1 Kings 12:6 Meaning and Explanation
“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?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Rehoboam first seeks the counsel of the elders who had served his father Solomon.
What Does 1 Kings 12:6 Mean?
Rehoboam begins well. He turns to the experienced elders who had stood in Solomon's court and knew the weight of governing. He asks them how he should answer the people. To seek the counsel of the seasoned and the wise is itself an act of humility and good sense.
Scripture repeatedly commends the gray-headed and their hard-won understanding; in the multitude of counselors there is safety. The Lord often speaks through those who have walked long in service and learned what years alone can teach. The danger is never in seeking such counsel but in failing to heed it. Rehoboam stands, for the moment, in a good place — listening to those who have learned the cost of leadership.
1 Kings 12:6 in the Original Language
ya'ats (יָעַץ), 'to advise' -- to give counsel; the same root underlies the word for a trusted counselor.
Frequently Asked Questions About 1 Kings 12:6
What does 1 Kings 12:6 mean?
Rehoboam first seeks the counsel of the elders who had served his father Solomon.