EasyEnglish Bible 2018
1 Kings 12:7
7The old men said to him, ‘If you agree to help these people today, they will always serve you as their king. So do what they are asking you to do.’
1 Kings 12:7 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.
- New International Version (NIV)They replied, “If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.”
- English Standard Version (ESV)And they said to him, "If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever."
- New King James Version (NKJV)And they spoke to him, saying, “If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”
Context of 1 Kings 12:7
5Rehoboam answered them, ‘Go away for three days. Then come back to me.’ So the people went away. 6Then King Rehoboam went to talk to the older advisors who had served his father Solomon. He asked them, ‘What answer should I give to these people?’ The old men said to him, ‘If you agree to help these people today, they will always serve you as their king. So do what they are asking you to do.’ 8But Rehoboam did not agree with their advice. Instead he talked to some younger men. They had been his friends since they were young and now they were his advisors. 9He asked them, ‘What do you think that I should say to these people? They want me to make their work easier.’
Read all of 1 Kings 121 Kings 12:7 word by word
וַיְדַבְּר֨וּ אֵלָ֜יו לֵאמֹ֗ר אִם־הַ֠יּוֹם תִּֽהְיֶה־עֶ֜בֶד לָעָ֤ם הַזֶּה֙ וַֽעֲבַדְתָּ֔ם וַעֲנִיתָ֕ם וְדִבַּרְתָּ֥ אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם דְּבָרִ֣ים טוֹבִ֑ים וְהָי֥וּ לְךָ֛ עֲבָדִ֖ים כָּל־הַיָּמִֽים׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And they spakeדָבַרdâbar · to speak: speakH1696
- unto him, sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- If thou wilt be a servantעֶ֫בֶד‛ebed · servant/slaveH5650
- unto this peopleעַם‛am · peopleH5971
- this dayיוֹםyôm · dayH3117
- and wilt serveעָבַד‛âbad · to serveH5647
- them, and answerעָנָה‛ânâh · to answerH6030
- goodטוֹבţôb · pleasantH2896
- wordsדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- for everיוֹםyôm · day: alwaysH3117
Cross-references for 1 Kings 12:7
- 2 Chronicles 10:6Then King Rehoboam went to talk to the older advisors who had served his father Solomon. He asked them, ‘What answer should I give to these people?’
- Proverbs 15:1If you answer people in a kind way, it stops them being angry. But if you say cruel things, it makes people angry.
- Mark 10:43But you should not be like that. Instead, the person who wants to be great among you must become like your servant.
- Philippians 2:7Instead, he chose to leave heaven. He took for himself the nature of a slave. He became like a human.
- 1 Kings 12:13King Rehoboam spoke cruel words to the people. He did not agree to say what the older men had told him to say.
- 2 Samuel 15:3Then Absalom would say, ‘I am sure that you are right. You deserve to receive justice. But the king has not given any of his officers authority to listen to you.’
- Ecclesiastes 10:4If your master becomes angry with you, do not leave your place. Be patient and answer him quietly. Then he will forgive your mistakes.
- Zechariah 1:13And the Lord answered the angel with kind words.
Commentaries on 1 Kings 12:7
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 7If thou wilt be a servant unto this people - This is a constitutional idea of a king: he is the servant, but not the slave of his people; every regal act of a just king is an act of service to the state. The king is not only the fountain of law and justice; but as he has the appointment of all officers and judges, consequently he is the executor of the laws; and all justice is administered in his name. Properly speaking, a good and constitutional king is…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 7The advice was not that the king should permanently resign the office of ruler, but that he should “for once” be ruled by his people.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 6-7the elders: They had served under Solomon advised a moderate approach.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 5-85-8. he said ... Depart yet for three days--It was prudent to take the people's demand into calm and deliberate consideration. Whether, had the advice of the sage and experienced counsellors been followed, any good result would have followed, it is impossible to say. It would at least have removed all pretext for the separation. [See on 2Ch 10:7.] But he preferred the counsel of his young companions (not in age, for they were all about forty-one, but…Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Kings 12:7
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Kings 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
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