The Meaning of 1 Kings 12:16 Explained

1 Kings 12:16

KJV: So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.

YLT: And all Israel see that the king hath not hearkened unto them, and the people send the king back word, saying, 'What portion have we in David? yea, there is no inheritance in the son of Jesse; to thy tents, O Israel; now see thy house, O David!' and Israel goeth to its tents.

Darby: And all Israel saw that the king hearkened not to them; and the people answered the king saying, What portion have we in David? And we have no inheritance in the son of Jesse: To your tents, O Israel! Now see to thine own house, David! And Israel went to their tents.

ASV: And when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them, the people answered the king, saying, What portion have we in David? neither have we inheritance in the son of Jesse: to your tents, O Israel: now see to thine own house, David. So Israel departed unto their tents.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

So  when all Israel  saw  that the king  hearkened  not unto them, the people  answered  the king,  saying,  What portion  have we in David?  neither [have we] inheritance  in the son  of Jesse:  to your tents,  O Israel:  now see  to thine own house,  David.  So Israel  departed  unto their tents. 

What does 1 Kings 12:16 Mean?

Study Notes

saying
.
Ephraim
Cf. Judges 12:1 ; 2 Samuel 2:8 ; 1 Kings 12:16 . Here begins that deep-rooted division in Israel which culminated in the division of Solomon's kingdom under Jeroboam and Rehoboam.

Context Summary

1 Kings 12:12-24 - The Kingdom Rent In Twain
Rehoboam richly deserved his fate. He was forty-one years old, 2 Chronicles 12:13, and ought to have known better. His speech betrayed the despot. He had no right to speak with such arrogant insolence to a great and liberty-loving people. It is only a weak man who boasts of deeds he cannot perform, and there was a rasping flavor in his comparison which indicated the malice of an unregenerate heart. We have heard people speak like this to those whom they counted their inferiors, but all such words are the scattering of thistledown, which will spoil the harvests of their own fields. Learn to speak civilly, or not at all. Insist that young lads and girls keep a civil tongue in their heads. Curses are like boomerangs; they come back on the man that utters them.
Twice over we are told that it was a thing brought about by God- 1 Kings 12:15; 1 Kings 12:24. Beneath all political changes and revolutions you will find the slow evolving of a divine purpose. God does not instigate sin. This arises from man's abuse of his own free-will. But God will so control the warring wills of men that the plan of His eternal counsel and foreknowledge shall not be interfered with but furthered.
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 12:16 mean?

And when saw all Israel that not did listen the king to them and answered the people - the king answered saying what have we portion in David and no [We have] inheritance in the son of Jesse to your tents Israel now see to your own house David So departed Israel to their tents
וַיַּ֣רְא כָּל־ יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל כִּ֠י לֹֽא־ שָׁמַ֣ע הַמֶּלֶךְ֮ אֲלֵיהֶם֒ וַיָּשִׁ֣בוּ הָעָ֣ם אֶת־ הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ דָּבָ֣ר ׀ לֵאמֹ֡ר מַה־ לָּנוּ֩ חֵ֨לֶק ؟ בְּדָוִ֜ד וְלֹֽא־ נַחֲלָ֣ה בְּבֶן־ יִשַׁ֗י לְאֹהָלֶ֙יךָ֙ ! יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל עַתָּ֕ה רְאֵ֥ה בֵיתְךָ֖ דָּוִ֑ד וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְאֹהָלָֽיו

וַיַּ֣רְא  And  when  saw 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
כִּ֠י  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: כִּי 
Sense: that, for, because, when, as though, as, because that, but, then, certainly, except, surely, since.
שָׁמַ֣ע  did  listen 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: שָׁמַע 
Sense: to hear, listen to, obey.
הַמֶּלֶךְ֮  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
אֲלֵיהֶם֒  to  them 
Parse: Preposition, third person masculine plural
Root: אֶל  
Sense: to, toward, unto (of motion).
וַיָּשִׁ֣בוּ  and  answered 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine plural
Root: שׁוּב  
Sense: to return, turn back.
הָעָ֣ם  the  people 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: עַם 
Sense: nation, people.
אֶת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
הַמֶּ֣לֶךְ  the  king 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: מֶלֶךְ 
Sense: king.
דָּבָ֣ר ׀  answered 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּבָר  
Sense: speech, word, speaking, thing.
לֵאמֹ֡ר  saying 
Parse: Preposition-l, Verb, Qal, Infinitive construct
Root: אָמַר 
Sense: to say, speak, utter.
מַה־  what  have 
Parse: Interrogative
Root: לָמָּה 
Sense: what, how, of what kind.
חֵ֨לֶק  portion 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חֵלֶק 
Sense: portion, share, part, territory.
؟ בְּדָוִ֜ד  in  David 
Parse: Preposition-b, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
וְלֹֽא־  and  no 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Adverb, Negative particle
Root: הֲלֹא 
Sense: not, no.
נַחֲלָ֣ה  [We  have]  inheritance 
Parse: Noun, feminine singular
Root: נַחֲלָה  
Sense: possession, property, inheritance, heritage.
בְּבֶן־  in  the  son 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יִשַׁ֗י  of  Jesse 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: אִישַׁי 
Sense: son of Boaz and the father of king David.
לְאֹהָלֶ֙יךָ֙  to  your  tents 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, second person masculine singular
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.
! יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
עַתָּ֕ה  now 
Parse: Adverb
Root: עַתָּה  
Sense: now.
רְאֵ֥ה  see 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Imperative, masculine singular
Root: רָאָה 
Sense: to see, look at, inspect, perceive, consider.
בֵיתְךָ֖  to  your  own  house 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct, second person masculine singular
Root: בַּיִת 
Sense: house.
דָּוִ֑ד  David 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: דָּוִד  
Sense: youngest son of Jesse and second king of Israel.
וַיֵּ֥לֶךְ  So  departed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Qal, Consecutive imperfect, third person masculine singular
Root: הָלַךְ  
Sense: to go, walk, come.
יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל  Israel 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יִשְׂרָאֵל  
Sense: the second name for Jacob given to him by God after his wrestling with the angel at Peniel.
לְאֹהָלָֽיו  to  their  tents 
Parse: Preposition-l, Noun, masculine plural construct, third person masculine singular
Root: אֹהֶל  
Sense: tent.