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?
The people speak unbecomingly of David. How soon are good men, and their good services to the public, forgotten!
Key themes
Read with
Keep this verse inside 1 Kings 12:16-20 and alongside a few nearby related passages.
Commentary on 1 Kings 12:16
So Israel departed unto their tents. See the marginal reference. The words breathe unmistakeably the spirit of tribal jealousy and dislike ( 1 Kings 11:40 note). Now see to thine own house, David - i. e., "Henceforth, house of David, look after thine own tribe, Judah, only." It is not a threat of war, but a warning against interference.
Key words
- Israel
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So Israel departed unto their tents.
- hearkened
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So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them,.
- them
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So when all Israel saw that the king hearkened not unto them,.
Context in 1 Kings 12
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1 Kings 12 belongs to the middle movement of the book, especially the section often described as division of the kingdom. First Kings tells of Solomon’s reign and temple, the split between north and south, and the rise of prophetic confrontation through Elijah. Read this chapter with the wider themes of temple, wisdom, and idolatry in view so the individual verses keep their proper weight.
Related topics
Explore by topic
Verses on the fear of the Lord, wise speech, practical judgment, teachability, and the difference between biblical wisdom and mere cleverness.
Bible verses about justice and mercy
Key texts on public righteousness, neighbor-love, social ethics, compassion, and the prophetic refusal to separate worship from justice.
Glossary
- David Person
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Beloved, the eighth and youngest son of Jesse, a citizen of Bethlehem. His father seems to have been a man in humble life. His mother’s name is not recorded. Some think she was the Nahash of 2 Sam. 17:25 .
- Jesse Person
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Firm, or a gift, a son of Obed, the son of Boaz and Ruth ( Ruth 4:17 , 22; Matt. 1:5 , 6; Luke 3:32 ). He was the father of eight sons, the youngest of whom was David ( 1 Sam. 17:12 ).