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Sunday, December 21st, 2025
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Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

1 Kings 12:8

But he rejected the counsel of the elders and asked the young men he'd grown up with who were now currying his favor, "What do you think? What should I say to these people who are saying, ‘Give us a break from your father's harsh ways—lighten up on us'?"

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Counsel;   Fellowship;   Government;   Jeroboam;   Petition;   Rashness;   Rehoboam;   Revolt;   Rulers;   Young Men;   Thompson Chain Reference - Young People;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Alliance and Society with the Enemies of God;   Fools;   Kings;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Adoniram;   Jeroboam;   Rehoboam;   Shechem;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Jeroboam;   Jerusalem;   Rehoboam;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Counselor;   Elder;   Kings, First and Second, Theology of;   Wages;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Age;   Israel, Kingdom of;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Kings, the Books of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Counselor;   Kings, 1 and 2;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Age, Aged, Old Age;   Israel;   Rehoboam,;   Solomon;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Sanhedrin;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Rehoboam ;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Im'la;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Government of the Hebrews;   Jeroboam;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Revolt;   Kingdom of Israel;   Kingdom of Judah;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Age;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Age old;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Kings, Books of;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But he rejected the advice of the elders who had advised him and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him and attended him.
Hebrew Names Version
But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.
King James Version
But 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:
English Standard Version
But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him.
New Century Version
But Rehoboam rejected this advice. Instead, he asked the young men who had grown up with him and who served as his advisers.
New English Translation
But Rehoboam rejected their advice and consulted the young advisers who served him, with whom he had grown up.
Amplified Bible
But he ignored the advice which the elders gave him and consulted the young men who grew up with him and served him.
New American Standard Bible
But he ignored the advice of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him and served him.
Geneva Bible (1587)
But he forsooke the counsell that the olde men had giuen him, and asked counsell of the yong men that had bene brought vp with him, and waited on him.
Legacy Standard Bible
But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had counseled him, and took counsel with the young men who grew up with him and stood before him.
Contemporary English Version
But Rehoboam refused their advice and went to the younger men who had grown up with him and were now his officials.
Complete Jewish Bible
But he didn't take the advice the older men gave him; instead he consulted the young men he had grown up with, who were now his attendants.
Darby Translation
But he forsook the advice of the old men which they had given him, and consulted with the young men, who had grown up with him, that stood before him.
Easy-to-Read Version
But Rehoboam did not listen to the advice from the older men. He asked the young men who were his friends.
George Lamsa Translation
But he forsook the counsel which the old men had given him and consulted with the young men who were grown up with him and who stood before him;
Good News Translation
But he ignored the advice of the older men and went instead to the young men who had grown up with him and who were now his advisers.
Lexham English Bible
But he rejected the advice of the old men, which they gave him, and he consulted with the youngsters who had grown up with him, who were serving before him.
Literal Translation
But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they advised him, and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him, who were standing before him.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Neuertheles he forsoke the councell that ye Elders had geuen him, and axed councell at the yonge men which were growne vp with him, and stode before him.
American Standard Version
But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men that were grown up with him, that stood before him.
Bible in Basic English
But he gave no attention to the opinion of the old men, and went to the young men of his generation who were waiting before him:
Bishop's Bible (1568)
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,
JPS Old Testament (1917)
But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men that were grown up with him, that stood before him.
King James Version (1611)
But hee forsooke the counsell of the old men, which they had giuen him, and consulted with the yong men, that were growen vp with him, and which stood before him.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they gave him, and consulted with the young men who were brought up with him, who stood in his presence.
English Revised Version
But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men that were grown up with him, that stood before him.
Berean Standard Bible
But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Which Roboam forsook the counsel of elde men, which thei yauen to hym, and took yonge men, that weren nurschid with hym, and stoden nyy him;
Young's Literal Translation
And he forsaketh the counsel of the elders which they counselled him, and consulteth with the lads who have grown up with him, who are standing before him;
Update Bible Version
But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men that had grown up with him, that stood before him.
Webster's Bible Translation
But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that had grown up with him, [and] who stood before him:
World English Bible
But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.
New King James Version
But he rejected the advice which the elders had given him, and consulted the young men who had grown up with him, who stood before him.
New Living Translation
But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the older men and instead asked the opinion of the young men who had grown up with him and were now his advisers.
New Life Bible
But Rehoboam turned away from the wise words the leaders gave him. Instead he spoke with the young men who grew up with him and stood by him.
New Revised Standard
But he disregarded the advice that the older men gave him, and consulted with the young men who had grown up with him and now attended him.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
But he declined the counsel of the elders which they gave him, and consulted with the young men, who had grown up with him, who were standing before himself;
Douay-Rheims Bible
But he left the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that had been brought up with him, and stood before him.
Revised Standard Version
But he forsook the counsel which the old men gave him, and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
But he forsook the counsel of the elders which they had given him, and consulted with the young men who grew up with him and served him.

Contextual Overview

1Rehoboam traveled to Shechem where all Israel had gathered to inaugurate him as king. Jeroboam had been in Egypt, where he had taken asylum from King Solomon; when he got the report of Solomon's death he had come back. 3Rehoboam assembled Jeroboam and all the people. They said to Rehoboam, "Your father made life hard for us—worked our fingers to the bone. Give us a break; lighten up on us and we'll willingly serve you." 5 "Give me three days to think it over, then come back," Rehoboam said. 6 King Rehoboam talked it over with the elders who had advised his father when he was alive: "What's your counsel? How do you suggest that I answer the people?" 7 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." 8But he rejected the counsel of the elders and asked the young men he'd grown up with who were now currying his favor, "What do you think? What should I say to these people who are saying, ‘Give us a break from your father's harsh ways—lighten up on us'?" 10The young turks he'd grown up with said, "These people who complain, ‘Your father was too hard on us; lighten up'—well, tell them this: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father's waist. If you think life under my father was hard, you haven't seen the half of it. My father thrashed you with whips; I'll beat you bloody with chains!'" 12Three days later Jeroboam and the people showed up, just as Rehoboam had directed when he said, "Give me three days to think it over, then come back." The king's answer was harsh and rude. He spurned the counsel of the elders and went with the advice of the younger set, "If you think life under my father was hard, you haven't seen the half of it. My father thrashed you with whips; I'll beat you bloody with chains!" 15 Rehoboam turned a deaf ear to the people. God was behind all this, confirming the message that he had given to Jeroboam son of Nebat through Ahijah of Shiloh.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

2 Chronicles 10:8, 2 Chronicles 25:15, 2 Chronicles 25:16, Proverbs 1:2-5, Proverbs 1:25, Proverbs 1:30, Proverbs 19:20, Proverbs 25:12, Ecclesiastes 10:2, Ecclesiastes 10:3

Reciprocal: Genesis 41:46 - he stood 1 Kings 12:28 - took counsel 1 Chronicles 6:32 - and then 1 Chronicles 19:3 - but the princes Proverbs 13:20 - but Hosea 6:10 - there

Cross-References

Genesis 12:14
When Abram arrived in Egypt, the Egyptians took one look and saw that his wife was stunningly beautiful. Pharaoh's princes raved over her to Pharaoh. She was taken to live with Pharaoh.
Genesis 12:16
Because of her, Abram got along very well: he accumulated sheep and cattle, male and female donkeys, men and women servants, and camels. But God hit Pharaoh hard because of Abram's wife Sarai; everybody in the palace got seriously sick.
Genesis 21:33
Abraham planted a tamarisk tree in Beersheba and worshiped God there, praying to the Eternal God. Abraham lived in Philistine country for a long time.
Joshua 7:2
Joshua sent men from Jericho to Ai (The Ruin), which is near Beth Aven just east of Bethel. He instructed them, "Go up and spy out the land." The men went up and spied out Ai.
Joshua 8:3
Joshua and all his soldiers got ready to march on Ai. Joshua chose thirty thousand men, tough, seasoned fighters, and sent them off at night with these orders: "Look sharp now. Lie in ambush behind the city. Get as close as you can. Stay alert. I and the troops with me will approach the city head-on. When they come out to meet us just as before, we'll turn and run. They'll come after us, leaving the city. As we are off and running, they'll say, ‘They're running away just like the first time.' That's your signal to spring from your ambush and take the city. God , your God, will hand it to you on a platter. Once you have the city, burn it down. God says it, you do it. Go to it. I've given you your orders."
Nehemiah 11:31
The Benjaminites from Geba lived in: Micmash Aijah Bethel and its suburbs Anathoth Nob and Ananiah Hazor Ramah and Gittaim Hadid, Zeboim, and Neballat Lod and Ono and the Valley of the Craftsmen. Also some of the Levitical groups of Judah were assigned to Benjamin.
Isaiah 10:28
You Who Legislate Evil Doom to you who legislate evil, who make laws that make victims— Laws that make misery for the poor, that rob my destitute people of dignity, Exploiting defenseless widows, taking advantage of homeless children. What will you have to say on Judgment Day, when Doomsday arrives out of the blue? Who will you get to help you? What good will your money do you? A sorry sight you'll be then, huddled with the prisoners, or just some corpses stacked in the street. Even after all this, God is still angry, his fist still raised, ready to hit them again. "Doom to Assyria, weapon of my anger. My wrath is a cudgel in his hands! I send him against a godless nation, against the people I'm angry with. I command him to strip them clean, rob them blind, and then push their faces in the mud and leave them. But Assyria has another agenda; he has something else in mind. He's out to destroy utterly, to stamp out as many nations as he can. Assyria says, ‘Aren't my commanders all kings? Can't they do whatever they like? Didn't I destroy Calno as well as Carchemish? Hamath as well as Arpad? Level Samaria as I did Damascus? I've eliminated kingdoms full of gods far more impressive than anything in Jerusalem and Samaria. So what's to keep me from destroying Jerusalem in the same way I destroyed Samaria and all her god-idols?'" When the Master has finished dealing with Mount Zion and Jerusalem, he'll say, "Now it's Assyria's turn. I'll punish the bragging arrogance of the king of Assyria, his high and mighty posturing, the way he goes around saying, "‘I've done all this by myself. I know more than anyone. I've wiped out the boundaries of whole countries. I've walked in and taken anything I wanted. I charged in like a bull and toppled their kings from their thrones. I reached out my hand and took all that they treasured as easily as a boy taking a bird's eggs from a nest. Like a farmer gathering eggs from the henhouse, I gathered the world in my basket, And no one so much as fluttered a wing or squawked or even chirped.'" Does an ax take over from the one who swings it? Does a saw act more important than the sawyer? As if a shovel did its shoveling by using a ditch digger! As if a hammer used the carpenter to pound nails! Therefore the Master, God -of-the-Angel-Armies, will send a debilitating disease on his robust Assyrian fighters. Under the canopy of God's bright glory a fierce fire will break out. Israel's Light will burst into a conflagration. The Holy will explode into a firestorm, And in one day burn to cinders every last Assyrian thornbush. God will destroy the splendid trees and lush gardens. The Assyrian body and soul will waste away to nothing like a disease-ridden invalid. A child could count what's left of the trees on the fingers of his two hands. And on that Day also, what's left of Israel, the ragtag survivors of Jacob, will no longer be fascinated by abusive, battering Assyria. They'll lean on God , The Holy—yes, truly. The ragtag remnant—what's left of Jacob—will come back to the Strong God. Your people Israel were once like the sand on the seashore, but only a scattered few will return. Destruction is ordered, brimming over with righteousness. For the Master, God -of-the-Angel-Armies, will finish here what he started all over the globe. Therefore the Master, God -of-the-Angel-Armies, says: "My dear, dear people who live in Zion, don't be terrorized by the Assyrians when they beat you with clubs and threaten you with rods like the Egyptians once did. In just a short time my anger against you will be spent and I'll turn my destroying anger on them. I, God -of-the-Angel-Armies, will go after them with a cat-o'-nine-tails and finish them off decisively—as Gideon downed Midian at the rock Oreb, as Moses turned the tables on Egypt. On that day, Assyria will be pulled off your back, and the yoke of slavery lifted from your neck." Assyria's on the move: up from Rimmon, on to Aiath, through Migron, with a bivouac at Micmash. They've crossed the pass, set camp at Geba for the night. Ramah trembles with fright. Gibeah of Saul has run off. Cry for help, daughter of Gallim! Listen to her, Laishah! Do something, Anathoth! Madmenah takes to the hills. The people of Gebim flee in panic. The enemy's soon at Nob—nearly there! In sight of the city he shakes his fist At the mount of dear daughter Zion, the hill of Jerusalem. But now watch this: The Master, God -of-the-Angel-Armies, swings his ax and lops the branches, Chops down the giant trees, lays flat the towering forest-on-the-march. His ax will make toothpicks of that forest, that Lebanon-like army reduced to kindling.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him,.... He did not rightly relish it, nor cordially receive it; it did not suit with his haughty temper, he could not brook it, to stoop to his people; he thought it a lessening of his dignity to do anything that looked like courting their favour; and therefore determined not to take the advice given him by the old men, but to seek for other:

and consulted with the men, that were grown up with him, and which stood before him; the sons of nobles, with whom he had his education, and who were his companions from his youth upwards, and who were now officers in his court, and of his privy council, being his favourites, and those he consulted on this occasion; and though they are called young men, as they were in comparison of the old men, yet since they were contemporary with Rehoboam, who was now forty one years of age, they must be about forty, or not much under, and at an age to be wiser than they appeared to be.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The age of Rehoboam at his accession is an interesting and difficult question. According to the formal statement of the present text of 1Ki 14:21; 2 Chronicles 12:13, he had reached the mature age of 41 years, and would therefore be unable to plead youth as an excuse for his conduct. The general narrative, however, seems to assume that he was quite a young man (compare 2 Chronicles 13:7). Perhaps the best way of removing the whole difficulty would be to read in the above text “twenty-one” for “forty-one.” The corruption is one which might easily take place, if letters were used for numerals.


 
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