Revised Literal Translation
1 Kings 12:7
7And 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.
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
5And he said unto them, Depart yet for three days, then come again to me. And the people departed. 6And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people? 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. 8But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him: 9And he said unto them, What counsel give ye that we may answer this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke which thy father did put upon us lighter?
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
- 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 10:6And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?
- Proverbs 15:1A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
- Mark 10:43But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
- Philippians 2:7But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
- 1 Kings 12:13And the king answered the people roughly, and forsook the old men’s counsel that they gave him;
- 2 Samuel 15:3And Absalom said unto him, See, thy matters are good and right; but there is no man deputed of the king to hear thee.
- Ecclesiastes 10:4If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences.
- Zechariah 1:13And Yhwh answered the angel that talked with me with good words and comfortable 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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries