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.
Jeroboam established a festival in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, similar to the festival celebrated in Judah. He made offerings on the altar. This is what he did in Bethel, offering sacrifices to the golden calves he had made. He also appointed priests in Bethel to serve at the worship sites he had created.
This verse shows how King Jeroboam created his own religious system with fake festivals, golden calf idols, and unauthorized priests to keep his people from worshiping in Jerusalem.
📚 Historical Context
After the kingdom of Israel divided following Solomon's death, Jeroboam became king of the northern tribes and sought to consolidate his rule by creating his own religious practices to keep his people from traveling to Jerusalem in the southern kingdom. He established a feast in the eighth month, mimicking the one in Judah but on a different date, and set up golden calves for worship in Bethel, appointing unauthorized priests to serve there. This was an act of idolatry that directly contradicted God's commands and contributed to the spiritual downfall of the northern kingdom.
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