25 Then Yarobam built Shekem in the hill country of Efraim and he lived there for a while. Then he left there and built Penuel. 26 After that, he worried that the entire country might want to go back under David’s dynasty. 27 He worried that if the people went down to Yerushalem to offer sacrifices in Yahweh’s temple, they might shift their allegiance to King Rehavam in Yehudah and then his life might be in danger.

28 So after getting advice, the king made two gold calves, and he told his people, “Going all the way down to Yerushalem is too far for you. Look, these can be your gods, Israel, who brought you out from Egypt.”[ref] 29 He set one up at Bethel (in the south) and the other one at Dan (in the north). 30 This caused the people to sin, and some people went up as far as the one in Dan. 31 He built temples on hills and appointed priests from various tribes—not just from the tribe of Levi.