hem, the one in the city
Bethel, and the other in Dan, which last was at the fountains of the
Lesser Jordan [24] and he put the heifers into both the little temples,
in the forementioned cities. And when he had called those ten tribes
together over whom he ruled, he made a speech to the people in these
words: "I suppose, my countrymen, that you know this, that every place
hath God in it; nor is there any one determinate place in which he
is, but he every where hears and sees those that worship him; on which
account I do not think it right for you to go so long a journey to
Jerusalem, which is an enemy's city, to worship him. It was a man that
built the temple: I have also made two golden heifers, dedicated to the
same God; and the one of them I have consecrated in the city Bethel, and
the other in Dan, to the end that those of you that dwell nearest those
cities may go to them, and worship God there; and I will ordain for you
certain priests and Levites from among yourselves, that you may have no
want of the tribe of Levi, or of the sons of Aaron; but let him that is
desirous among you of being a priest, bring to God a bullock and a ram,
which they say Aaron the first priest brought also." When Jeroboam
had said this, he deluded the people, and made them to revolt from the
worship of their forefathers, and to transgress their laws. This was
the beginning of miseries to the Hebrews, and the cause why they were
overcome in war by foreigners, and so fell into captivity. But we shall
relate those things in their proper places hereafter.

5. When the feast [of tabernacles] was just approaching, Jeroboam
was desirous to celebrate it himself in Bethel, as did the two tribes
celebrate it in Jerusalem. Accordingly he built an altar before the
heifer, and undertook to be high priest himself. So he went up to the
altar, with his own priests about him; but when he was going to offer
the sacrifices and the burnt-offerings, in the sight of all the people,
a prophet, whose name was Jadon, was sent by God, and came to him from
Jerusalem, who stood in the midst of the multitude, and in the 'hearing
of' the king, and directing his discourse to the altar, said thus: "God
foretells that there shall be a certain man of the family of David,
Josiah by name, who shall slay upon thee those false priests that shall
live at that time, and upon thee shall burn the bones of those deceivers
of the people, those impostors' and wicked wretches. However