They replied,“ Serve them today. Give them what they are asking for. Then they’ll always serve you.”

老年人对他说：“现在王若服侍这民如仆人，用好话回答他们，他们就永远作王的仆人。”

他们对他说：“现在王若像仆人一样服事这百姓，用好话回覆他们，他们就永远作王的仆人了。”

他们对他说：“现在王若像仆人一样服事这百姓，用好话回覆他们，他们就永远作王的仆人了。”

他们建议说：“现今王若像仆人一样服侍民众，对他们好言相待，他们会永远做王的仆人。”

长老对他说：“今天如果王作这民的仆人，服事他们，用好话回答他们，他们就常作王的仆人。”

老年人對他說：「現在王若服事這民如僕人，用好話回答他們，他們就永遠作王的僕人。」

他們對他說：「現在王若像僕人一樣服事這百姓，用好話回覆他們，他們就永遠作王的僕人了。」

他們對他說：「現在王若像僕人一樣服事這百姓，用好話回覆他們，他們就永遠作王的僕人了。」

他們建議說：「現今王若像僕人一樣服侍民眾，對他們好言相待，他們會永遠做王的僕人。」

長老對他說：“今天如果王作這民的僕人，服事他們，用好話回答他們，他們就常作王的僕人。”

老年人對他說：『今天王若肯做這人民的公僕而服事他們，回答他們時對他們說好話，他們就必日日不斷地做王的僕人。』

僉曰、今日爾若願為斯民之僕、而服事之、答以善言、彼必永為爾僕、

曰、為今計、惟順輿情、以善言慰之、彼必永為爾僕。

老者曰、如爾今日在民前自卑如僕、從其所求、以善言答之、則彼必永為爾僕、

They replied,“ If today you will be a servant to these people and serve them and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your servants.”

And they said to him,“ If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever.”

The older counselors replied,“ If you are willing to be a servant to these people today and give them a favorable answer, they will always be your loyal subjects.”

They replied,“ Today if you will be a servant to this people and serve them, and if you respond to them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”

Then they spoke to him, saying,“ If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them and grant them their request, and speak pleasant words to them, then they will be your servants always.”

And they spoke to him, saying,“ If you will be a servant to these people today, and serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be your servants forever.”

And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.

They replied,“ Today if you will be a servant to these people and serve them, and if you respond to them by speaking kind words to them, they will be your servants forever.”

And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever.

They said to him,“ Today if you show a willingness to help these people and grant their request, they will be your servants from this time forward.”

They replied,“ If you will be a servant to this people today, and will serve them, and answer them with good words, then they will be your servants forever.”

A gentle answer turns anger away. But mean words stir up anger.

The king answered the people in a mean way. He didn’t accept the advice the elders had given him.

Suppose a ruler gets very angry with you. If he does, don’t quit your job in the palace. Being calm can overcome what you have done against him.

Don’t be like that. Instead, anyone who wants to be important among you must be your servant.And anyone who wants to be first must be the slave of everyone.

Absalom would say,“ Look, your claims are based on the law. So you have every right to make them. But the king doesn’t have anyone here who can listen to your case.”Absalom would continue,“ I wish I were appointed judge in the land! Then anyone who has a case or a claim could come to me. I would make sure they are treated fairly.”Sometimes people would approach Absalom and bow down to him. Then he would reach out his hand. He would take hold of them and kiss them.Absalom did that to all the Israelites who came to the king with their cases or claims. That’s why the hearts of the people were turned toward him.

Instead, he made himself nothing. He did this by taking on the nature of a servant. He was made just like human beings.He appeared as a man. He was humble and obeyed God completely. He did this even though it led to his death. Even worse, he died on a cross!So God lifted him up to the highest place. God gave him the name that is above every name.When the name of Jesus is spoken, everyone will kneel down to worship him. Everyone in heaven and on earth and under the earth will kneel down to worship him.Everyone’s mouth will say that Jesus Christ is Lord. And God the Father will receive the glory.

So the Lord replied with kind and comforting words. He spoke them to the angel who talked with me.

Then King Rehoboam asked the elders for advice. They had served his father Solomon while he was still living. Rehoboam asked them,“ What advice can you give me? How should I answer these people?”They replied,“ Be kind to them. Please them. Give them what they are asking for. Then they’ll always serve you.”