2 Chronicles 11 15

2 Chronicles 11:15 kjv

And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves which he had made.

2 Chronicles 11:15 nkjv

Then he appointed for himself priests for the high places, for the demons, and the calf idols which he had made.

2 Chronicles 11:15 niv

when he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat and calf idols he had made.

2 Chronicles 11:15 esv

and he appointed his own priests for the high places and for the goat idols and for the calves that he had made.

2 Chronicles 11:15 nlt

Jeroboam appointed his own priests to serve at the pagan shrines, where they worshiped the goat and calf idols he had made.

2 Chronicles 11 verses

2 Chronicles 11 15 Meaning

This verse reveals King Jeroboam's deliberate and defiant establishment of a corrupt religious system in the northern kingdom of Israel. Fearing that continued pilgrimage to Jerusalem for worship would cause his subjects to return their allegiance to Rehoboam, Jeroboam created alternative places of worship (high places), fabricated idols (golden calves), and appointed unauthorized "priests" for these illicit cults. This was a direct usurpation of God's commanded worship and priesthood, intended to secure his political power rather than honor the Lord.

2 Chronicles 11 15 Context

This verse is set after the division of the united kingdom of Israel into two parts: Judah (under Rehoboam, Solomon's son) and Israel (under Jeroboam). Jeroboam, as the new king of the northern tribes, sought to solidify his rule and prevent his people from returning to Jerusalem for the prescribed worship at the Temple. This religious journey could rekindle loyalty to the Davidic dynasty in Judah. Therefore, in an act of political expediency and profound spiritual apostasy, Jeroboam established rival centers of worship at Bethel and Dan, complete with golden calves. Verse 15 specifically describes his further act of defying God's explicit law by appointing non-Levitical, unholy priests to officiate at these illegitimate high places and before his newly created idols. This systematic religious corruption stands in stark contrast to the preceding verses (2 Chr 11:13-14), which describe the loyal priests and Levites, and many from all tribes of Israel, abandoning Jeroboam's ungodly regime and migrating to Judah to maintain true worship of YHWH.

2 Chronicles 11 15 Word analysis

• And he ordained: The Hebrew verb is ya'as (עשׂה), meaning "to do, to make, to prepare, to appoint." While often translated "made" or "did," in this context, when referring to priests, it carries the strong sense of establishing or setting up a religious system, usurping God's prerogative. This was an illegitimate appointment, lacking any divine sanction.
• priests: The Hebrew kohanim (כֹּהֲנִים) normally refers to those divinely chosen from the tribe of Levi and line of Aaron to minister before YHWH. Here, Jeroboam "made" them, implying they were not divinely called or from the legitimate lineage, but arbitrarily chosen by him from among "all sorts of people" (1 Ki 12:31), likely whoever was willing, highlighting the complete spiritual deviation.
• for himself: The Hebrew lo (לוֹ), meaning "for him" or "to him," emphatically reveals the self-serving, human-centric motivation behind Jeroboam's actions. These priests and the entire religious structure were not "for God" but "for himself" and his own political stability. It underscores a self-made religion.
• for the high places: The Hebrew bamot (בָּמוֹת) refers to elevated, often pagan, shrines. Though Israelites sometimes built legitimate altars on high places, by the time of the monarchy, these were largely associated with illicit, syncretistic, or pagan worship condemned by God, specifically against the unified worship at the Jerusalem Temple. Jeroboam centralized idolatry in these forbidden locations.
• and for the devils: The Hebrew se'irim (שְׂעִירִים), literally means "hairy ones" or "he-goats." In ancient Near Eastern religions, these were often goat-demons or satyr-like creatures believed to inhabit desolate places, or pagan deities represented in such forms. Sacrificing to se'irim (Lev 17:7, Deut 32:17) was explicitly forbidden, indicating contact with demonic forces. This word reveals the dark, satanic nature of the worship Jeroboam propagated. It is a polemical term, disparaging Jeroboam's false gods as mere "demons."
• and for the calves: The Hebrew 'agalei (עֲגָלֵי) refers to the golden calves set up by Jeroboam at Bethel and Dan (1 Ki 12:28-30). This was a direct mimicry of the Israelites' original idolatrous act at Mount Sinai (Ex 32) and represents the adoption of a distorted image of God or a substitute deity.
• which he had made: This phrase attributes full responsibility and agency for the idolatry directly to Jeroboam. It highlights the human origin of this corrupt worship, in contrast to the divinely commanded worship of YHWH. He personally initiated and oversaw the fabrication of these objects of false worship.

Words-group analysis

• And he ordained priests for himself: This phrase emphasizes the illegitimate authority and self-serving purpose behind Jeroboam's actions. He took on a divine prerogative, appointing religious leaders for his own ends, directly contradicting the Levitical priesthood established by God. This was a core rebellion against God's order.
• for the high places, and for the devils, and for the calves: This tripartite list identifies the full scope and nature of Jeroboam's religious perversion. It moves from illicit worship sites (high places) to actual demonic entities (se'irim) and then to man-made idols (golden calves). This sequence illustrates a complete departure from YHWH, embracing multiple forms of prohibited worship—spatial, spiritual, and material.
• which he had made: This concluding clause repeatedly underlines Jeroboam's deliberate act of creation and initiative in establishing this apostate religion. It reinforces that this was not inherited or accidentally slipped into, but a conscious, political, and personal rejection of YHWH and His commandments.

2 Chronicles 11 15 Bonus section

• Jeroboam's actions set a theological precedent for all subsequent kings of Israel, almost all of whom are described as walking in "the sins of Jeroboam." This verse marks the systematic institutionalization of idolatry in the northern kingdom.
• The abandonment of Jeroboam by the Levites and faithful Israelites (2 Chr 11:13-16) highlights a critical choice between allegiance to a human king's illegitimate religion and adherence to YHWH's covenant. This mass exodus solidified Judah's position as the preserving land of YHWH worship, albeit imperfectly.
• The use of "devils" (se'irim) is a deliberate pejorative, reducing the status of pagan deities to mere demons, exposing the spiritual emptiness and danger behind false worship. It also points to the true spiritual forces at play behind idolatry.

2 Chronicles 11 15 Commentary

2 Chronicles 11:15 succinctly captures the profound and intentional apostasy initiated by King Jeroboam, a sin that became foundational to the decline of the northern kingdom of Israel. Motivated by political self-preservation, he engineered an entire religious system, making "priests for himself." These were not God-ordained Levites but individuals appointed by royal decree, fundamentally undermining divine authority. These illegitimate priests were designated to officiate at "high places," locations inherently condemned as centers of pagan and syncretistic worship. Most strikingly, they served "devils" (Hebrew: se'irim, goat-demons) and "calves which he had made." This explicitly links Jeroboam's cult to direct idolatry and the worship of demonic entities, a grave transgression against the first and second commandments. His actions created a permanent breach, establishing a false worship that would plague Israel for centuries, preventing true communion with God and setting the stage for their eventual judgment and exile.