell us that God chose a certain nation on the earth, which they call by several names. For the whole of this nation is termed Israel and also Jacob. And when it was divided in the times of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, the ten tribes subject to him were called Israel, while the remaining two, along with the tribe of Levi, being ruled over by the de¬scendants of David, were named Judah. And the whole of the territory which the people of this nation inhabited, being given to them by God, received the name of Judea, the metropolis of which is Jerusalem—a metropolis, namely, of numerous cities, the names of which lie scattered about in many other passages of Scripture but which are enumerated together in the book of Joshua the son of Nun. Such, then, being the case, the apostle, elevating our power of discernment above the letter, says some¬where, “Behold Israel according to the flesh,” as if there were an Israel “according to the Spirit.” And in another place he says, “For they who are the children of the flesh are not the children of God” nor are “they all Israel who are descended from Israel.”
We have learned in the books of Kings that under Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, Jeroboam, the son of Nabat, made a division among the people and led ten tribes into Samaria. The tribes of Judah and Benjamin, however, remained under the rule of Rehoboam; and many likewise from the tribe of Levi who were dwelling in Jerusalem as priests and Levites—as it is written in Paralipomenon—returned to the temple of God, that is, to Jerusalem. Thus, there were three tribes in Judea: Judah itself the royal tribe, and Benjamin, and later the Levites from the various tribes, when they had come to the temple. They who were in Samaria had a king from the tribe of Ephraim. Just as they who held sway in Judea had a king from the tribe of Judah and from the family of David, so they who prevailed in Samaria had a king from the tribe of Ephraim, and their kings were called Ephraim.
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Summary
1 Kings 12:25 meticulously records the initial and strategically vital actions of Jeroboam, the newly proclaimed king of the northern tribes of Israel, immediately following the dramatic division of the united monarchy. In a calculated effort to solidify his nascent authority and establish the foundational administrative and defensive infrastructure of his kingdom, Jeroboam undertook significant building projects, fortifying and making Shechem in Mount Ephraim his primary residence, and subsequently extending his construction efforts to Penuel, a crucial outpost situated east of the Jordan River. These foundational acts of construction and settlement underscore his immediate intent to secure his reign and forge a distinct identity for the northern kingdom, setting the critical stage for his subsequent, and ultimately disastrous, religious innovations.
Context
Literary Context
This verse is strategically positioned immediately after the profound schism of the united monarchy, a pivotal moment where ten northern tribes decisively rejected Rehoboam's oppressive rule and elevated Jeroboam to kingship over them. The preceding narrative details Jeroboam's divine appointment through the prophet Ahijah's prophecy, which foretold his rise to power over ten tribes, even while he was a servant of Solomon and later a refugee in Egypt. Thus, Jeroboam's actions in this verse are presented as his very first concrete steps in establishing and consolidating his new kingdom, directly preceding his infamous religious innovations. These innovations, detailed in 1 Kings 12:26-33, were explicitly designed to prevent his subjects from maintaining their traditional pilgrimage to Jerusalem for worship, thereby securing his political power at the expense of spiritual fidelity. The narrative here transitions from the intense political upheaval to Jeroboam's practical, albeit fear-driven, efforts to secure and administer his throne.
Historical & Cultural Context
The division of the kingdom, a direct consequence of Solomon's apostasy and Rehoboam's folly, marked an irreversible turning point in Israelite history, bringing an end to the unified monarchy under the Davidic dynasty. Jeroboam's immediate actions in fortifying and establishing capitals reflect the standard strategic practices of ancient Near Eastern monarchs establishing new regimes: securing key cities, designating administrative centers, and fortifying borders to ensure stability and defense. Shechem, located in the fertile central hill country of Ephraim, possessed immense ancient and historical significance, having served as a tribal gathering place and a site of covenant renewal for Israel, notably under Joshua in Joshua 24:1. Its selection as Jeroboam's initial capital was a deliberate and potent move to assert a new center of political and religious power distinct from Jerusalem and to tap into older, pre-monarchic Israelite traditions and loyalties. Penuel, strategically situated in Transjordan, was vital for controlling the eastern territories and crucial trade routes, and it also held deep historical roots as the very site where Jacob famously wrestled with God, as recounted in Genesis 32:30. Jeroboam's astute choice of these specific locations demonstrates a profound understanding of both geographical necessity and historical legitimacy in his efforts to consolidate his rule.
Key Themes
This verse significantly contributes to several overarching themes within the book of 1 Kings. Firstly, it vividly illustrates the consolidation of power by a new monarch, highlighting Jeroboam's immediate and pragmatic efforts to establish administrative and military control over his divinely appointed, yet humanly secured, kingdom. Secondly, it underscores the theme of security and strategy, as Jeroboam's extensive building projects were explicitly designed to protect his nascent realm from potential internal and external threats, particularly from the rival southern kingdom of Judah. This reflects a king's natural inclination to secure his domain through tangible, physical means. Thirdly, and most significantly for the broader narrative, these seemingly practical actions serve as a foundation for Jeroboam's subsequent apostasy. While appearing to be wise administrative moves, these initial steps are fundamentally driven by a deep-seated fear that his people's continued pilgrimage to Jerusalem for worship would inevitably lead them back to allegiance to the house of David, as explicitly stated in 1 Kings 12:26. This profound lack of trust in God's promise ultimately precipitates his introduction of alternative worship sites and golden calves at Dan and Bethel, detailed in 1 Kings 12:28-29, thereby inaugurating the northern kingdom's long and tragic history of idolatry and rebellion against the Lord.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This Hebrew verb (H1129) signifies "to build, to establish, to construct, to rebuild, or to fortify." In the context of Jeroboam's actions, it denotes far more than mere physical construction; it implies a comprehensive act of establishing, strengthening, and securing these cities as vital centers for his new kingdom. For Shechem, it likely involved rebuilding or fortifying existing structures to serve as a formidable capital, while for Penuel, it suggests the establishment of a new stronghold or the reinforcement of an existing strategic outpost. The act of building here is inextricably linked with the assertion of authority and the creation of a tangible, enduring presence for the nascent regime.
The verb (H3427) means "to sit down, to remain, to inhabit, to settle down." Jeroboam not only constructed or fortified Shechem but also "dwelt therein," indicating that he made it his initial royal residence and the primary administrative center of his kingdom. This signifies a profound commitment to the city as a capital and a personal investment in its establishment and stability. It was not merely a strategic fortification but a place of permanent settlement for the king, further solidifying his claim and authority over the northern territories.
This verb (H3318) means "to go out, to proceed, to depart." In this context, it describes Jeroboam's active movement from his initial base at Shechem to extend his influence and building efforts eastward to Penuel. It highlights his proactive and expansive strategy in securing his entire kingdom, demonstrating a deliberate and calculated decision to establish control over the Transjordanian regions.
Verse Breakdown
"Then Jeroboam built Shechem in mount Ephraim, and dwelt therein;"
This initial clause details Jeroboam's immediate and primary strategic action upon assuming kingship over Israel. He chose Shechem, a city steeped in historical and religious significance, located in the central tribal lands of Ephraim, to serve as his initial capital. The act of "building" encompasses not only new construction but also fortification and the establishment of essential administrative infrastructure. His subsequent decision to "dwell therein" signifies his personal commitment to this location as the seat of his new government, making it a tangible and powerful symbol of the northern kingdom's newfound independence from Jerusalem and the Davidic dynasty.
"and went out from thence, and built Penuel."
This second clause describes a further, equally strategic move by Jeroboam. Having firmly established Shechem as his central hub, he then deliberately extended his influence eastward, "going out from thence" to build or fortify Penuel. This city, situated in Transjordan, was critically important for controlling the eastern regions of his kingdom, securing vital trade routes, and potentially defending against incursions from the east. This demonstrates Jeroboam's comprehensive and far-reaching approach to securing his borders and establishing a robust and defensible kingdom, extending his reach beyond the central highlands.
Literary Devices
The verse primarily employs Narrative Progression to concisely and directly report Jeroboam's immediate actions as the newly appointed king. The simple, declarative verbs such as "built," "dwelt," and "went out" create a sense of swift, decisive, and purposeful action. There is also a strong element of Strategic Action, as the acts of building and dwelling are presented not as random occurrences but as deliberate, calculated moves by the new king to consolidate his power and establish his kingdom's distinct identity, separate from the southern kingdom of Judah. The inclusion of precise Geographical Specificity by naming Shechem (along with its tribal affiliation, "in mount Ephraim") and Penuel grounds the narrative in real, identifiable places, emphasizing the tangible and historical reality of Jeroboam's efforts. This specificity also serves a Foreshadowing function, hinting at the later significance of these locations in the unfolding narrative of the divided kingdom and Jeroboam's subsequent religious innovations.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Jeroboam's actions in 1 Kings 12:25, while appearing to be practical and politically astute, subtly reveal a deeper theological tension and a foundational lack of trust. His diligent efforts to establish physical strongholds and secure his kingdom through human means stand in stark contrast to God's explicit promise to establish his dynasty if he walked in obedience and kept God's statutes, as revealed in 1 Kings 11:38. This highlights a recurring biblical theme: the profound temptation for leaders, and indeed for all believers, to rely on their own wisdom, strength, and strategic maneuvering rather than fully trusting in God's divine provision and unwavering promise. Despite having been divinely appointed, Jeroboam's fear-driven security measures quickly led to spiritual compromise and the introduction of idolatry, setting a tragic pattern of apostasy for the entire northern kingdom. His building projects, intended for security, ultimately became symbols of his spiritual insecurity and rebellion.
Reflection and Application
Jeroboam's initial actions, though seemingly pragmatic and necessary for a new king, reveal a profound and ultimately destructive flaw: a reliance on human strategy and fear-driven security rather than an unwavering trust in God's explicit and powerful promise. He was divinely given a kingdom, yet he immediately sought to secure it through his own efforts and foresight, which quickly led him down a path of spiritual deviation and idolatry. For us today, this narrative serves as a powerful and sobering reminder that true and lasting security, stability, and success are never ultimately found in our own fortifications, whether they manifest as financial reserves, meticulously planned careers, carefully curated relationships, or impressive personal achievements. When God has given us a promise, a calling, or a direction, our primary and most crucial response should be one of faithful obedience and profound trust, not anxious maneuvering or self-reliant striving. Our efforts, however well-intentioned or strategically sound they may appear, can easily lead us astray if they are not deeply rooted in dependence on God and adherence to His righteous ways. We are called to build our lives, our families, and our ministries not on the shifting sands of human fear or worldly wisdom, but on the unshakeable, solid foundation of Christ.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did Jeroboam choose Shechem and Penuel specifically?
Jeroboam's choice of Shechem and Penuel was a highly strategic decision, masterfully blending historical significance with geographical necessity. Shechem, located in the heart of Ephraim, was an ancient and historically paramount city for the northern tribes, having served as a place of tribal gatherings and covenant renewal, notably documented in Joshua 24. By establishing his initial capital there, Jeroboam shrewdly leveraged its deep historical legitimacy and provided a clear, compelling alternative center of power to Jerusalem, thereby undermining the southern kingdom's claim to sole spiritual and political authority. Penuel, situated strategically east of the Jordan River, was crucial for controlling the Transjordanian territories of his expansive kingdom and for securing vital trade routes, offering both economic and military advantages. It also held a significant place in Israelite history as the very site where Jacob wrestled with God, as recorded in Genesis 32:30. These astute choices demonstrated Jeroboam's profound intent to consolidate his rule over the northern tribes and establish a distinct, secure, and historically legitimate kingdom separate from the Davidic dynasty.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Jeroboam's kingdom-building efforts, tragically driven by a profound lack of faith and culminating in widespread idolatry, stand in stark and illuminating contrast to the eternal reign of Christ. Jeroboam sought to secure an earthly kingdom through physical fortifications, human strategy, and political expediency, ultimately leading his people into spiritual bondage and divine judgment. His deep-seated fear that the people would return to Jerusalem and the house of David, as articulated in 1 Kings 12:26, vividly illustrates the inherent insecurity of human kingship and the ultimate futility of attempting to build a lasting kingdom apart from God's explicit will and sovereign power. In profound contrast, Jesus Christ establishes a spiritual kingdom that is definitively "not of this world," as He declared in John 18:36. His security and authority are not found in fortified cities, military might, or human alliances, but in His divine nature, His perfect obedience to the Father, and His finished work on the cross, which decisively conquered sin, death, and the powers of darkness. He is the true King who builds His church, a spiritual temple not made with human hands, founded on Himself as the cornerstone, as described in Ephesians 2:19-22, and He promises that the very gates of hell will not prevail against it, as found in Matthew 16:18. While Jeroboam's building projects were rooted in a profound lack of faith and ultimately led to destruction, Christ's kingdom is built on perfect trust in the Father, offering true, eternal security, and a peace that transcends all understanding to all who believe in Him, as promised in Philippians 4:7.