6. stood before] Compare Deuteronomy i. 38; 1 Kings xvii. 1. The phrase is used to express service, whether rendered to God or to man.
⁷And they spake unto him, saying, If thou be kind to this people, and please them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants forever. ⁸But he forsook the counsel of the old men which they had given him, and took counsel with the young men that were grown up with him, that stood before him. ⁹And he said unto them, What counsel give ye, that we may return answer to this people, who have spoken to me, saying, Make the yoke that thy father did put upon us lighter? ¹⁰And the young men that were grown up with him spake unto him, saying, Thus shalt thou say unto the 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 is thicker than my father’s loins.
7. If thou be kind to this people, and please them] The Chronicler has softened the forcible words of the parallel passage (1 Kings xii. 7), “If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them.” The words which were too blunt for Rehoboam were also too blunt for the Chronicler.
¹¹And now whereas my father did lade you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions. ¹²So Jeroboam and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king bade, saying, Come to me again the third day.
11. with whips] A whip or flail was among the insignia of an Egyptian (and perhaps also of an Israelite) king. Compare Erman, Ancient Egypt, English Translation p. 60 (where an illustration is given) and p. 63.
with scorpions] The expression may be proverbial and metaphorical, but some authorities (e.g. Peshitṭa) take “scorpion” to be the name of a particular kind of scourge, the lash of which was provided with thorns or hooks.
¹³And the king answered them roughly; and king Rehoboam forsook the counsel of the old men, and spake to them after the counsel of the young men, saying, My father made your yoke heavy, but I will add thereto: my father chastised you with whips, but I will chastise you with scorpions.
13. answered them roughly] It was difficult for the son of so powerful a king as Solomon to realise that there was any necessity for a soft answer. Solomon had put down Israelite discontent by driving Jeroboam into exile in Egypt, and David had put down somewhat easily the movement under Sheba son of Bichri (2 Samuel xx. 1–22). Could the good fortune of the house of David fail at this third crisis?
¹⁵So the king hearkened not unto the people; for it was brought about of God, that the Lord might establish his word, which he spake by the hand of Ahijah the Shilonite to Jeroboam the son of Nebat.
15. Ahijah] Compare 1 Kings xi. 29–39. The incident referred to is not narrated in Chronicles, being assumed to be known.