1 Kings 12:31

²⁹ And he set the one in Beth-el, and the other put he in Dan.

³⁰ And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.

And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.

³² 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 Beth-el, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Beth-el the priests of the high places which he had made.

³³ So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Beth-el the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.

Here the Bible tells a story about someone else. Ask yourself what it can say to us today. Do read the surrounding verses too, because the context often says more than a single verse.

Compare

BSB: Jeroboam also built shrines on the high places and appointed from every class of people priests who were not Levites.
KJV: And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.
WEB: He made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.
ASV: And he made houses of high places, and made priests from among all the people, that were not of the sons of Levi.
DARBY: And he made a house of high places, and made priests from all classes of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.
BLB: And He made shrines on the high places, and he made priests from the ends of the people, who were not of the sons of Levi.

ÅB: Han bygget også hus på offerhaugene og gjorde hvem han ville av folket til prester, enda de ikke var av Levis barn.
OTB: Og han bygde helligdommer på høye steder, og utnevnte prester fra blant hele folket som ikke var av Levis sønner.
B1930: Han bygget også hus på offerhaugene og gjorde hvem han vilde av folket til prester, enda de ikke var av Levis barn.

Study notes (Tyndale)

Original text and word study

Cross references

2 Chronicles 13:9
Have ye not cast out the priests of the LORD, the sons of Aaron, and the Levites, and have made you priests after the manner of the nations of other lands? so that whosoever cometh to consecrate himself with a young bullock and seven rams, the same may be a priest of them that are no gods.
Read in context
1 Kings 13:32–33
For the saying which he cried by the word of the LORD against the altar in Beth-el, and against all the houses of the high places which are in the cities of Samaria, shall surely come to pass.
Read in context
2 Kings 17:32
So they feared the LORD, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places.
Read in context
2 Chronicles 11:14–15
For the Levites left their suburbs and their possession, and came to Judah and Jerusalem: for Jeroboam and his sons had cast them off from executing the priest’s office unto the LORD:
Read in context
Numbers 3:10
And thou shalt appoint Aaron and his sons, and they shall wait on their priest’s office: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.
Read in context
Ezekiel 16:25
Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms.
Read in context
Deuteronomy 24:15
At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee.
Read in context
Ezekiel 44:6–8
And thou shalt say to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O ye house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations,
Read in context