SEV Biblia, Chapter 12:7
Y ellos le hablaron, diciendo: Si tú fueres hoy siervo de este pueblo, y lo sirvieres, y respondiéndole buenas palabras les hablares, ellos te servirán para siempre.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - 1 Kings 12:7
Verse 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.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 7. And they spake unto him, saying , etc.] 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 f306 , 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.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-15 - The tribes complained not to Rehoboam of his father's idolatry, an revolt from God. That which was the greatest grievance, was none to them; so careless were they in matters of religion, if they might liv at case, and pay no taxes. Factious spirits will never want somethin to complain of. And when we see the Scripture account of Solomon' reign; the peace, wealth, and prosperity Israel then enjoyed; we cannot doubt but that their charges were false, or far beyond the truth Rehoboam answered the people according to the counsel of the young men Never was man more blinded by pride, and desire of arbitrary power than which nothing is more fatal. God's counsels were hereby fulfilled He left Rehoboam to his own folly, and hid from his eyes the thing which belonged to his peace, that the kingdom might be rent from him God serves his own wise and righteous purposes by the imprudences an sins of men. Those that lose the kingdom of heaven, throw it away, a Rehoboam, by wilfulness and folly.
Original Hebrew
וידבר 1696 אליו 413 לאמר 559 אם 518 היום 3117 תהיה 1961 עבד 5650 לעם 5971 הזה 2088 ועבדתם 5647 ועניתם 6030 ודברת 1696 אליהם 413 דברים 1697 טובים 2896 והיו 1961 לך עבדים 5650 כל 3605 הימים׃ 3117
