2 Chronicles 11:15

“And he ordained him priests for the high places, etc.] Of such who were not of the tribe of Levi, and family of Aaron; (see <111231>1 Kings 12:31) and for the devils; demons in the shape of goats, as this word signifies, in which form many of the Heathen deities were worshipped; idols of whatsoever kind are so called; for whosoever worships them worships not God, but devils, (<461021>1 Corinthians 10:21) the images which Jeroboam set up may be meant, and the next clause may be rendered as explanative of them: even for the calves which he had made; one of which he set up at Dan, and the other at Bethel, (<111228>1 Kings 12:28,29).”

“he ordained him priests--The persons he appointed to the priesthood were low and worthless creatures (Kg1 12:31; Kg1 13:33); any were consecrated who brought a bullock and seven rams (Ch2 13:9; Exo 29:37). for the high places--Those favorite places of religious worship were encouraged throughout the country. for the devils--a term sometimes used for idols in general (Lev 17:7). But here it is applied distinctively to the goat deities, which were probably worshipped chiefly in the northern parts of his kingdom, where the heathen Canaanites still abounded. for the calves which he had made--figures of the ox gods Apis and Mnevis, with which Jeroboam's residence in Egypt had familiarized him.…”

“The high places - i. e., the two sanctuaries at Dan and Bethel. For the devils - literally, “for the goats:” probably the word is used (as in Leviticus 17:7) for objects of idolatrous worship generally. return to 'Top of Page'”

“High places - Or, for the high places, both for the devils (the Baals, or false gods, which divers of his people worshipped, whom he encouraged to do so, giving them liberty to do anything but to serve God at Jerusalem) and for the calves. So he erected two sorts of high places, some for Baal, and some for the true God, whom be pretended to worship, in and by the calves. 2 Chronicles 11:16”

“11:15 Some scholars believe that Jeroboam set up the goat and calf idols as pedestals for the Lord, noting that the Canaanites believed that their gods stood on the backs of animals (cp. Exod 32:5, where the gold calf was used in “a festival to the Lord”). However, Jeroboam never specifically credited the Lord with rescuing Israel (1 Kgs 12:28), so others think he might have meant that other gods stood on the animals. Still others think Jeroboam might have adopted the practice of the Egyptians, portraying actual pagan deities in animal form (cp. Exod 32:4).”

“for the devils: The word, seirim literally signifies hairy ones, or goats. See note on Lev 17:7. Deu 32:17; Co1 10:20, Co1 10:21; Ti1 4:1; Rev 16:14 for the calves: Exo 32:4-8, Exo 32:31; Kg1 12:28, Kg1 14:9; Psa 106:19, Psa 106:20; Hos 8:5, Hos 8:6, Hos 13:2 2 Chronicles 11:16”