You have done evil above all that were before you: Since Jeroboam was the first ruler of the northern kingdom, the words all that were before you may refer to David and Solomon. Contemporary English Version says “you have done more evil things than any king before you,” but the reference is more likely to be the judges and rulers before David. International Children’s Bible therefore has the more general statement “you have done more evil things than anyone who ruled before you.”
Have gone and made for yourself other gods, and molten images: Even though the Hebrew text has the two verbs rendered gone and made, they should not be understood to mean that he first went somewhere and then made something. They simply mean he made something (so Good News Translation). It may also be significant that the writer says made for yourself. That is, Jeroboam took it upon himself to make his own gods in spite of the fact that Yahweh should have been his only God.
The two expressions other gods and molten images do not refer to two different things. The Hebrew conjunction translated and in Revised Standard Version may be translated “that is.” Other gods refers to the golden calves, and molten images refers to the metal images of the calves. For the last half of this verse, New Living Translation says “You have made other gods and have made me furious with your gold calves….” See also Contemporary English Version: “You have made me very angry by rejecting me and making idols out of gold.” Molten images were idols made by metal-casting. Some images were made by pouring melted liquid metals such as gold, silver, bronze, or iron over a form and allowing them to cool and harden. Others were made by pouring these liquid metals into molds. The Hebrew noun rendered molten images occurs also in 2 Kgs 17.16. See the comments on 1 Kgs 12.28.
Provoking me to anger translates a single Hebrew verb, which expresses intense emotion. This verb and its related expressions convey a sense of exasperation and bad temper. They are found frequently in the author’s judgments on the individual kings of Judah and Israel. In certain languages it may be more natural to reverse the order of made for yourself other gods and provoking me to anger by saying “you have made me very angry because you made other gods for yourself.”
Have cast me behind your back: This expression means that Jeroboam has “rejected” (Good News Translation, Contemporary English Version) God or treated him with contempt. In some languages this may be most naturally rendered “you have turned your back on me” (so Revised English Bible, New Jerusalem Bible, New Living Translation), but this translation does not quite express the sense of the Hebrew, which refers to throwing away something that is not wanted.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .