Discovery Box1 Kings 12:32-33 
Context12:32 Jeroboam inaugurated a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, 1 like the festival celebrated in Judah. 2 On the altar in Bethel he offered sacrifices to the calves he had made. 3 In Bethel he also appointed priests for the high places he had made.
12:33 On the fifteenth day of the eighth month (a date he had arbitrarily chosen) 4 Jeroboam 5 offered sacrifices on the altar he had made in Bethel. 6 He inaugurated a festival for the Israelites and went up to the altar to offer sacrifices.
1 sn The eighth month would correspond to October-November in modern reckoning.
2 sn The festival he celebrated in Judah probably refers to the Feast of Tabernacles (i.e., Booths or Temporary Shelters), held in the seventh month (September-October). See also 1 Kgs 8:2.
3 tn Heb “and he offered up [sacrifices] on the altar; he did this in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves which he had made.”
4 tn Heb “which he had chosen by himself.”
5 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Jeroboam) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
6 map For location see Map4 G4; Map5 C1; Map6 E3; Map7 D1; Map8 G3.
