I Kings 12:6 · Bible study
1 Kings 12:6 Commentary: Rehoboam Consults the Elders
Hebrew · 6 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why Rehoboam sought counsel from Solomon’s elders and then rejected their wise advice. A study of leadership, pride, and the cost of ignoring experience.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Rehoboam consults Solomon’s elders for advice on how to answer the people’s request for relief.
- Key words: ya‘ats (to advise, consult) and zaqen (old, elder), the root for “elder” carries authority, not just age.
- Main debate: Whether Rehoboam was genuinely seeking counsel or merely going through the motions before following the young men.
- Theological theme: Wisdom humbly serves; pride destroys. The king’s choice mirrors the contrast between the wisdom of Proverbs and the folly of self-reliance.
- Best use: A cautionary tale for leaders about the cost of ignoring experienced, humble advisors.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
Then King Rehoboam consulted with the elders who had served his father Solomon during his lifetime. “How do you advise me to respond to these people?” he asked.
WEB World English Bible 2000
King Rehoboam took counsel with the old men who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, “What counsel do you give me to answer these people?”
KJV King James Version 1769
And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, that stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, and said, How do ye advise that I may answer this people?
ASV American Standard Version 1901
And king Rehoboam took counsel with the old men, that had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, What counsel give ye me to return answer to this people?
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
And king Rehoboam consulteth with the elders who have been standing in the presence of Solomon his father, in his being alive, saying, `How are ye counselling to answer this people?'
Darby Darby Bible 1890
And king Rehoboam consulted with the old men, who had stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived, saying, How do ye advise to return answer to this people?
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
King Roboam took counsel with the old men, that stood before Solomon, his father, while he yet lived, and he said: What counsel do you give me, that I may answer this people?
Translations in other languages (10 available)
Entonces el rey Roboam tomó consejo con los ancianos que habían estado delante de Salomón su padre cuando vivía, y dijo: ¿ Cómo aconsejáis vosotros que responda|strong="H7725, H1697" á este pueblo?
Então o rei Roboão tomou conselho com os anciãos que haviam estado diante de Salomão seu pai quando vivia, e disse: Como aconselhais vós que responda a este povo?
Le roi Roboam consulta les vieillards qui avaient été auprès de Salomon, son père, pendant sa vie, et il dit: Que conseillez-vous de répondre à ce peuple?
Und der König Rehabeam hielt einen Rat mit den Ältesten, die vor seinem Vater Salomo standen, da er lebte, und sprach: Wie ratet ihr, daß wir diesem Volk eine Antwort geben?
En de koning Rehabeam hield raad met de oudsten, die gestaan hadden voor het aangezicht van zijn vader Salomo, als hij leefde, zeggende: Hoe raadt gijlieden, dat men dit volk antwoorden zal?
Il re Roboamo si consigliò coi vecchi ch’erano stati al servizio del re Salomone suo padre mentre era vivo, e disse: “Che mi consigliate voi di rispondere a questo popolo?”
Tedy wszedł w radę król Roboam z starszymi, którzy stawali przed Salomonem, ojcem jego, za żywota jego,mówiąc: Co wy radzicie, jakąbym miał dać odpowiedź ludowi temu?
Царь Ровоам советовался со старцами, которые предстояли пред Соломоном, отцом его, при жизни его, и говорил: как посоветуете вы мне отвечать сему народу?
羅波安之父 所羅門 在 世的日子，有 侍立 在他面前 的老年人，羅波安 王 和 他們商議，說：「你們 給我出個甚麼 主意，我好回 覆 這 民。」
Then King Rehoboam took the opinion of the old men who had been with Solomon his father when he was living, and said, In your opinion, what answer am I to give to this people?
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · I Kings 12:6
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Rehoboam’s decision to consult the elders was initially sensible. Gill calls it “very prudently done,” since these men had stood before Solomon and learned wisdom from prolonged exposure to his rule. Barnes observes that Solomon himself “placed great value upon good advisers” (citing Proverbs 11:14; 15:22; 24:6), so Rehoboam was following his father’s pattern. The consensus is that the verse sets up a tragic contrast: the king seeks wise counsel, then forsakes it (v.8). Matthew Henry points out that the elders’ advice, to serve the people with good words (v.7), was both humble and politically astute. Rehoboam’s failure was not in asking but in listening.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Low
What is clear: Rehoboam deliberately sought the opinion of experienced advisors who had served his father, a wise first step that he then tragically abandoned.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| Rehoboam’s sincerity in seeking counsel | All traditions agree he did consult the elders and that their advice was wise and tested. | Some see his consultation as a genuine act of humility; others see it as a political formality done to appear deliberative before following his own instincts. |
| Role of divine sovereignty in the rejection | Most traditions affirm that God’s hand was behind the split (v.15: “the cause was from the Lord”). | Catholic and Reformed traditions emphasize God’s sovereign plan using human free choices; some Arminian traditions stress that Rehoboam’s sin was his own and God worked through it, not that God caused it. |
| Age of the “young men” | They were peers of Rehoboam, who was 41 at accession. | Some argue “young” is relative, they were younger than the elders but still adults. Others hold they were actually youthful, perhaps in their twenties, representing inexperience and pride. |
| Application for church leadership | The passage teaches the value of seeking counsel from experienced, godly advisors. | Some traditions apply this to formal eldership structures; others stress character and wisdom over office, noting that Rehoboam rejected not just elders but the humility of servant leadership. |
Historical & Cultural Context
The scene takes place at Shechem, a site rich in covenant history. There Abraham built an altar, Jacob settled, and Joshua renewed the covenant. Northern tribes chose Shechem for Rehoboam’s coronation, perhaps because they felt freer there than in Jerusalem to voice grievances. Jeroboam had returned from Egypt to lead the delegation.
Rehoboam was forty-one years old when he became king (1 Kings 14:21). The “old men” were not merely elderly but had served as Solomon’s counsellors, likely the “princes” of 1 Kings 4:2 (so Barnes). Their decades of experience gave them insight into statecraft and the mood of the people. In ancient Near Eastern courts, the king relied on such counsellors; despising their advice was seen as foolish (Proverbs 11:14; 12:15).
The people’s request, to lighten the yoke of forced labor and heavy taxation, was not unreasonable. Solomon’s building projects had pressed hard on the northern tribes. The elders saw that a conciliatory response could preserve the united kingdom. Rehoboam’s three-day delay (v.5) was a standard practice for deliberation, but it also gave his younger peers time to harden his pride. The verse, therefore, is a hinge: a moment of seeming prudence that leads directly to national rupture.
What makes this verse poignant is the verb translated “stood before.” The Hebrew ‘omdim (participle) describes continuous service, these men had stood before Solomon while he yet lived. They were not just old; they were tested. Rehoboam, in asking them, acknowledged their authority. But knowing and heeding are two different things.
Textual Notes
The consulted sources note no significant textual variants for this verse. The Cambridge Bible observes that the Revised Version harmonizes the English translation with 2 Chronicles for the sake of consistency but that the change affects no meaning. The Hebrew text is stable across manuscripts.
Reception History
Throughout Christian history, 1 Kings 12:6 has been read as a classic warning against pride ignoring seasoned wisdom. Early church commentators like John Chrysostom used Rehoboam as an example of how listening to flatterers leads to ruin. Medieval interpreters frequently paired this passage with Proverbs 12:15 (“The way of a fool is right in his own eyes”). Protestant reformers such as Matthew Henry highlighted the contrast between the elders’ servant-hearted counsel and the young men’s arrogance, applying it to both political and church leaders. In modern preaching, the verse often serves as a case study in leadership failure, especially the danger of surrounding oneself with yes-men while disregarding those who have walked the road before.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The wise start. Rehoboam does the right thing: he consults experienced counsellors who served his father. This shows he knew the value of seasoned advice.
- The wise counsel. The elders tell him to serve the people, speak good words, and be a servant. Their answer is rooted in humility and political wisdom.
- The foolish choice. He rejects their counsel and turns to the young men. The tragedy is not lack of good advice, but refusing to take it.
Five-point outline
- Rehoboam faces a defining moment as king (vv.1, 5).
- He seeks the counsel of the elders (v.6).
- The elders give humble, servant-hearted advice (v.7).
- The young men appeal to his pride with harsh words (vv.8, 11).
- Rehoboam chooses pride over humility, and the kingdom splits (vv.12, 19).
Illustration hooks
- New CEO ignoring the board: A fresh CEO asks the seasoned board what to do, then overrules them with advice from junior staff who tell him what he wants to hear. Results are predictable.
- The car mechanic you trust: You ask an experienced mechanic for an honest diagnosis, then let a friend who “watched a video” talk you into a cheaper fix that ruins the engine.
- Parent and teenager: A parent asks for advice from older relatives, then does the opposite because a friend’s opinion sounded more exciting.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Why do we sometimes ask for advice when we’ve already made up our minds?”
- “How can I tell whether I’m listening to wise counsel or just seeking confirmation for my own plan?”
- “Is it ever right to reject the advice of older, experienced people?”
Leading a Discussion
This verse catches Rehoboam at a fork in the road. He does what wise leaders do, consult those with experience, yet we know from the next verses that he will reject their counsel. Why? And what does that say about our own habits of seeking and heeding advice? As you discuss, keep the larger narrative in view: this decision splits the kingdom.
Discussion questions
- What does the phrase “stood before Solomon his father while he yet lived” tell you about the elders’ qualifications? Why does the text emphasize their long service?
- Rehoboam asked the elders, “What counsel do you give me to answer these people?” What does the wording of his question reveal about his priorities? Was he genuinely open to advice?
- Compare the elders’ answer (v.7) with the young men’s answer (vv.10, 11). What core values does each group represent? Which one sounds more like the world’s way of leading, and which sounds like Jesus’ teaching?
- Why do you think Rehoboam rejected wise counsel? What internal and external pressures might have influenced him?
- Verse 15 says “the cause was from the Lord.” How does divine sovereignty interact with Rehoboam’s personal responsibility in this story?
- When have you sought advice from someone experienced, only to reject it? What was the outcome? What might you do differently next time?
- The elders advised Rehoboam to “be a servant to this people” (v.7). How does Jesus redefine leadership? Read Matthew 20:25, 28. How does the gospel shape the way we respond to those who disagree with us?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| II Samuel 16:20 | Then Absalom said to Ahithophel, “Give your counsel what we shall do.” |
| II Samuel 17:5 | Then Absalom said, “Now call Hushai the Archite also, and let’s hear likewise what he says.” |
| I Kings 4:2 | These were the princes whom he had: Azariah the son of Zadok, the priest; |
| Job 12:12 | With aged men is wisdom, in length of days understanding. |
| Job 32:7 | I said, ‘Days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom.’ |
| Proverbs 27:10 | Don’t forsake your friend and your father’s friend. Don’t go to your brother’s house in the day of your disaster. A neighbor who is near is better than a distant brother. |
| Jeremiah 42:2 | and said to Jeremiah the prophet, “Please let our supplication be presented before you, and pray for us to Yahweh your God, even for all this remnant, for we are left but a few of many, as your eyes see us, |
| Jeremiah 42:5 | Then they said to Jeremiah, “May Yahweh be a true and faithful witness among us, if we don’t do according to all the word with which Yahweh your God sends you to tell us. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
6 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes identifies the "old men" as likely the royal counselors who served Solomon's father David. His point connects Solomon's choice of advisers to his own recorded wisdom: the king who wrote proverbs about seeking good counsel was himself careful about whom he consulted.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge Bible notes that the Revised Version harmonises the wording of this passage with the parallel account in Chronicles, making the correspondence clearer for English readers. The "old men" were likely advanced in years and not necessarily active officials under Rehoboam, who was forty-one at his accession. Rehoboam and his peers are called "young" only in comparison with Solomon's older counsellors.
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
And King Rehoboam tooke counsell with the olde men that had stande before Salomon his father, while he yet liued, and sayde, What counsell giue ye, that I may make an answere to this people?
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill commends Rehoboam for prudently seeking advice from the elderly counselors who had served Solomon. These men had gained wisdom through years of experience in his father's cabinet, making them well qualified to offer sound guidance on how to respond to the people's request.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange argues that the ten tribes' complaint about Solomon's heavy yoke was a pretext, not a historical fact. He finds no evidence of oppression in the text; the real cause was Ephraim's long-standing jealousy and desire for independence. Rehoboam's foolish answer simply sparked a rebellion already prepared.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry points out that Rehoboam rejected the wise counsel of older advisors who urged humility and service, choosing instead the harsh advice of his peers. This prideful choice to threaten rather than win the people's loyalty directly caused the kingdom to split. The ruin came not from bad luck but from a refusal to serve.