1 Kings 14:9

“But hast done evil above all that were before thee, etc.] Not only above David, but above Saul, who never gave into idolatry, yea, even above Solomon, who, though he connived at idolatry, and might be guilty of it in some instances, yet did not attempt to draw his people into it; and if this was the latter end of Jeroboam’s reign, which is probable, Rehoboam and Abijam might be both dead; and though they were blameworthy in some things, yet not so bad as Jeroboam; though perhaps this may respect only such who had been kings of Israel before him: for thou hast gone and made thee other gods, and molten images, to provoke me to anger; the two calves of gold; for however he might colour things…”

“Above all that were before thee - i. e., above all previous rulers of the people, whether Judges or kings. Hereto none of the rulers of Israel had set up the idolatrous worship of ephod, teraphim, and the like Judges 18:17, as a substitute for the true religion, or sought to impose an idolatrous system on the nation. Gideon’s ephod “became a snare” contrary to his intention Judges 8:27. Solomon’s high places were private - built for the use of his wives, and not designed to attract the people. Jeroboam was the first ruler who set himself to turn the Israelites away from the true worship, and established a poor counterfeit of it, which he strove to make, and succeeded in making, the religion…”

“Above all - Above all the former kings of my people, as Saul, and Solomon, and Rehoboam. Images - Namely the golden calves: not as if they thought them to be other gods in a proper sense; for it is apparent they still pretended to worship the God of their fathers, but because God rejected their whole worship, and, howsoever they accounted it, he reckoned it a manifest defection from him, and a betaking themselves to other gods, or devils, as they are called, Ch2 11:15, whom alone they served and worshipped therein, whatsoever pretences they had to the contrary. To provoke - Whereby thou didst provoke me. For otherwise this was not Jeroboam's design in it, but only to establish himself in the…”

“hast done: Kg1 14:16, Kg1 12:28, Kg1 13:33, Kg1 13:34, Kg1 15:34, Kg1 16:31 thou hast gone: Deu 32:16, Deu 32:17, Deu 32:21; Jdg 5:8; Ch2 11:15; Psa 106:19, Psa 106:20, Psa 115:4-8; Isa 44:9-20; Jer 10:14-16 to provoke: Kg1 14:22; Deu 9:8-16, Deu 9:24; Kg2 21:3, Kg2 23:26; Ch2 33:6; Psa 78:40, Psa 78:56, Psa 106:29; Jer 7:9, Jer 7:10; Eze 8:3, Eze 8:17; Co1 10:22 cast me: Neh 9:26; Psa 50:17; Eze 23:35 3 Kings (1 Kings) 14:10”