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1 Kings 12:6

in 1 Kings 12

Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How do you advise me to respond to these people?” he asked.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

And 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?

KJV

And 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?

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This verse in 1 Kings 12

Commentary

4 notes on this verse
The old men, that stood before Solomon his father - Perhaps “the princes” of 1Ki 4:2. Solomon placed great value upon good advisers Pro 11:14; Pro 15:22; Pro 24:6.

This site's exposition

consulted with the old men

on 1 Kings 12:6-7

The old men who had stood before Solomon give counsel in one sentence: be a servant to this people today, and they will serve you forever. It is the same principle Solomon himself asked for at Gibeon, a heart to judge the people, offered back to his son by the men who watched him govern. The chapter records the advice before it records its rejection, so the reader weighs the wisdom on offer against what Rehoboam actually chooses.

The record, by era

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

And King Rehoboam consulted with the old men that stood before Solomon his father, while he yet lived,.... Which was very prudently done; for as these were men in years, and had been his father's counsellors, from whom, do doubt, they had learnt much wisdom, being often in cabinet council with him, they were capable of giving him the best advice: and said, how do you advise, that I may answer this people? what answer would you advise me to give to them, and in what manner?

The Nineteenth Century1 voice

A commentator

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

1802–1910

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)

proposed

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.

The words behind it

23 Hebrew words

Every Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.

  • וַיִּוָּעַ֞ץand he consulted

    vaiyivaatzH3289 →79 times

  • הַמֶּ֣לֶךְthe king

    hamelekhH4428 →2525 times

  • רְחַבְעָ֗םRehoboam

    rechavamH7346 →50 times

  • אֶת־with

    ʾet-H854 →929 times

  • הַזְּקֵנִים֙the elders

    hazekenimH2205 →178 times

  • אֲשֶׁר־who

    ʾasher-H834 →5497 times

  • הָי֣וּthey were

    hayuH1961 →3559 times

  • עֹמְדִ֗יםstanding

    ʾomedimH5975 →521 times

  • אֶת־with

    ʾet-H854 →929 times

  • פְּנֵי֙[the] presence of

    peneiH6440 →2123 times

  • שְׁלֹמֹ֣הSolomon

    shelomohH8010 →291 times

  • אָבִ֔יוfather his

    ʾavivH1 →1212 times

  • בִּֽהְיֹת֥וֹwhen was he

    bihyotoH1961 →3559 times

  • חַ֖יalive

    chaiH2416 →498 times

  • לֵאמֹ֑ר<to> saying

    lemorH559 →5305 times

  • אֵ֚יךְhow?

    ʾeikhH349 →

  • אַתֶּ֣ם[are] you

    ʾatemH859 →1094 times

  • נֽוֹעָצִ֔יםcounseling

    noatzimH3289 →79 times

  • לְהָשִׁ֥יבto bring back

    lehashivH7725 →1056 times

  • אֶת־<obj.>

    ʾet-H853 →10935 times

  • הָֽעָם־the people

    haom-H5971 →1873 times

  • הַזֶּ֖ה<the> this

    hazehH2088 →1180 times

  • דָּבָֽר׃word

    davarH1697 →1440 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

9 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

Job 12:12Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.3 worksJob 32:7I thought that age should speak, and many years should teach wisdom.3 worksGenesis 41:46Now Joseph was thirty years old when he entered the service of Pharaoh king of Egypt. And Joseph left Pharaoh’s presence and traveled throughout the land of Egypt.3 works2 Samuel 16:20Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give me counsel. What should we do?”2 worksJeremiah 43:2Azariah son of Hoshaiah, Johanan son of Kareah, and all the arrogant men said to Jeremiah, “You are lying! The LORD our God has not sent you to say, ‘You must not go to Egypt to reside there.’2 worksProverbs 27:10Do not forsake your friend or your father’s friend, and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.2 works
The other 3 cross-references, with their words ▾
1 Kings 4:2and these were his chief officials: Azariah son of Zadok was the priest;2 works2 Samuel 17:5Then Absalom said, “Summon Hushai the Archite as well, and let us hear what he too has to say.”2 worksJeremiah 42:2–5Jeremiah the prophet and said, “May our petition come before you; pray to the LORD your God on behalf of this entire remnant. For few of us remain of the many, as you can see with your own eyes.2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.

  • Through

    Proverbs 27:10

    Do not forsake your friend or your father’s friend, and do not go to your brother’s house in the day of your calamity; better a neighbor nearby than a brother far away.

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 18:24

      A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother.

    • Proverbs 17:17

      A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.

    • 1 Kings 12:6–8

      Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How do you advise me to respond to these people?” he asked.

    • Luke 10:30–37

      Jesus took up this question and said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him, beat him, and went away, leaving him…

  • Through

    Job 12:12

    Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.

    it leads to

    • Job 32:7

      I thought that age should speak, and many years should teach wisdom.

    • Job 15:10

      Both the gray-haired and the aged are on our side—men much older than your father.

  • Through

    Job 32:7

    I thought that age should speak, and many years should teach wisdom.

    it leads to

    • Proverbs 16:31

      Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is attained along the path of righteousness.

    • Job 12:12

      Wisdom is found with the elderly, and understanding comes with long life.

Where this verse is studied

On this page

Studies1

About 1 Kings

The Judgment of Solomon, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
The Judgment of Solomon, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
1 Kings: the study guide →Read 1 Kings 12 →

This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.

Read on in 1 Kings 12 →