The Meaning of 1 Kings 12:10 Explained

1 Kings 12:10

KJV: And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou speak unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou say unto them, My little finger shall be thicker than my father's loins.

YLT: And they speak unto him -- the lads who had grown up with him -- saying, 'Thus dost thou say to this people who have spoken unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, and thou, make it light upon us; thus dost thou speak unto them, My little finger is thicker than the loins of my father;

Darby: And the young men that had grown up with him spoke to him saying, Thus shalt thou say to this people that have spoken to thee saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, and lighten thou it for us, thus shalt thou say to them: My little finger is thicker than my father's loins;

ASV: And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou say unto this people that spake unto thee, saying, Thy father made our yoke heavy, but make thou it lighter unto us; thus shalt thou speak unto them, My little finger is thicker than my father's loins.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And the young men  that were grown up  with him spake  unto him, saying,  Thus shalt thou speak  unto this people  that spake  unto thee, saying,  Thy father  made  our yoke  heavy,  but make thou [it] lighter  unto us; thus shalt thou say  unto them, My little  [finger] shall be thicker  than my father's  loins. 

What does 1 Kings 12:10 Mean?

Context Summary

1 Kings 12:1-11 - The Wise King's Foolish Son
Solomon's reign had been splendid but very oppressive, and it was reasonable to ask for some relief. The people felt that the accession of the new king gave them their opportunity, and apparently they took the first step in this momentous crisis. We are expressly told that Rehoboam came to Shechem. If this mighty gathering had been called by himself or his court, the people would have had to come to him at Jerusalem. Here was the muttering of the rising storm.
There was much wisdom in the counsel of the older men: "Serve them"¦ then they will be thy servants forever," This principle underlay the sacrifice of Calvary. "Thou art worthy to take the book, for thou wast slain," Revelation 5:9. It is because Jesus girded Himself with humility and washed our sins in His own precious blood, that He has ascended to the throne, not only of God, but of our hearts and lives. And He has taught us, that whosoever would become great must begin by being the servant of all. The proud and lofty in this world are served often enough with the eye-service that gives superficial obedience for wages and rewards, Ephesians 6:6, but what is this compared with that which is yielded by gratitude and love!
1 Kings 12:1-33 - Breaking Three Commandments
From a worldly point of view Naboth might have done a good stroke of business by selling his estate to. Ahab. A royal price and assured favor might have been his-but he had a conscience! Above the persuasive tones of the monarch's offer sounded the voice of God: "The land shall not be sold for ever, for the land is mine." See Leviticus 25:23; Numbers 36:7; Ezekiel 46:18.
Ahab knew perfectly well that Jezebel could not give him the property of another except by foul means, but he took pains not to inquire. Though the direct orders for Naboth's death did not come from him, yet, by his silence, he was an accomplice and an accessory; and divine justice penetrates all such specious excuses. God holds us responsible for wrongs which we do not arrest, though we have the power. The crime was blacker because of the pretext of religion, as suggested by a fast. See also 2 Kings 9:26. The blood of murdered innocence cries to God, and his requital, though delayed, is inevitable. See Revelation 6:9-10. [source]

Chapter Summary: 1 Kings 12

1  The Israelites, assembled at Shechem to crown Rehoboam,
4  by Jeroboam make a suit of relaxation unto him
6  Rehoboam, refusing the old men's counsel, answers them roughly
16  Ten tribes revolting, kill Adoram, and make Rehoboam flee
21  Rehoboam, raising an army, is forbidden by Shemaiah
25  Jeroboam strengthens himself by cities
26  and by idolatry of the two calves

What do the individual words in 1 Kings 12:10 mean?

And spoke to him the young men who had grown up with him saying thus you should speak to people this who have spoken to you saying Your father heavy made our yoke but you make [it] lighter on us thus you shall say to them My little [finger] shall be thicker than waist of my father
וַיְדַבְּר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו הַיְלָדִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר גָּדְל֣וּ אִתּוֹ֮ לֵאמֹר֒ כֹּֽה־ תֹאמַ֣ר לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֡ה אֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבְּר֨וּ אֵלֶ֜יךָ לֵאמֹ֗ר אָבִ֙יךָ֙ הִכְבִּ֣יד אֶת־ עֻלֵּ֔נוּ וְאַתָּ֖ה הָקֵ֣ל מֵעָלֵ֑ינוּ כֹּ֚ה תְּדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם קָֽטָנִּ֥י עָבָ֖ה מִמָּתְנֵ֥י אָבִֽי

וַיְדַבְּר֣וּ  And  spoke 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Piel, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אֵלָ֗יו  to  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
הַיְלָדִים֙  the  young  men 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine plural
Root: יֶלֶד  
Sense: child, son, boy, offspring, youth.
גָּדְל֣וּ  had  grown  up 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: גָּדַל  
Sense: to grow, become great or important, promote, make powerful, praise, magnify, do great things.
אִתּוֹ֮  with  him 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine singular
Root: אֵת 
Sense: with, near, together with.
לֵאמֹר֒  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
כֹּֽה־  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
תֹאמַ֣ר  you  should  speak 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
לָעָ֣ם  to  people 
Parse: Preposition-l, Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
הַזֶּ֡ה  this 
Parse: Article, Pronoun, masculine singular
Root: זֶה  
Sense: this, this one, here, which, this … that, the one … the other, another, such.
דִּבְּר֨וּ  have  spoken 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Perfect, third person common plural
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אֵלֶ֜יךָ  to  you 
Parse: Preposition, second person masculine singular
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
לֵאמֹ֗ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
אָבִ֙יךָ֙  Your  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.
הִכְבִּ֣יד  heavy 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: כָּבֵד  
Sense: to be heavy, be weighty, be grievous, be hard, be rich, be honourable, be glorious, be burdensome, be honoured.
אֶת־  made 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
עֻלֵּ֔נוּ  our  yoke 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common plural
Root: עֹל  
Sense: yoke.
וְאַתָּ֖ה  but  you 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, second person masculine singular
Root: אַתְּ 
Sense: you (second pers.
הָקֵ֣ל  make  [it]  lighter 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: קָלַל  
Sense: to be slight, be swift, be trifling, be of little account, be light.
מֵעָלֵ֑ינוּ  on  us 
Parse: Preposition-m, first person common plural
Root: עַל 
Sense: upon, on the ground of, according to, on account of, on behalf of, concerning, beside, in addition to, together with, beyond, above, over, by, on to, towards, to, against.
כֹּ֚ה  thus 
Parse: Adverb
Root: כֹּה  
Sense: thus, here, in this manner.
תְּדַבֵּ֣ר  you  shall  say 
Parse: Verb, Piel, Imperfect, second person masculine singular
Root: דָּבַר 
Sense: to speak, declare, converse, command, promise, warn, threaten, sing.
אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
קָֽטָנִּ֥י  My  little  [finger] 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: קֹטֶן  
Sense: little finger.
עָבָ֖ה  shall  be  thicker 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: עָבָה  
Sense: to be thick, be fat, be gross.
מִמָּתְנֵ֥י  than  waist 
Parse: Preposition-m, Noun, mdc
Root: מָתְנַיִם  
Sense: loins, hips.
אָבִֽי  of  my  father 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, first person common singular
Root: אָב  
Sense: father of an individual.