1 Kings

1 Kings 12:8–11

⁸But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him. ⁹He asked them, “What message do you advise that we send back to these people who have spoken to me, saying, ‘Lighten the yoke your father put on us’?”

¹⁰The young men who had grown up with him replied, “This is how you should answer these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you must make it lighter.’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! ¹¹Whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.’”

Read all of 1 Kings 12

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

1 Kings 12:8

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
But	וַֽיַּעֲזֹ֛ב	way·ya·‘ă·zōḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5800 leave, forsake, loose
the advice	עֲצַ֥ת	‘ă·ṣaṯ	Noun - feminine singular construct	H6098 counsel, advice
of the elders	הַזְּקֵנִ֖ים	haz·zə·qê·nîm	Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H2205 old
instead	וַיִּוָּעַ֗ץ	way·yiw·wā·‘aṣ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3289 advise, counsel
he consulted	וַיִּוָּעַ֗ץ	way·yiw·wā·‘aṣ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Nifal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H3289 advise, counsel
the young men	הַיְלָדִים֙	hay·lā·ḏîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H3206 child, son, boy, youth
who	אֲשֶׁ֣ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
had grown up	גָּדְל֣וּ	gā·ḏə·lū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H1431 grow up, become great
with him	אִתּ֔וֹ	’it·tōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H854 with
and served	הָעֹמְדִ֖ים	hā·‘ō·mə·ḏîm	Article; Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine plural	H5975 take one's stand, stand
him	לְפָנָֽיו׃	lə·p̄ā·nāw	Preposition-l; Noun - common plural construct; third person masculine singular	H6440 face, before

1 Kings 12:9

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
He asked	וַיֹּ֣אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
them	אֲלֵיהֶ֗ם	’ă·lê·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural	H413 motion to
What	מָ֚ה	māh	Interrogative	H4100 what? how? aught
message	דָּבָ֖ר	dā·ḇār	Noun - masculine singular	H1697 speech, word
do you	אַתֶּ֣ם	’at·tem	Pronoun - second person masculine plural	H859 thou
advise	נֽוֹעָצִ֔ים	nō·w·‘ā·ṣîm	Verb - Nifal - Participle - masculine plural	H3289 advise, counsel
that we send back	וְנָשִׁ֥יב	wə·nā·šîḇ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Conjunctive imperfect - first person common plural	H7725 turn back, return
to these	הַזֶּ֑ה	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
people	הָעָ֣ם	hā·‘ām	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
who	אֲשֶׁ֨ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
have spoken	דִּבְּר֤וּ	dib·bə·rū	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural	H1696 speak
to me	אֵלַי֙	’ê·lay	Preposition; first person common singular	H413 motion to
saying	לֵאמֹ֔ר	lê·mōr	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct	H559 utter, say
Lighten	הָקֵל֙	hā·qêl	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular	H7043 be slight, swift, trifling
the yoke	הָעֹ֔ל	hā·‘ōl	Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5923 yoke
your father	אָבִ֖יךָ	’ā·ḇî·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1 father
put	נָתַ֥ן	nā·ṯan	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5414 give, put, set
on us	עָלֵֽינוּ׃	‘ā·lê·nū	Preposition; first person common plural	H5921 height

1 Kings 12:10

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
The young men	הַיְלָדִים֙	hay·lā·ḏîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H3206 child, son, boy, youth
who	אֲשֶׁ֨ר	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
had grown up	גָּדְל֣וּ	gā·ḏə·lū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H1431 grow up, become great
with him	אִתּוֹ֮	’it·tōw	Preposition; third person masculine singular	H854 with
replied	וַיְדַבְּר֣וּ	way·ḏab·bə·rū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Piel - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1696 speak
This is how	כֹּֽה־	kōh-	Adverb	H3541 thus, here
you should answer	תֹאמַ֣ר	ṯō·mar	Verb - Qal - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
these	הַזֶּ֡ה	haz·zeh	Article; Pronoun - masculine singular	H2088 this, that
people	לָעָ֣ם	lā·‘ām	Preposition-l, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H5971 people
who	אֲשֶׁר֩	’ă·šer	Pronoun - relative	H834 particle of relation
said	דִּבְּר֨וּ	dib·bə·rū	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person common plural	H1696 speak
to you	אֵלֶ֜יךָ	’ê·le·ḵā	Preposition; second person masculine singular	H413 motion to
Your father	אָבִ֙יךָ֙	’ā·ḇî·ḵā	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine singular	H1 father
made our yoke	עֻלֵּ֔נוּ	‘ul·lê·nū	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common plural	H5923 yoke
heavy	הִכְבִּ֣יד	hiḵ·bîḏ	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3513 be heavy, weighty, burdensome, honoured
but you	וְאַתָּ֖ה	wə·’at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - second person masculine singular	H859 thou
must make it lighter	הָקֵ֣ל	hā·qêl	Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular	H7043 be slight, swift, trifling
This is what	כֹּ֚ה	kōh	Adverb	H3541 thus, here
you should tell	תְּדַבֵּ֣ר	tə·ḏab·bêr	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - second person masculine singular	H1696 speak
them	אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם	’ă·lê·hem	Preposition; third person masculine plural	H413 motion to
My little finger	קָֽטָנִּ֥י	qā·ṭān·nî	Noun - feminine singular construct; first person common singular	H6995 little (finger)
is thicker	עָבָ֖ה	‘ā·ḇāh	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H5666 be thick, fat, gross
than my father’s	אָבִֽי׃	’ā·ḇî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H1 father
waist	מִמָּתְנֵ֥י	mim·mā·ṯə·nê	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine dual construct	H4975 waist, loins

1 Kings 12:11

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
Whereas	וְעַתָּ֗ה	wə·‘at·tāh	Conjunctive waw; Adverb	H6258 now
my father	אָבִי֙	’ā·ḇî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H1 father
burdened	הֶעְמִ֤יס	he‘·mîs	Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H6006 load
you with a heavy	כָּבֵ֔ד	kā·ḇêḏ	Adjective - masculine singular	H3515 heavy
yoke	עֹ֣ל	‘ōl	Noun - masculine singular	H5923 yoke
I	וַאֲנִ֖י	wa·’ă·nî	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
will add	אוֹסִ֣יף	’ō·w·sîp̄	Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - first person common singular	H3254 add
to	עֲלֵיכֶם֙	‘ă·lê·ḵem	Preposition; second person masculine plural	H5921 height
your yoke	עֻלְּכֶ֑ם	‘ul·lə·ḵem	Noun - masculine singular construct; second person masculine plural	H5923 yoke
Whereas my father	אָבִ֗י	’ā·ḇî	Noun - masculine singular construct; first person common singular	H1 father
scourged	יִסַּ֤ר	yis·sar	Verb - Piel - Perfect - third person masculine singular	H3256 discipline, chasten, admonish
you	אֶתְכֶם֙	’eṯ·ḵem	Direct object marker; second person masculine plural	H853 mark of the accusative
with whips	בַּשּׁוֹטִ֔ים	baš·šō·w·ṭîm	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine plural	H7752 scourge, whip
I	וַאֲנִ֕י	wa·’ă·nî	Conjunctive waw; Pronoun - first person common singular	H589 I
will scourge	אֲיַסֵּ֥ר	’ă·yas·sêr	Verb - Piel - Imperfect - first person common singular	H3256 discipline, chasten, admonish
you	אֶתְכֶ֖ם	’eṯ·ḵem	Direct object marker; second person masculine plural	H853 mark of the accusative
with scorpions	בָּעַקְרַבִּֽים׃	bā·‘aq·rab·bîm	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H6137 scorpion

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

1 Kings 12:8 Proverbs 19:20

1 Kings 12:10 2 Chronicles 10:10–11

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.