1 Kings 12:8

But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him.

Berean Standard Bible

Follow its threads on the canvas →

Study note

Setting — Rehoboam addresses the northern tribes of Israel following Solomon's death, responding to their demand to reduce the heavy burden his father imposed on them.

The words — The narrative emphasizes וַֽיַּעֲזֹב (va.ya.'a.Zo, "he forsook/rejected") and וַיּוּעַץ (va.yi.va.'Atz, "he consulted") to record his deliberate choice to abandon the elders' guidance in favor of his peers.

The thread — The event is recorded verbatim in 2 Chronicles 10:8, while the underlying principle aligns with the warning in Proverbs 19:20 to listen to counsel and accept discipline.

Why it lands — The text requires readers to observe how leadership that discards experienced wisdom for peer approval produces immediate and irreversible division.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַֽיַּעֲזֹ֛בva/i.ya.'a.Zoand/ he forsook אֶת־'et-<obj.>עֲצַ֥ת'a.Tzat[the] counsel of הַזְּקֵנִ֖יםha./ze.ke.Nimthe/ elders אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherwhich יְעָצֻ֑הוּye.'a.Tzu./huthey had counseled/ him וַיִּוָּעַ֗ץva/i.yi.va.'Atzand/ he consulted אֶת־'et-with הַיְלָדִים֙ha/y.la.Dimthe/ young men אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.Sherwho גָּדְל֣וּga.de.Luthey had grown up אִתּ֔וֹ'i.T/owith/ him אֲשֶׁ֥ר'a.Sherwho הָעֹמְדִ֖יםha./'o.me.Dim[were] the/ [ones who] stood לְפָנָֽיו׃le./fa.Na/v<to>/ before/ him

King James Version

But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him, and consulted with the young men that were grown up with him, and which stood before him:

Cross-references

Proverbs 19:20 Listen to counsel and accept discipline, that you may be wise the rest of your days.
2 Chronicles 10:8 But Rehoboam rejected the advice of the elders; instead, he consulted the young men who had grown up with him and served him.
2 Chronicles 25:15 Therefore the anger of the LORD burned against Amaziah, and He sent him a prophet, who said, “Why have you sought this people’s gods, which could not deliver them from your hand?”
Proverbs 1:2 for gaining wisdom and discipline, for comprehending words of insight,
Proverbs 1:25 because you neglected all my counsel, and wanted none of my correction,
Proverbs 1:30 They accepted none of my counsel; they despised all my reproof.
Proverbs 25:12 Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is a wise man’s rebuke to a listening ear.
Ecclesiastes 10:2 A wise man’s heart inclines to the right, but the heart of a fool to the left.