1 Kings 12:7

Linguistic Bible Translation from Source Texts

They replied, "If you will serve these people today and grant their request, speaking kind words to them, they will always be your servants."

Additional Resources

Other Translations

  • King James Version 1769 (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.

  • KJV1611 – Modern English

    And they spoke to him, saying, If you will be a servant to this people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.

  • King James Version 1611 (Original)

    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.

  • American Standard Version with Strong's Numbers

    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.

  • King James Version with Strong's Numbers

    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.

  • 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.

  • Geneva Bible (1560)

    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.

  • Bishops' 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.

  • Authorized King James Version (1611)

    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.

  • Webster's Bible (1833)

    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.

  • Young's Literal Translation (1862/1898)

    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.'

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    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.

  • American Standard Version (1901)

    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 (1941)

    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.

  • World English Bible (2000)

    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."

  • NET Bible® (New English Translation)

    They said to him,“Today if you will be a servant to these people and grant their request, speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants from this time forward.”

Referenced Verses

  • Prov 15:1 : 1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.
  • Eccl 10:4 : 4 If the anger of a ruler rises against you, do not abandon your post, for calmness can lay great offenses to rest.
  • Zech 1:13 : 13 And the Lord answered the angel who was speaking with me with kind and comforting words.
  • Mark 10:43-44 : 43 'But it shall not be so among you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,' 44 'and whoever wants to be first must be a slave to all.'
  • Phil 2:7-9 : 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of humanity. And being found in appearance as a man, 8 He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow—in heaven, on earth, and under the earth— 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
  • 2 Sam 15:3-6 : 3 Then Absalom would say to him, 'Look, your claims are good and valid, but there is no one appointed by the king to hear you.' 4 And Absalom would add, 'If only I were appointed judge in the land, then every man who has a dispute or case could come to me, and I would ensure he receives justice.' 5 Whenever a man approached to bow down to him, Absalom would reach out, take hold of him, and kiss him. 6 Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king for judgment, and he stole the hearts of the people of Israel.
  • 1 Kgs 12:13 : 13 But the king answered the people harshly, rejecting the advice given to him by the elders.
  • 2 Chr 10:6-7 : 6 Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime, asking, "How would you advise me to answer these people?" 7 They replied, "If you are kind to these people, please them, and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants."

Similar Verses (AI)

These verses are found using AI-powered semantic similarity based on meaning and context. Results may occasionally include unexpected connections.

  • 2 Chr 10:3-7
    5 verses
    94%

    3So they sent for Jeroboam, and he came with all Israel. Together, they spoke to Rehoboam, saying,

    4"Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke your father placed on us, and we will serve you."

    5Rehoboam answered, "Come back to me in three days." So the people went away.

    6Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime, asking, "How would you advise me to answer these people?"

    7They replied, "If you are kind to these people, please them, and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants."

  • 1 Kgs 12:3-6
    4 verses
    78%

    3They sent for him, and Jeroboam and the entire assembly of Israel came and spoke to Rehoboam.

    4They said to him, "Your father made our yoke heavy. Now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he placed on us, and we will serve you."

    5Rehoboam replied, "Come back to me in three days," so the people departed.

    6Then King Rehoboam consulted the elders who had served his father Solomon while he was alive. He asked, "How do you advise me to answer these people?"

  • 2 Chr 12:8
    75%

    8However, they will become his servants, so that they may learn the difference between serving me and serving the kings of other lands."

  • 1 Sam 12:14-15
    2 verses
    75%

    14If you fear the LORD, serve Him, obey His voice, and do not rebel against His command, then both you and the king who reigns over you will follow the LORD your God.

    15But if you do not obey the LORD and rebel against His command, then the hand of the LORD will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.

  • 1 Kgs 12:27
    74%

    27If these people go up to worship at the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem, they will again give their allegiance to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah. They will kill me and return to King Rehoboam of Judah.

  • 1 Kgs 12:8-10
    3 verses
    74%

    8But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders who had counseled him and instead consulted the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him.

    9He asked them, "What is your advice? How should we reply to these people who have said to me, 'Lighten the yoke your father has put on us'?"

    10The young men who had grown up with him replied, "Here is what you should tell these people who have said to you, 'Your father made our yoke heavy; now lighten it for us': Tell them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist.

  • 1 Kgs 12:12-14
    3 verses
    73%

    12Three days later, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had instructed them, saying, "Come back to me on the third day."

    13But the king answered the people harshly, rejecting the advice given to him by the elders.

    14He said to them, "My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father disciplined you with whips; I will discipline you with scorpions."

  • Job 36:11
    73%

    11If they listen and serve Him, they will complete their days in prosperity and their years in pleasure.

  • Deut 20:11
    72%

    11If it accepts your offer of peace and opens its gates to you, then all the people found in it shall serve you and work for you.

  • 2 Chr 10:12-14
    3 verses
    72%

    12On the third day, Jeroboam and all the people returned to Rehoboam, as the king had said, "Come back to me in three days."

    13The king answered them harshly. Rejecting the advice of the elders,

    14he followed the advice of the young men and said, "My father made your yoke heavy; I will make it even heavier. My father disciplined you with whips; I will discipline you with scorpions."

  • 2 Chr 11:3
    71%

    3“Say to Rehoboam, son of Solomon, king of Judah, and to all Israel in Judah and Benjamin,

  • 1 Chr 28:7
    71%

    7I will establish his kingdom forever if he is resolute in keeping My commandments and ordinances, as he is doing today.’

  • 1 Kgs 12:23
    71%

    23"Say to Rehoboam son of Solomon king of Judah, to all Judah and Benjamin, and to the rest of the people,

  • 2 Chr 10:9
    71%

    9He asked them, "What is your advice? How should we answer these people who say to me, 'Lighten the yoke your father put on us'?"

  • 1 Kgs 10:8
    70%

    8How happy your people must be! How blessed your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!

  • 2 Sam 19:7
    70%

    7You love those who hate you and hate those who love you. You have made it clear today that commanders and servants mean nothing to you. I can see that if Absalom were alive today and all of us were dead, it would have pleased you.

  • Neh 9:36
    70%

    36Here we are today, slaves in the land You gave to our ancestors so they could enjoy its fruit and its goodness—here we are, slaves in it!

  • 2 Chr 9:7
    69%

    7How blessed are your men, and how blessed are these servants who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom!

  • 2 Chr 7:19
    69%

    19But if you turn away and forsake the statutes and commandments I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them,

  • 2 Sam 15:34
    69%

    34'But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, “Your servant will serve you, O king; I was your father’s servant in the past, but now I will be your servant,” then you can thwart Ahithophel’s advice for me.'

  • 1 Sam 20:7
    69%

    7If he says, 'Good,' it will mean peace for your servant. But if he is very angry, know that he has determined harm.

  • Gen 44:7
    69%

    7But they replied to him, "Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants to do such a thing!

  • 1 Sam 8:9
    69%

    9Now then, listen to them, but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will demand.'

  • 1 Sam 8:17
    69%

    17He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves.

  • Deut 15:16-17
    2 verses
    69%

    16But if they say to you, 'I will not leave you,' because they love you and your household and are well off with you,

    17then take an awl and pierce their ear to the door, and they will become your servant for life. You shall do the same for your female servant.

  • Jer 27:12
    69%

    12I spoke to Zedekiah king of Judah with the same message, saying, "Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon; serve him and his people, and you will live.

  • Job 41:4
    68%

    4I will not keep silent about his limbs, his mighty strength, or his graceful form.

  • 2 Sam 7:25
    68%

    25And now, O LORD God, confirm forever the word that you have spoken concerning your servant and his house, and do as you have spoken.

  • 1 Kgs 11:38
    68%

    38If you listen to all that I command you and walk in My ways, doing what is right in My eyes by keeping My statutes and commands, as My servant David did, then I will be with you. I will build you a sure house, as I built for David, and I will give Israel to you.

  • Eph 6:7
    68%

    7Serve with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not to people,

  • 1 Sam 12:25
    68%

    25But if you persist in doing evil, both you and your king will be swept away.

  • 2 Chr 7:17
    68%

    17As for you, if you walk before Me as David your father did, and do all I have commanded, and observe My statutes and judgments,

  • 1 Kgs 9:6
    68%

    6'But if you or your descendants turn away from Me and do not keep My commands and statutes that I have given you, and you go and serve other gods and bow down to them,

  • Dan 2:7
    68%

    7They answered again, saying, "Let the king tell the dream to his servants, and we will reveal its interpretation."

  • 1 Chr 28:21
    68%

    21The divisions of the priests and Levites are ready for all the service of the temple of God, and every willing volunteer skilled in any craft will assist you in all the work. The officials and all the people will be at your command.