1 Kings 12:7

Contextual Overview

¹Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had gone to Shechem to make him king. ¹ Rechav`am went to Shekhem: for all Yisra'el were come to Shekhem to make him king. ¹ And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for all Israel were come to Shechem to make him king. ¹ Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. ¹ Rehoboam went to Shechem, where all the Israelites had gone to make him king. ¹ Rehoboam traveled to Shechem, for all Israel had gathered in Shechem to make Rehoboam king. ¹Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. ¹ Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, because all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king. ¹ And Rehoboam went to Shechem: for al Israel were come to Sheche, to make him king ¹Then Rehoboam went to Shechem, for all Israel had come to Shechem to make him king.

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
Noach built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal, and of every clean bird, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

Genesis 8:20
And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord ; and took of every clean beast, and of every clean fowl, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

Genesis 8:20
And Noah built an altar to Yahweh, and he took from all the clean animals and from all the clean birds, and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

Genesis 8:20
Then Noah built an altar to the Lord . He took some of all the clean birds and animals, and he burned them on the altar as offerings to God.

Genesis 8:20
Noah built an altar to the Lord . He then took some of every kind of clean animal and clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

Genesis 8:20
And Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every [ceremonially] clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

Genesis 8:20
Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took some of every kind of clean animal and some of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

Genesis 8:20
Then Noah built an altar to the Lord & tooke of euery cleane beast, & of euery cleane foule, and offered burnt offerings vpon the altar.

Genesis 8:20
Then Noah built an altar to Yahweh and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar.

Genesis 8:20
Noah built an altar where he could offer sacrifices to the Lord . Then he offered on the altar one of each kind of animal and bird that could be used for a sacrifice.

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.