SEV Biblia, Chapter 12:31
Hizo también casa de altos, e hizo sacerdotes de entre el pueblo, que no eran de los hijos de Leví.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 12:31
Verse 31. A house of high places] A temple of temples; he had many high places in the land, and to imitate the temple at Jerusalem, he made one chief over all the rest, where he established a priesthood of his own ordination. Probably a place of separate appointment, where different idols were set up and worshipped; so it was a sort of pantheon. Made priests of the lowest of the people] He took the people indifferently as they came, and made them priests, till he had enough, without troubling himself whether they were of the family of Aaron or the house of Levi, or not. Any priests would do well enough for such gods. But those whom he took seem to have been worthless, good-for-nothing fellows, who had neither piety nor good sense. Probably the sons of Levi had grace enough to refuse to sanction this new priesthood and idolatrous worship.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 31. And he made an house of high places , etc.] Or “altars” f318 , built a temple at Dan, and set up several altars in it for sacrifice, both for burnt offerings, and for incense, as at Jerusalem: and made priests of the lowest of the people ; this clause seems not so well rendered; for this would have been very unpopular, and brought his new form of worship into contempt, to make the dregs of the people priests, which was not only a very sacred office, but of great honour; it was usual in some nations for kings to be priests also f319 , and Jeroboam himself exercised this office, ( 1 Kings 12:33 13:1) and therefore would never put the meanest of the people into it, but rather those of higher rank: the words may be literally rendered, “from the extremities” or “ends of the people” f320 ; meaning not merely from the extremist parts of his country, but rather out of the whole of the people; out of all sorts of them, out of any of them, without any distinction of tribe: for so it follows, which were not of the sons of Levi ; and as by this means he enriched himself, by taking the cities that belonged to the priests and Levites, which they were obliged to leave, and from whence he drove them, ( Chronicles 11:14) so he pleased the people by laying open the priesthood common to them, and freeing them from the payment of tithes, and the like.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 25-33 - Jeroboam distrusted the providence of God; he would contrive ways an means, and sinful ones too, for his own safety. A practical disbelie of God's all-sufficiency is at the bottom of all our departures from him. Though it is probable he meant his worship for Jehovah the God of Israel, it was contrary to the Divine law, and dishonourable to the Divine majesty to be thus represented. The people might be less shocke at worshipping the God of Israel under an image, than if they had a once been asked to worship Baal; but it made way for that idolatry Blessed Lord, give us grace to reverence thy temple, thine ordinances thine house of prayer, thy sabbaths, and never more, like Jeroboam, to set up in our hearts any idol of abomination. Be thou to us every thin precious; do thou reign and rule in our hearts, the hope of glory __________________________________________________________________
Original Hebrew
ויעשׂ 6213 את 853 בית 1004 במות 1116 ויעשׂ 6213 כהנים 3548 מקצות 7098 העם 5971 אשׁר 834 לא 3808 היו 1961 מבני 1121 לוי׃ 3878
