Jeroboam

Jeroboam, the son of Nebat of the tribe of Ephraim, was a mighty man of valour whom Solomon set over all the labour of the house of Joseph. The prophet Ahijah the Shilonite met him in the way, tore his new garment into twelve pieces, and gave Jeroboam ten, prophesying that God would rend the kingdom out of Solomon's son's hand for the sake of David but give Jeroboam ten tribes. Solomon sought to kill him, and Jeroboam fled to Egypt until Solomon's death.

When Rehoboam refused to lighten the yoke his father had placed on Israel, the ten northern tribes made Jeroboam king. Fearing that pilgrimages to Jerusalem would turn their hearts back to the house of David, Jeroboam took counsel and made two calves of gold. He set one in Bethel and the other in Dan, saying, "Behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt." He ordained a feast in the eighth month of his own devising and made priests of the lowest of the people who were not of the sons of Levi.

A man of God came out of Judah and cried against the altar at Bethel, prophesying its destruction by a future king named Josiah. When Jeroboam stretched out his hand to seize him, his hand dried up; only the prophet's prayer restored it. Yet Jeroboam returned not from his evil way, but made again of the lowest of the people priests of the high places.

His son Abijah fell sick, and Ahijah the prophet—now blind with age—told Jeroboam's disguised wife that the child would die and that the Lord would raise up a king who would cut off the house of Jeroboam. Jeroboam reigned twenty-two years and died, his name becoming the proverbial measure of wickedness: "the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel to sin."