2 Chronicles 11:15
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What's striking here isn't just that Jeroboam appointed priests, but that he appointed them for these specific, man-made objects of worship – the high places, the goat idols, and the calves. This shows a deliberate, organized system of idolatry, not just stray straying, highlighting how quickly spiritual corruption can become institutionalized. It's a stark reminder that even things we create to connect with the divine can become idols themselves if they replace genuine relationship with God.
and he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for the calves that he had made.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jeroboam, the king of the northern kingdom of Israel, has just established his own religious system to keep his people from returning to worship in Jerusalem, the capital of the southern kingdom of Judah. He's setting up altars and appointing unauthorized priests to serve these new, man-made religious sites and idols, directly defying God's commands. This action is a key step in the division of the kingdom and Jeroboam's ongoing rebellion against true worship.
Jeroboam's reign started with a bang, but not the good kind. He didn't just set up new gods; he hijacked the very way people were supposed to worship God.
A Priesthood Not From God
Jeroboam's big move here isn't just about making new idols – it's about creating a whole new religious system to keep people away from Jerusalem and the true worship of God.
Jeroboam's new religious setup offered something tempting: worship that was closer, easier, and probably felt more familiar to his people's mixed cultural background.
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Convenience Over Truth
The calves and goat idols weren't just random choices; they tapped into existing cultural and religious practices. This made them easily accessible and perhaps even seem harmless to the people of the northern kingdom.
Understand the original words
bamah · Hebrew Noun
High places, or 'bamah', were elevated locations often used for worship. In the Bible, they are frequently associated with illicit worship or idolatry outside of the central sanctuary appointed by God.
sa'ir · Hebrew Noun
Represents demonic powers or false deities, frequently associated with immoral or idolatrous worship practices that stand in direct opposition to the worship of the one true God.
egel · Hebrew Noun
Images of calves created by Jeroboam to serve as alternative sites of worship, representing a departure from the Mosaic Law and a snare of syncretism and idolatry.
This verse highlights the immediate religious crisis following the kingdom's division. Rehoboam's actions show a pragmatic, though ultimately flawed, attempt to solidify his reign by accommodating and appointing priests to serve in the idolatrous shrines established in the north, even as true worshippers fled south.
c. 931 BC
Kingdom Divides
Following the death of King Solomon, his son Rehoboam's harsh response to the people's grievances led to the northern tribes seceding, forming the independent Kingdom of Israel. The southern Kingdom of Judah remained loyal to Rehoboam.
c. 931 BC— this verse
Jeroboam Establishes New Sanctuaries
King Jeroboam I of the northern Kingdom of Israel, fearing that the people would return to their allegiance to Judah if they continued to worship at the Jerusalem temple, set up golden calves in Bethel and Dan as new centers of worship.
c. 931-913 BC
Rehoboam Fortifies Judah
In response to the division, King Rehoboam fortified cities in Judah and Bethlehem, consolidating his southern kingdom. He also sought to maintain a religious center in Jerusalem.
c. 931 BC
Priests and Levites Flee to Judah
Many priests and Levites who had served in the northern kingdom, disapproving of Jeroboam's religious innovations, left their cities and came to Judah and Jerusalem, bringing their support to Rehoboam's kingdom.
This passage describes Jeroboam appointing priests for his own made calves, mirroring the same kind of unauthorized worship that Rehoboam (and Judah) continued in 2 Chronicles 11:15.
Exodus 32:4This is the origin of the calf idol worship, showing how quickly Israel turned to making their own gods and priests, a pattern that continued through centuries of disobedience.
Deuteronomy 17:3The Old Testament law explicitly prohibited the worship of other gods and the appointment of unauthorized priests, highlighting the direct violation described in this verse.
Hosea 4:12-14This prophetic passage condemns the people for seeking guidance from idols and wooden symbols, showing the deep-seated spiritual corruption that resulted from practices like those instituted in 2 Chronicles 11:15.
What's striking here isn't just that Jeroboam appointed priests, but that he appointed them for these specific, man-made objects of worship – the high places, the goat idols, and the calves. This shows a deliberate, organized system of idolatry, not just stray straying, highlighting how quickly spiritual corruption can become institutionalized. It's a stark reminder that even things we create to connect with the divine can become idols themselves if they replace genuine relationship with God.
Jeroboam, the king of the northern kingdom of Israel, has just established his own religious system to keep his people from returning to worship in Jerusalem, the capital of the southern kingdom of Judah. He's setting up altars and appointing unauthorized priests to serve these new, man-made religious sites and idols, directly defying God's commands. This action is a key step in the division of the kingdom and Jeroboam's ongoing rebellion against true worship.
Jeroboam, the king of the northern kingdom of Israel, has just established his own religious system to keep his people from returning to worship in Jerusalem, the capital of the southern kingdom of Judah. He's setting up altars and appointing unauthorized priests to serve these new, man-made religious sites and idols, directly defying God's commands. This action is a key step in the division of the kingdom and Jeroboam's ongoing rebellion against true worship.
"and he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for the calves that he had made." — What's striking here isn't just that Jeroboam appointed priests, but that he appointed them for these specific, man-made objects of worship – the high places, the goat idols, and the calves. This s…
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Last reviewed October 2026
