John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 8. But he forsook the counsel of the old men, which they had given him , etc.] He did not rightly relish it, nor cordially receive it; it did not suit with his haughty temper, he could not brook it, to stoop to his people; he thought it a lessening of his dignity to do anything that looked like courting their favour; and therefore determined not to take the advice given him by the old men, but to seek for other: and consulted with the men, that were grown up with him, and which stood before him ; the sons of nobles, with whom he had his education, and who were his companions from his youth upwards, and who were now officers in his court, and of his privy council, being his favourites, and those he consulted on this occasion; and though they are called young men, as they were in comparison of the old men, yet since they were contemporary with Rehoboam, who was now forty one years of age, they must be about forty, or not much under, and at an age to be wiser than they appeared to be.
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 ויעזב5800 את853 עצת6098 הזקנים2205 אשׁר834 יעצהו3289 ויועץ3289 את853 הילדים3206 אשׁר834 גדלו1431 אתו854 אשׁר834 העמדים5975 לפניו׃6440
