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Easy-to-Read Version
1 Kings 12:7
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."
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Concordances:
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- 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.
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.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
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.
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.
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
1Jeroboam son of Nebat was still in Egypt where he had run away from Solomon. When he heard about Solomon's death, he returned to his city, Zeredah, in the hills of Ephraim. Rehoboam and all the Israelites went to Shechem to make him the king. The people said to Rehoboam, 4 "Your father forced us to work very hard. Now, make it easier for us. Stop the heavy work that your father forced us to do and we will serve you." 5 Rehoboam answered, "Come back to me in three days, and I will answer you." So the people left. 6 There were some older men who had helped Solomon make decisions when he was alive. So King Rehoboam asked these men what he should do. He said, "How do you think I should answer the people?" 7 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." 8 But Rehoboam did not listen to the advice from the older men. He asked the young men who were his friends. 9 Rehoboam asked them, "The people said, ‘Give us easier work than your father gave us.' How do you think I should answer them? What should I tell them?" 10 Then the young men who grew up with him answered, "Those people came to you and said, ‘Your father forced us to work very hard. Now make our work easier.' So you should tell them, ‘My little finger is stronger than my father's whole body. 11 My father forced you to work hard, but I will make you work much harder! My father punished you with whips, but I will punish you with whips that have sharp metal tips.'" 12 Three days later, Jeroboam and all the people came back as Rehoboam had said.
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
Then Noah built an altar to honor the Lord . Noah took some of all the clean birds and some of all the clean animals and burned them on the altar as a gift to God.
Then Noah built an altar to honor the Lord . Noah took some of all the clean birds and some of all the clean animals and burned them on the altar as a gift to God.
Genesis 12:8
Then he left that place and traveled to the mountains east of Bethel. He set up his tent there. Bethel was to the west, and Ai was to the east. Abram built another altar at that place to honor the Lord , and he worshiped the Lord there.
Then he left that place and traveled to the mountains east of Bethel. He set up his tent there. Bethel was to the west, and Ai was to the east. Abram built another altar at that place to honor the Lord , and he worshiped the Lord there.
Genesis 12:9
Then he moved on toward the Negev, stopping for a time at several places on the way.
Then he moved on toward the Negev, stopping for a time at several places on the way.
Genesis 12:12
When the Egyptian men see you, they will say, ‘This woman is his wife.' Then they will kill me and keep you alive because they want you.
When the Egyptian men see you, they will say, ‘This woman is his wife.' Then they will kill me and keep you alive because they want you.
Genesis 13:4
This was where Abram had built an altar earlier. So he worshiped the Lord there.
This was where Abram had built an altar earlier. So he worshiped the Lord there.
Genesis 13:15
All this land that you see I will give to you and your people who live after you. This will be your land forever.
All this land that you see I will give to you and your people who live after you. This will be your land forever.
Genesis 13:18
So Abram moved his tents. He went to live near the big trees of Mamre. This was near the city of Hebron. There he built an altar to honor the Lord .
So Abram moved his tents. He went to live near the big trees of Mamre. This was near the city of Hebron. There he built an altar to honor the Lord .
Genesis 15:18
So on that day the Lord made a promise and an agreement with Abram. He said, "I will give this land to your descendants. I will give them the land between the River of Egypt and the great river Euphrates.
So on that day the Lord made a promise and an agreement with Abram. He said, "I will give this land to your descendants. I will give them the land between the River of Egypt and the great river Euphrates.
Genesis 17:1
When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him. He said, "I am God All-Powerful. Obey me and live the right way.
When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him. He said, "I am God All-Powerful. Obey me and live the right way.
Genesis 17:3
Then Abram bowed down before God. God said to him,
Then Abram bowed down before God. God said to him,
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 âfor onceâ 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.
