1 Kings 12:4 "Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you should lighten the burden of your father's service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you."

◄ 1 Kings 12:4 ►

New International Version
“Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

New Living Translation
“Your father was a hard master,” they said. “Lighten the harsh labor demands and heavy taxes that your father imposed on us. Then we will be your loyal subjects.”

English Standard Version
“Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke on us, and we will serve you.”

Berean Standard Bible
“Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you must lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

King James Bible
Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.

New King James Version
“Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore, lighten the burdensome service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.”

New American Standard Bible
“Your father made our yoke hard; but now, lighten the hard labor imposed by your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.”

NASB 1995
“Your father made our yoke hard; now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.”

NASB 1977
“Your father made our yoke hard; now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.”

Legacy Standard Bible
“Your father made our yoke harsh; but you, now, lighten the harsh service of your father and his heavy yoke which he put on us, and we will serve you.”

Amplified Bible
“Your father made our yoke (burden) heavy; so now lighten the hard labor and the heavy yoke your father imposed on us, and we will serve you.”

Christian Standard Bible
“Your father made our yoke harsh. You, therefore, lighten your father’s harsh service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
Your father made our yoke difficult. You, therefore, lighten your father’s harsh service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

American Standard Version
Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.

Contemporary English Version
"Your father Solomon forced us to work very hard. But if you make our work easier, we will serve you and do whatever you ask."

English Revised Version
Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.

GOD'S WORD® Translation
"Your father made us carry a heavy burden. Reduce the hard work and lighten the heavy burden he put on us, and we will serve you."

Good News Translation
"Your father Solomon treated us harshly and placed heavy burdens on us. If you make these burdens lighter and make life easier for us, we will be your loyal subjects."

International Standard Version
"Your father made our burdens unbearable. Therefore lighten your father's requirements and his heavy burdens that he placed on us, and we'll serve you."

Majority Standard Bible
?Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you must lighten the burden of your father?s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.?

NET Bible
"Your father made us work too hard. Now if you lighten the demands he made and don't make us work as hard, we will serve you."

New Heart English Bible
"Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make you the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you."

Webster's Bible Translation
Thy father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.

World English Bible
“Your father made our yoke difficult. Now therefore make the hard service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you.”

Literal Translations

Literal Standard Version
“Your father hardened our yoke, and you, now, lighten [some] of the hard service of your father, and his heavy yoke that he put on us, and we serve you.”

Young's Literal Translation
Thy father made hard our yoke, and thou, now, make light some of the hard service of thy father, and his heavy yoke that he put upon us, and we serve thee.'

Smith's Literal Translation
Thy father made our yoke hard and now do thou lighten from the hard service of thy father, and from the heavy yoke which he gave upon us, and we will serve thee.

Catholic Translations

Douay-Rheims Bible
Thy father laid a grievous yoke upon us: now therefore do thou take off a little of the grievous service of thy father, and of his most heavy yoke, which he put upon us, and we will serve thee.

Catholic Public Domain Version
“Your father imposed a very harsh yoke upon us. And so, you should now take away a little from the very harsh rule of your father and from his very grievous yoke, which he imposed upon us, and we will serve you.”

New American Bible
“Your father put a heavy yoke on us. If you now lighten the harsh servitude and the heavy yoke your father imposed on us, we will be your servants.”

New Revised Standard Version
“Your father made our yoke heavy. Now therefore lighten the hard service of your father and his heavy yoke that he placed on us, and we will serve you.”

Translations from Aramaic

Lamsa Bible
Your father made our yoke harsh; now therefore lighten some of the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, and we will serve you.And when the king heard the saying of the prophet of God which he had cried against the altar in Beth-el, the king, standing at the altar, put forth his hand, saying, Lay hold on him. And his hand which he put forth against him, dried up, so that he could not draw it back again to him.

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
“Your father hardened our yoke. Now, take away from the hard oppression of your father and from his severe yoke that he put upon us, and we will work for you.”

OT Translations

JPS Tanakh 1917
Thy father made our yoke grievous; now therefore make thou the grievous service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter, and we will serve thee.'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
but do thou now lighten somewhat of the hard service of thy father, and of his heavy yoke which he put upon us, and we will serve thee.

Additional Translations ...

Audio Bible

Context

Rebellion Against Rehoboam
…3So they sent for Jeroboam, and he and the whole assembly of Israel came to Rehoboam and said, 4“Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you should lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.” 5Rehoboam answered, “Go away for three days and then return to me.” So the people departed.…

Berean Standard Bible · Download

Cross References

Exodus 1:11-14
So the Egyptians appointed taskmasters over the Israelites to oppress them with forced labor. As a result, they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. / But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and flourished; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites. / They worked the Israelites ruthlessly ...

1 Samuel 8:11-18
He said, “This will be the manner of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them to serve his own chariots and horses, and to run in front of his chariots. / He will appoint some for himself as commanders of thousands and of fifties, and others to plow his ground, to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. / And he will take your daughters to be perfumers, cooks, and bakers. ...

1 Kings 4:7-28
Solomon had twelve governors over all Israel to provide food for the king and his household. Each one would arrange provisions for one month of the year, / and these were their names: Ben-hur in the hill country of Ephraim; / Ben-deker in Makaz, in Shaalbim, in Beth-shemesh, and in Elon-beth-hanan; ...

1 Kings 9:15-23
This is the account of the forced labor that King Solomon imposed to build the house of the LORD, his own palace, the supporting terraces, and the wall of Jerusalem, as well as Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. / Pharaoh king of Egypt had attacked and captured Gezer. He had set it on fire, killed the Canaanites who lived in the city, and given it as a dowry to his daughter, Solomon’s wife. / So Solomon rebuilt Gezer, Lower Beth-horon, ...

1 Kings 11:11-13
Then the LORD said to Solomon, “Because you have done this and have not kept My covenant and My statutes, which I have commanded you, I will tear the kingdom away from you and give it to your servant. / Nevertheless, for the sake of your father David, I will not do it during your lifetime; I will tear it out of the hand of your son. / Yet I will not tear the whole kingdom away from him. I will give one tribe to your son for the sake of My servant David and for the sake of Jerusalem, which I have chosen.”

2 Chronicles 10:4
“Your father put a heavy yoke on us. But now you must lighten the burden of your father’s service and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you.”

2 Chronicles 10:10-11
The young men who had grown up with him replied, “This is how you should answer these people who said to you, ‘Your father made our yoke heavy, but you must make it lighter.’ This is what you should tell them: ‘My little finger is thicker than my father’s waist! / Whereas my father burdened you with a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. Whereas my father scourged you with whips, I will scourge you with scorpions.’”

2 Chronicles 10:16
When all Israel saw that the king had refused to listen to them, they answered the king: “What portion do we have in David, and what inheritance in the son of Jesse? To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, O David!” So all the Israelites went home,

Matthew 11:28-30
Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. / Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. / For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Acts 15:10
Now then, why do you test God by placing on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear?

Galatians 5:1
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be encumbered once more by a yoke of slavery.

Exodus 5:4-9
But the king of Egypt said to them, “Moses and Aaron, why do you draw the people away from their work? Get back to your labor!” / Pharaoh also said, “Look, the people of the land are now numerous, and you would be stopping them from their labor.” / That same day Pharaoh commanded the taskmasters of the people and their foremen: ...

Isaiah 9:4
For as in the day of Midian You have shattered the yoke of their burden, the bar across their shoulders, and the rod of their oppressor.

Isaiah 14:3
On the day that the LORD gives you rest from your pain and torment, and from the hard labor into which you were forced,

Jeremiah 22:13
“Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness, and his upper rooms without justice, who makes his countrymen serve without pay, and fails to pay their wages,

Treasury of Scripture

Your father made our yoke grievous: now therefore make you the grievous service of your father, and his heavy yoke which he put on us, lighter, and we will serve you.

our yoke

1 Kings 4:7,20,22,23,25
And Solomon had twelve officers over all Israel, which provided victuals for the king and his household: each man his month in a year made provision…

1 Kings 9:15,22,23
And this is the reason of the levy which king Solomon raised; for to build the house of the LORD, and his own house, and Millo, and the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, and Megiddo, and Gezer…

1 Samuel 8:11-18
And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots…

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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

Berean Study Bible

Your father
This phrase refers to King Solomon, the father of Rehoboam, who is being addressed by the Israelites. Solomon's reign, while marked by wisdom and prosperity, also involved heavy taxation and forced labor to support his grand building projects, including the Temple in Jerusalem. Historically, Solomon's policies created a burden on the people, leading to discontent. The Hebrew word for "father" here is "אָב" (av), which not only denotes a biological parent but also a predecessor or a figure of authority, emphasizing the inherited responsibility Rehoboam has from Solomon.

put a heavy yoke on us
The "heavy yoke" symbolizes the oppressive demands placed on the Israelites. In ancient times, a yoke was a wooden beam used between a pair of oxen to enable them to pull together on a load. Metaphorically, it represents burdensome obligations. The Hebrew word for "yoke" is "עֹל" (ol), which often signifies subjugation or severe labor. This phrase highlights the people's suffering under Solomon's rule, which was characterized by forced labor and high taxes.

but now lighten
The plea to "lighten" the yoke is a request for relief and mercy. The Hebrew root "קַלַל" (qalal) means to make light or to ease. This appeal reflects the people's hope for a more compassionate and just leadership under Rehoboam. It underscores a pivotal moment where the new king has the opportunity to mend the strained relationship between the monarchy and the populace.

the harsh labor
This refers to the intense and grueling work imposed on the Israelites. The Hebrew word "קָשֶׁה" (qasheh) means hard or severe, indicating the extreme nature of the labor. Solomon's ambitious building projects required significant manpower, often at the expense of the people's well-being. This phrase captures the physical and emotional toll exacted on the Israelites.

and the heavy yoke he put on us
Reiterating the earlier complaint, this phrase emphasizes the severity of the burden. The repetition of "heavy yoke" serves to stress the intensity of the people's suffering. It is a call for empathy and understanding from Rehoboam, urging him to recognize the weight of his father's policies.

and we will serve you
This is a conditional promise of loyalty and service to Rehoboam, contingent upon his willingness to ease their burdens. The Hebrew word "עָבַד" (avad) means to serve or to work, often used in the context of servitude or worship. This phrase reflects the people's readiness to support Rehoboam's reign if he demonstrates fairness and compassion. It highlights the biblical principle that just and righteous leadership fosters loyalty and unity among the people.

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4) We will serve thee.--It seems evident from the tone of the narrative, and especially from the absence of all resentment on the part of the king on the presentation of these conditions, that they were acting within their right; and whatever Jeroboam's designs may have been, there is no sign of any general predetermination of rebellion. The imposition of the burdens of heavy taxation and forced labour on the people was against old traditions, and even against the practice of Solomon's earlier years. (See 1Kings 4:20; 1Kings 9:20-22.) To demand a removal, or alleviation of these was perfectly compatible with a loyal willingness to "serve" the new king. The demand might naturally be suggested by Jeroboam, who, by his official position, knew well the severity of the burden.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 4. - Thy father made our yoke [see for the literal sense of the word, Numbers 19:2; Deuteronomy 21:3, etc.; for its tropical use, Leviticus 26:13; Deuteronomy 28:48, etc.] grievous [Heb. heavy. Was this complaint a just one? It is one which occasions us some surprise, as the reign of Solomon had not only been glorious, but the people had apparently enjoyed the greatest plenty and prosperity (1 Kings 4:20, 25; cf. 8:66). Bishop Hall, Bahr, and other writers, consequently, who see in the fact that the ten tribes had chosen Jeroboam for their mouthpiece a settled determination on their part to revolt, affirm that their grievances were purely factitious. But we must not forget that, despite the unbroken peace (see Hall, "Contempl." 2:136) and general prosperity and affluence, the people had had one burden at least to bear which is always galling and vexatious, the burden of a conscription. It is by no means certain, though it is constantly assumed, and is not in itself improbable, that the taxes and imposts had been heavy, the passages alleged in support of that view (1 Kings 10:15, 25; 1 Kings 12:4, LXX.) being quite inconclusive. But while we have no right to speak of the, enormous exactions of the late king" (Stanley), we may be perfectly sure that such an establishment as his (1 Kings 4:22, 26) and such undertakings (1 Kings 6:14, 22; 1 Kings 3:1; 1 Kings 7; 1 Kings 9:26, 17, 18) would be extremely costly, and that their cost was not altogether defrayed by the presents of subject princes (1 Kings 4:21; cf. 10:10, 14), the profits of the king's merchants (1 Kings 10:28), or the imports of the fleet (1 Kings 5:21 [1 Kings 5:7]). But the people had certainly had to pay a more odious tribute, that of forced labour, of servile work (1 Kings 4:6, Hebr.; 5:14 [1 Kings 4:34]; cf. 1 Kings 9:21. מַס is almost always used of a tribute rendered by labour, Gesen.) It is quite true that Solomon was not the first to institute this; that David had exacted it before him (2 Samuel 20:24); that the burden was one with which all subjects of the old-world monarchies, especially in the East, were familiar; and that in this case it had been imposed with peculiar considerateness (1 Kings 5:14). But it is none the less certain, when we consider the magnitude of Solomon's undertakings, and the number of men necessarily employed in executing them, that it must have involved some hardships and created much dissatisfaction; such results are inevitable in all conscriptions. "Forced labour has been amongst the causes leading to insurrection in many ages and countries. It alienated the people of Rome from the last Tarquin; it helped to bring about the French Revolution; and it was for many years one of the principal grievances of the Russian serfs" (Rawlinson). But we may find instances of its working perhaps as more Eastern, more closely illustrative of the text amongst the Fellahin of Egypt. "According to Pliny, 360,000 men had to work 20 years long at one pyramid" (Bahr). In the construction of the great Mahmoudieh canal, by Mehemet All, over 300,000 labourers were employed. They worked under the lash, and such were the fatigues and hardships of their life that many thousands died in the space of a few months (cf., too, Exodus 1:11 sqq.; Exodus 2:23]: now therefore make thou the grievous [Heb. hard, heavy] service of thy father, and his heavy yoke which he put upon us, lighter [lit., "lighten somewhat from," etc.], and we will serve thee. [Their stipulations seem reasonable enough. Bahr, who says, "We cannot admit the complaint of too hard tribute work to be well founded," and Keil, who maintains that "there cannot have been any well-grounded occasion for complaint," surely forget that both the aged counsellors (ver. 7) and also the writer of this book (vers. 13-15) manifest some degree of sympathy with the complainants.]

Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

“Your father
אָבִ֖יךָ (’ā·ḇî·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

put a heavy
הִקְשָׁ֣ה (hiq·šāh)
Verb - Hifil - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 7185: To be hard, severe or fierce

yoke
עֻלֵּ֑נוּ (‘ul·lê·nū)
Noun - masculine singular construct | first person common plural
Strong's 5923: A yoke

on us.
אֶת־ (’eṯ-)
Direct object marker
Strong's 853: Untranslatable mark of the accusative case

But now
עַתָּ֣ה (‘at·tāh)
Adverb
Strong's 6258: At this time

you
וְאַתָּ֡ה (wə·’at·tāh)
Conjunctive waw | Pronoun - second person masculine singular
Strong's 859: Thou and thee, ye and you

should lighten
הָקֵל֩ (hā·qêl)
Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular
Strong's 7043: To be slight, swift or trifling

the burden
הַקָּשָׁ֗ה (haq·qā·šāh)
Article | Adjective - feminine singular
Strong's 7186: Hard, severe

of your father’s
אָבִ֜יךָ (’ā·ḇî·ḵā)
Noun - masculine singular construct | second person masculine singular
Strong's 1: Father

service
מֵעֲבֹדַ֨ת (mê·‘ă·ḇō·ḏaṯ)
Preposition-m | Noun - feminine singular construct
Strong's 5656: Work of any kind

and the heavy
הַכָּבֵ֛ד (hak·kā·ḇêḏ)
Article | Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 3515: Heavy

yoke
וּמֵעֻלּ֧וֹ (ū·mê·‘ul·lōw)
Conjunctive waw, Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct | third person masculine singular
Strong's 5923: A yoke

he put
נָתַ֥ן (nā·ṯan)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 5414: To give, put, set

on us,
עָלֵ֖ינוּ (‘ā·lê·nū)
Preposition | first person common plural
Strong's 5921: Above, over, upon, against

and we will serve you.”
וְנַעַבְדֶֽךָּ׃ (wə·na·‘aḇ·ḏe·kā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common plural | second person masculine singular
Strong's 5647: To work, to serve, till, enslave

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OT History: 1 Kings 12:4 Your father made our yoke grievous: now (1Ki iKi i Ki 1 Kg 1kg)