1 Kings 12:26

“And Jeroboam said in his heart, etc,] As he was musing about the state of his kingdom and the affairs of it: now shall the kingdom return to the house of David; such were his fears, unless some method could be taken to prevent it, particularly with respect to religion, which was what his thoughts were employed about.”

“Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David--Having received the kingdom from God, he should have relied on the divine protection. But he did not. With a view to withdraw the people from the temple and destroy the sacred associations connected with Jerusalem, he made serious and unwarranted innovations on the religious observances of the country, on pretext of saving the people the trouble and expense of a distant journey. First, he erected two golden calves--the young bulls, Apis and Mnevis, as symbols (in the Egyptian fashion) of the true God, and the nearest, according to his fancy, to the figures of the cherubim. The one was placed at Dan, in the…”

“Jeroboam’s fear was lest a reaction should set in, and a desire for reunion manifest itself. He was not a man content to remain quiet, trusting simply to the promise made him 1 Kings 11:38. Hence, he gave way to the temptation of helping forward the plans of Providence by the crooked devices of a merely human policy. His measures, like all measures which involve a dereliction of principle, brought certain evils in their train, and drew down divine judgment on himself. But they fully secured the object at which he aimed. They prevented all healing of the breach between the two kingdoms. They made the separation final. They produced the result that not only no reunion took place, but no…”

“Said, &c. - Reasoned within himself. The phrase discovers the fountain of his error, that he did not consult with God, who had given him the kingdom; as in all reason, and justice, and gratitude he should have done: nor believed God's promise, Kg1 11:38, but his own carnal policy. 3 Kings (1 Kings) 12:27”

“12:26-27 Jeroboam tried to satisfy Israel’s spiritual needs and maintain the allegiance of his people by making the worship services in the north both convenient and distinctive.”

“said in his heart: Psa 14:1; Mar 2:6-8; Luk 7:39 Now shall: Kg1 11:38; Sa1 27:1; Ch2 20:20; Isa 7:9; Jer 38:18-21; Joh 11:47-50; Joh 12:10, Joh 12:11, Joh 12:19; Act 4:16, Act 4:17 3 Kings (1 Kings) 12:27”