1 Kings 12:30

“And this thing became a sin, etc.] The cause and occasion of the sin of idolatry; it led them by degrees to leave off the worship of God, and to worship these calves as gods: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan; which was the furthest off, such was their great zeal for idolatrous worship; or they went thither before that at Bethel was set up; and even they at Bethel would go as far as Dan to worship, such was their veneration for both the calves. Abarbinel is of opinion that these calves were not made by Jeroboam for idolatrous uses, only the altar later mentioned; and that he never worshipped before them, nor sacrificed to them, nor even built the altar before them;…”

“This thing became a sin - i. e., this act of Jeroboam’s became an occasion of sin to the people. The author perhaps wrote the following words thus: “The people went to worship before the one to Bethel and before the other to Dan.” return to 'Top of Page'”

“A sin - That is, an occasion of great wickedness, not only of idolatry, which is called sin by way of eminency; nor only of the worship of the calves, wherein they pretended to worship the true God; but also of the worship of Baal, and of the utter desertion of the true God; and of all sorts of impiety. To Dan - Which is not here mentioned exclusively, for they went also to Beth - el, Kg1 12:32-33, but for other reasons, either because that of Dan was first made, the people in those parts having been long leavened with idolatry, Jdg 18:30, or to shew the peoples readiness and zeal for idols; that those who lived in, or near Beth - el, had not patience to stay 'till that calf was finished,…”

“became a sin: Kg1 13:34; Kg2 10:31, Kg2 17:21 3 Kings (1 Kings) 12:31”