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3 Kings 12:28

And finding out a device he made two golden calves, and said to them: Go ye up no more to Jerusalem: Behold thy gods, O Israel, who brought thee out of the land of Egypt.

Challoner: Golden calvesIt is likely, by making his gods in this form, he mimicked the Egyptians, among whom he had sojourned, who worshipped their Apis and their Osiris under the form of a bullock.

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The verse in its languages

Vulgate (Clementine): Et excogitato consilio fecit duos vitulos aureos, et dixit eis : Nolite ultra ascendere in Jerusalem : ecce dii tui Israël, qui te eduxerunt de terra Ægypti.
Septuagint (Swete): καὶ ἐβουλεύσατο ὁ βασιλεύς, καὶ ἐπορεύθη καὶ ἐποίησεν δύο δαμάλις χρυσᾶς, καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν λαόν Ἱκανούσθω ὑμῖν ἀναβαίνειν εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ· ἰδοὺ θεοί σου, Ἰσραήλ, οἱ ἀναγαγόντες σε ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου.
Hebrew (WLC): וַיִּוָּעַ֣ץ הַמֶּ֔לֶךְ וַיַּ֕עַשׂ שְׁנֵ֖י עֶגְלֵ֣י זָהָ֑ב וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֲלֵהֶ֗ם רַב לָכֶם֙ מֵעֲל֣וֹת יְרוּשָׁלִַ֔ם הִנֵּ֤ה אֱלֹהֶ֨יךָ֙ יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר הֶעֱל֖וּךָ מֵאֶ֥רֶץ מִצְרָֽיִם

Haydock's commentary

Device. Wicked policy, to make religion subservient to the state. (Worthington)

Jeroboam was right in judging, (Haydock) that it is one of the strongest foundations of government, (Calmet) and therefore he would have a peculiar religion for his subjects. (Haydock)

Strange blindness, caused by ambition! As if God could not have maintained him on the throne. The sequel evinces how delusive were his wicked projects. (Calmet)

Calves. It is likely, by making his gods in this form, he mimicked the Egyptians, among whom he had sojourned, who worshipped their Apis and their Osiris under the form of a bullock. (Challoner) (St. Jerome in Osee iv. 15., and v., &c.)

The Greeks commonly style these idols, heifers, as more contemptible than bulls: (Tirinus) and some Fathers style them, "calf-heads." (Lactantius iv. 10.) Monceau pretends that they resembled the cherubim, and were intended to represent the true God; thus endeavouring to excuse the Israelites from idolatry, on this occasion, as well as when they came out of Egypt, Exodus xxxii. 4. But his arguments are weak, and Jeroboam is constantly condemned as a most wicked and idolatrous prince, chap. xiv. 9., 4 Kings xxiii. 15., and Osee viii. 5., and x. 5. (Calmet)

Egypt. The same had been said by Aaron. (Menochius)

From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.