Bible Verses About National Sins: Often caused and encouraged by rulers

Nevertheless Yarov'am said to himself, "Now the rulership will return to the house of David.

For if these people continue going up to offer sacrifices in the house of ADONAI in Yerushalayim, their hearts will turn back to their lord, Rechav'am king of Y'hudah. Then they will kill me and return to Rechav'am king of Y'hudah."

After seeking advice, the king made two calves of gold and said to the people, "You have been going up to Yerushalayim long enough! Here are your gods, Isra'el, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!"

He placed one in Beit-El and the other in Dan,

and the affair became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one [in Beit-El and] all the way to Dan [to worship the other].

He also set up temples on the high places and made cohanim from among all the people, even though they were not descended from Levi.

Yarov'am instituted a festival in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, similar to the festival held in Y'hudah; he went up to the altar in Beit-El to sacrifice to the calves he had made; and he placed in Beit-El the cohanim he had appointed for the high places.

He went up to the altar which he had set up in Beit-El on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had chosen on his own, and instituted a festival for the people of Isra'el; he went up to the altar to burn incense.

He will give up on Isra'el because of the sins of Yarov'am, which he committed himself, and with which he made Isra'el sin as well."

Moreover, he built high places in the hills of Y'hudah, caused the people living in Yerushalayim to prostitute themselves and drew Y'hudah away.

A letter came to him from Eliyahu the prophet which said, "Here is what ADONAI, the God of David your ancestor, says: 'You have not lived by the examples of Y'hoshafat your father or Asa king of Y'hudah.

Instead you have lived by the example of the kings of Isra'el and have caused Y'hudah and the people living in Yerushalayim to prostitute themselves, just as the house of Ach'av caused [Isra'el] to prostitute themselves. Moreover, you killed your brothers from your father's house, men better than you.

If a ruler listens to lies, all his officials will be wicked.