Lectionary Calendar
Sunday, November 9th, 2025
the Week of Proper 27 / Ordinary 32
the Week of Proper 27 / Ordinary 32
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Read the Bible
Bishop's Bible
1 Kings 12:7
And they sayd vnto him: If thou be a seruaunt vnto this people this day, and folowe their mindes, and aunswere them, & speake kinde wordes to them, they will be thy seruauntes for euer.
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Bible Study Resources
Concordances:
- Nave'sDictionaries:
- AmericanEncyclopedias:
- CondensedParallel Translations
Christian Standard Bible®
They replied, “Today if you will be a servant to this people and serve them, and if you respond to them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”
They replied, “Today if you will be a servant to this people and serve them, and if you respond to them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”
Hebrew Names Version
They spoke to him, saying, If you will be a servant to this people this day, and will serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.
They spoke to him, saying, If you will be a servant to this people this day, and will serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.
King James Version
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.
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.
English Standard Version
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."
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 Century Version
They said, "You should be like a servant to them today. If you serve them and give them a kind answer, they will serve you always."
They said, "You should be like a servant to them today. If you serve them and give them a kind answer, they will serve you always."
New English Translation
They said to him, "Today if you show a willingness to help these people and grant their request, they will be your servants from this time forward."
They said to him, "Today if you show a willingness to help these people and grant their request, they will be your servants from this time forward."
Amplified Bible
They spoke to him, saying, "If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant their request, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever."
They spoke to him, saying, "If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant their request, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever."
New American Standard Bible
Then they spoke to him, saying, "If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant them their request, and speak pleasant words to them, then they will be your servants always."
Then they spoke to him, saying, "If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant them their request, and speak pleasant words to them, then they will be your servants always."
Geneva Bible (1587)
And they spake vnto him, saying, If thou be a seruant vnto this people this day, and serue them, and answere them, & speake kinde wordes to them, they will be thy seruants for euer.
And they spake vnto him, saying, If thou be a seruant vnto this people this day, and serue them, and answere them, & speake kinde wordes to them, they will be thy seruants for euer.
Legacy Standard Bible
And they spoke to him, saying, "If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant them their petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever."
And they spoke to him, saying, "If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant them their petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever."
Contemporary English Version
They answered, "If you want them to serve and obey you, then you should do what they ask today. Tell them you will make their work easier."
They answered, "If you want them to serve and obey you, then you should do what they ask today. Tell them you will make their work easier."
Complete Jewish Bible
They said to him, "If you will start today being a servant to these people — if you will serve them, be responsive to them and give them favorable consideration, then they will be your servants forever."
They said to him, "If you will start today being a servant to these people — if you will serve them, be responsive to them and give them favorable consideration, then they will be your servants forever."
Darby Translation
And they spoke to him saying, If this day thou wilt be a servant to this people, and wilt serve them and answer them and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.
And they spoke to him saying, If this day thou wilt be a servant to this people, and wilt serve them and answer them and speak good words to them, they will be thy servants for ever.
Easy-to-Read Version
They answered, "If you are like a servant to them today, they will sincerely serve you. If you speak kindly to them, they will always work for you."
They answered, "If you are like a servant to them today, they will sincerely serve you. If you speak kindly to them, they will always work for you."
George Lamsa Translation
And they said to him, If you will be a servant to this people this day and will serve them and answer them and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants for ever.
And they said to him, If you will be a servant to this people this day and will serve them and answer them and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants for ever.
Good News Translation
They replied, "If you want to serve this people well, give a favorable answer to their request, and they will always serve you loyally."
They replied, "If you want to serve this people well, give a favorable answer to their request, and they will always serve you loyally."
Lexham English Bible
They said to him, "If you will be a servant today to this people, then you will serve them; and if you answer them and speak good words to them, they will always be your servants."
They said to him, "If you will be a servant today to this people, then you will serve them; and if you answer them and speak good words to them, they will always be your servants."
Literal Translation
And they spoke to him, saying, If you are servant to this people today, and will serve them, and answer them and speak to them good words, then they will be servants to you forever.
And they spoke to him, saying, If you are servant to this people today, and will serve them, and answer them and speak to them good words, then they will be servants to you forever.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
They sayde vnto him: Yf thou do this people a pleasure to daye, and folowe their mynde, and heare them, and geue them good wordes, then shal they be obedient vnto the as longe as thou liuest.
They sayde vnto him: Yf thou do this people a pleasure to daye, and folowe their mynde, and heare them, and geue them good wordes, then shal they be obedient vnto the as longe as thou liuest.
American Standard Version
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.
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.
Bible in Basic English
And they said to him, If you will be a servant to this people today, caring for them and giving them a gentle answer, then they will be your servants for ever.
And they said to him, If you will be a servant to this people today, caring for them and giving them a gentle answer, then they will be your servants for ever.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And they spoke 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.'
And they spoke 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.'
King James Version (1611)
And they spake vnto him, saying, If thou wilt be a seruant vnto this people this day, and wilt serue them, and answere them, and speake good words to them, then they will be thy seruants for euer.
And they spake vnto him, saying, If thou wilt be a seruant vnto this people this day, and wilt serue them, and answere them, and speake good words to them, then they will be thy seruants for euer.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And they spoke to him, saying, If thou wilt this day be a servant to this people, and wilt serve them, and wilt speak to them good words, then will they be thy servants continually.
And they spoke to him, saying, If thou wilt this day be a servant to this people, and wilt serve them, and wilt speak to them good words, then will they be thy servants continually.
English Revised Version
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.
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.
Berean Standard Bible
They replied, "If you will be a servant to these people and serve them this day, and if you will respond by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever."
They replied, "If you will be a servant to these people and serve them this day, and if you will respond by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Whiche seiden to hym, If thou obeiest to dai to this puple, and seruest this puple, and yyuest stide to her axyng, and spekist to hem liyte wordis, thei schulen be seruauntis to thee in alle daies.
Whiche seiden to hym, If thou obeiest to dai to this puple, and seruest this puple, and yyuest stide to her axyng, and spekist to hem liyte wordis, thei schulen be seruauntis to thee in alle daies.
Young's Literal Translation
And they speak unto him, saying, `If, to-day, thou art servant to this people, and hast served them, and answered them, and spoken unto them good words, then they have been to thee servants all the days.'
And they speak unto him, saying, `If, to-day, thou art servant to this people, and hast served them, and answered them, and spoken unto them good words, then they have been to thee servants all the days.'
Update Bible Version
And they spoke to him, saying, If you will be a slave to this people this day, and will serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your slaves forever.
And they spoke to him, saying, If you will be a slave to this people this day, and will serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your slaves forever.
Webster's Bible Translation
And they spoke to him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant to 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.
And they spoke to him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant to 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.
World English Bible
They spoke to him, saying, If you will be a servant to this people this day, and will serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.
They spoke to him, saying, If you will be a servant to this people this day, and will serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.
New King James Version
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."
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."
New Living Translation
The older counselors replied, "If you are willing to be a servant to these people today and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your loyal subjects."
The older counselors replied, "If you are willing to be a servant to these people today and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your loyal subjects."
New Life Bible
They said to him, "Help these people today. Serve them. Answer them with good words. If you do, then they will be your servants forever."
They said to him, "Help these people today. Serve them. Answer them with good words. If you do, then they will be your servants forever."
New Revised Standard
They answered 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."
They answered 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."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And they spake unto him, saying - If, to-day, thou wilt be servant unto this people, and wilt serve them, - and answer them kindly, and speak unto them good words, then will they be, thy, servants, always.
And they spake unto him, saying - If, to-day, thou wilt be servant unto this people, and wilt serve them, - and answer them kindly, and speak unto them good words, then will they be, thy, servants, always.
Douay-Rheims Bible
They said to him: If thou wilt yield to this people to day, and condescend to them, and grant their petition, and wilt speak gentle words to them, they will be thy servants always.
They said to him: If thou wilt yield to this people to day, and condescend to them, and grant their petition, and wilt speak gentle words to them, they will be thy servants always.
Revised Standard Version
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 for ever."
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 for ever."
THE MESSAGE
They said, "If you will be a servant to this people, be considerate of their needs and respond with compassion, work things out with them, they'll end up doing anything for you."
They said, "If you will be a servant to this people, be considerate of their needs and respond with compassion, work things out with them, they'll end up doing anything for you."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then they spoke to him, saying, "If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant them their petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever."
Then they spoke to him, saying, "If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant them their petition, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever."
Contextual Overview
1 And Rehoboam went to Siche: for all Israel were come to Sichem, to make him king. 2 And when Ieroboam the sonne of Nabat whiche was yet in Egypt, heard of it: for he fled to Egypt from the presence of king Solomon, and dwelt in Egypt. 3 So they sent, and called him: and Ieroboam and all the congregation of Is-Israel came, & spake vnto Rehoboam, saying: 4 Thy father made our yocke greeuous, nowe therfore make thou the greenous seruice of thy father and his sore yocke whiche he put vpon vs, lighter, and we will serue thee. 5 And he sayde vnto them: Depart yet for the space of three dayes, and then come againe to me. And the people departed. 6 And king Rehoboam toke counsel with the olde men that stoode before Solomon his father, while he yet lyued, and sayd: What counsel geue ye, that I may haue matter to aunswere this people? 7 And they sayd vnto him: If thou be a seruaunt vnto this people this day, and folowe their mindes, and aunswere them, & speake kinde wordes to them, they will be thy seruauntes for euer. 8 But he forsoke the counsell that the old men had geuen him, and called vnto his counsel young men, that were growe vp with him and wayted on him, 9 And he sayde vnto them: What counsell geue ye, that we may aunswere this people? for they haue communed with me, saying: Make the yocke whiche thy father did put vpon vs, lighter. 10 And ye young men that were growen vp with him, spake vnto him, saying: Thus shalt thou speake vnto this people that haue sayd vnto thee, thy father made our yocke heauy, but make thou it vs lighter: Euen thus shalt thou say vnto them, My litle finger shalbe wayghtier then my father was in the loynes.
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
If thou wilt: 2 Chronicles 10:6, 2 Chronicles 10:7, Proverbs 15:1, Mark 10:43, Mark 10:44, Philippians 2:7-11
speak good: 1 Kings 12:13, 2 Samuel 15:3-6, Ecclesiastes 10:4, Zechariah 1:13
Reciprocal: Exodus 21:6 - for ever 1 Chronicles 13:2 - If it seem
Cross-References
Genesis 8:20
And Noah builded an aulter vnto ye Lorde, and tooke of euery cleane beast, and of euery cleane foule, & offred burnt offering on the aulter
And Noah builded an aulter vnto ye Lorde, and tooke of euery cleane beast, and of euery cleane foule, & offred burnt offering on the aulter
Genesis 12:8
And remouyng thence vnto a mountayne that was eastwarde from Bethel, he pitched his tent, hauyng Bethel on the west syde, & Hai on the east: and there he buyldyng an aulter vnto the Lorde, dyd call vpon the name of the Lorde.
And remouyng thence vnto a mountayne that was eastwarde from Bethel, he pitched his tent, hauyng Bethel on the west syde, & Hai on the east: and there he buyldyng an aulter vnto the Lorde, dyd call vpon the name of the Lorde.
Genesis 12:9
And Abram toke his iourney, goyng and iourneying towarde the south.
And Abram toke his iourney, goyng and iourneying towarde the south.
Genesis 12:12
Therfore shall it come to passe, that when the Egyptians see thee, they shall say, she is his wyfe, and they wyll kyll me, but they wyll saue thee aliue:
Therfore shall it come to passe, that when the Egyptians see thee, they shall say, she is his wyfe, and they wyll kyll me, but they wyll saue thee aliue:
Genesis 13:4
Euen vnto the place of the aulter whiche he had made there at the first, and there Abram called on the name of the Lorde.
Euen vnto the place of the aulter whiche he had made there at the first, and there Abram called on the name of the Lorde.
Genesis 13:15
For all the lande whiche thou seest, wyll I geue vnto thee, and to thy seede for euer.
For all the lande whiche thou seest, wyll I geue vnto thee, and to thy seede for euer.
Genesis 13:18
Then Abram taking downe his tent, came and dwelled in the playne of Mamre, which is in Hebron, & buylded there an aulter vnto the Lorde.
Then Abram taking downe his tent, came and dwelled in the playne of Mamre, which is in Hebron, & buylded there an aulter vnto the Lorde.
Genesis 15:18
In that same day the Lorde made a couenaunt with Abram, saying: vnto thy seede haue I geuen this lande, fro the ryuer of Egypt, euen vnto the great ryuer, the ryuer of Euphrates.
In that same day the Lorde made a couenaunt with Abram, saying: vnto thy seede haue I geuen this lande, fro the ryuer of Egypt, euen vnto the great ryuer, the ryuer of Euphrates.
Genesis 17:1
When Abram was ninetie yere olde and nine, the Lorde appeared to hym, and sayde vnto hym: I am the almightie God, walke before me, and be thou perfect.
When Abram was ninetie yere olde and nine, the Lorde appeared to hym, and sayde vnto hym: I am the almightie God, walke before me, and be thou perfect.
Genesis 17:3
And Abram fell on his face, & God talked with hym, saying:
And Abram fell on his face, & God talked with hym, saying:
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And they spake unto him, saying,.... They gave their advice as follows:
if thou wilt be servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them; condescend to them, behave in an humble manner towards them, for this day however, and gratify and oblige them; though indeed a king is but a servant to his people, and his administration of government a doing service to them; hence Antigonus f, a king, mild, humble, and gentle, perceiving his son to behave in a fierce and violent manner towards his subjects, said to him, my son, dost thou not know that our glorious kingdom is a servitude?
and answer them, and speak good words unto them; give them a soft answer, and speak kindly and gently to them, and make them fair promises, and give them reason to expect that their requests will be granted:
then they will be thy servants for ever; such conduct would so win upon them, and make such an impressions upon them, that they would for ever after entertain high opinion of him, and be strongly affected and attached to him, and readily serve him.
f Apud Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 2. c. 20.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
The advice was not that the king should permanently resign the office of ruler, but that he should “for once” be ruled by his people.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse 1 Kings 12:7. If 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 the servant of his people; and in being such he is their father and their king.
They will be thy servants for ever. — The way to insure the obedience of the people is to hold the reins of empire with a steady and impartial hand; let the people see that the king lives for them, and not for himself; and they will obey, love, and defend him. The state is maintained on the part of the ruler and the ruled by mutual acts of service and benevolence. A good king has no self-interest; and such a king will ever have obedient and loving subjects. The haughty, proud tyrant will have a suspicious and jealous people, hourly ripening for revolt. The king is made for the people, not the people for the king. Let every potentate wisely consider this; and let every subject know that the heaviest cares rest on the heart, and the heaviest responsibility rests on the head, of the king. Let them therefore, under his government, fashion themselves as obedient children; acknowledge him their head; and duly consider whose authority he has; that they may love, honour and obey him. Happy are the people who have such a king; safe is the king who has such a people.
