1 Kings 12:32-33

12:32 Jeroboam inaugurated a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, ¹  like the festival celebrated in Judah. ²  On the altar in Bethel he offered sacrifices to the calves he had made. ³  In Bethel he also appointed priests for the high places he had made.

A Prophet from Judah Visits Bethel

12:33 On the fifteenth day of the eighth month (a date he had arbitrarily chosen) ⁴  Jeroboam ⁵  offered sacrifices on the altar he had made in Bethel. ⁶  He inaugurated a festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to offer sacrifices.

¹ sn The eighth month would correspond to October-November in modern reckoning.

² sn The festival he celebrated in Judah probably refers to the Feast of Tabernacles (i.e., Booths or Temporary Shelters), held in the seventh month (September-October). See also 1 Kgs 8:2.

³ tn Heb “and he offered up [sacrifices] on the altar; he did this in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made.”

⁴ tn Heb “which he had chosen by himself.”

⁵ tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jeroboam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

⁶ map For location see Map4-G4; Map5-C1; Map6-E3; Map7-D1; Map8-G3.