| Geneva Study Bible And he ordained him priests for the high places, and for the {d} devils, and for the calves which he had made. (d) Meaning idols, Isa 44:15. Wesley's Notes 11:15 High places - Or, for the high places, both for the devils (the Baals, or false gods, which divers of his people worshipped, whom he encouraged to do so, giving them liberty to do anything but to serve God at Jerusalem) and for the calves. So he erected two sorts of high places, some for Baal, and some for the true God, whom be pretended to worship, in and by the calves. Scofield Reference Notes Margin devils Lit. "hairy ones," i.e. satyrs, Isa 13:21. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary 15. he ordained him priests-The persons he appointed to the priesthood were low and worthless creatures (1Ki 12:31; 13:33); any were consecrated who brought a bullock and seven rams (2Ch 13:9; Ex 29:37). for the high places-Those favorite places of religious worship were encouraged throughout the country. for the devils-a term sometimes used for idols in general (Le 17:7). But here it is applied distinctively to the goat deities, which were probably worshipped chiefly in the northern parts of his kingdom, where the heathen Canaanites still abounded. for the calves which he had made-figures of the ox gods Apis and Mnevis, with which Jeroboam's residence in Egypt had familiarized him. (See on [432]1Ki 12:26). Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary 11:13-23 When the priests and Levites came to Jerusalem, the devout, pious Israelites followed them. Such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel, left the inheritance of their fathers, and went to Jerusalem, that they might have free access to the altar of God, and be out of the temptation to worship the calves. That is best for us, which is best for our souls; in all our choices, religious advantages must be sought before all outward conveniences. Where God's faithful priests are, his faithful people should be. And when it has been proved that we are willing to renounce our worldly interests, so far as we are called to do so for the sake of Christ and his gospel, we have good evidence that we are truly his disciples. And it is the interest of a nation to protect religion and religious people. | 
