3 Kings 12:10
And the young men that had been brought up with him, said: Thus shalt thou speak to this people, who have spoken to thee, saying: Thy father made our yoke heavy, do thou ease us. Thou shalt say to them: My little finger is thicker than the back of my father.
Open 3 Kings 12:10 in the Motif Searcher, word by word across all five texts →Show on the spiral →The verse in its languages
- Vulgate (Clementine)
- Et dixerunt ei juvenes qui nutriti fuerant cum eo : Sic loqueris populo huic, qui locuti sunt ad te, dicentes : Pater tuus aggravavit jugum nostrum : tu releva nos. Sic loqueris ad eos : Minimus digitus meus grossior est dorso patris mei.
- Septuagint (Swete)
- καὶ ἐλάλησαν πρὸς αὐτὸν τὰ παιδάρια τὰ ἐκτραφέντα μετ᾽ αὐτοῦ, οἱ παρεστηκότες πρὸ προσώπου αὐτοῦ, λέγοντες Τάδε λαλήσεις τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ τοῖς λαλήσασι πρὸς σὲ λέγοντες Ὁ πατήρ σου ἐβάρυνεν τὸν κλοιὸν ἡμῶν, καὶ σὺ νῦν κούφισον ἀφ᾽ ἡμῶν· τάδε λαλήσεις πρὸς αὐτούς Ἡ μικρότης μου παχυτέρα τῆς ὀσφύος τοῦ πατρός μου.
- Hebrew (WLC)
- וַיְדַבְּר֣וּ אֵלָ֗יו הַיְלָדִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֨ר גָּדְל֣וּ אִתּוֹ֮ לֵאמֹר֒ כֹּֽה תֹאמַ֣ר לָעָ֣ם הַזֶּ֡ה אֲשֶׁר֩ דִּבְּר֨וּ אֵלֶ֜יךָ לֵאמֹ֗ר אָבִ֨יךָ֙ הִכְבִּ֣יד אֶת עֻלֵּ֔נוּ וְאַתָּ֖ה הָקֵ֣ל מֵעָלֵ֑ינוּ כֹּ֚ה תְּדַבֵּ֣ר אֲלֵיהֶ֔ם קָֽטָנִּ֥י עָבָ֖ה מִמָּתְנֵ֥י אָבִֽי
Haydock's commentary
Finger is not expressed in Hebrew or Septuagint, but the Syriac and Josephus agree with the Vulgate. In Paralipomenon, we read loins, instead of back. Hebrew and Septuagint, my little (Protestants supply finger). Septuagint, "my littleness," mikrotes; but in Paralipomenon finger is added. (Haydock)
Chaldean, "my weakness is stronger than my father's strength." The loins denote strength. Roboam did not use these boastings and insolent expressions: but he adopted their spirit. (Calmet)
He insinuates that he was twice as old as his father when he began to reign, (Pineda vii. 24,) or he uses a proverbial exaggeration. (Delrio. adag. 202.) (Menochius)
From Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859, in the transcription made by Todd Easton and kept online by John Paul Wohlschied at johnblood.gitlab.io/haydock.
The Fathers on this verse
St Augustine A Treatise on Grace and Free Will, God Does Whatsoever He Wills in the Hearts of Even Wicked Men
Who can help trembling at those judgments of God by which He does in the hearts of even wicked men whatsoever He wills, at the same time rendering to them according to their deeds? Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, rejected the salutary counsel of the old men, not to deal harshly with the people, and preferred listening to the words of the young men of his own age, by returning a rough answer to those to whom he should have spoken gently. Now whence arose such conduct, except from his own will? Upon this, however, the ten tribes of Israel revolted from him, and chose for themselves another king, even Jeroboam, that the will of God in His anger might be accomplished which He had predicted would come to pass. …
St Jerome The Letters of St. Jerome, To Theophilus Bishop of Alexandria
3. Hear me, I beg you with patience and do not take truthfulness for flattery. Is any man reluctant to communicate with you? Does any turn his face away when you hold out your hand? Does any at the holy banquet offer you the kiss of Judas? At your approach the monks instead of trembling rejoice. They race to meet you and leaving their dens in the desert are fain to master you by their humility. What compels them to come forth? Is it not their love for you? What draws together the scattered dwellers in the desert? Is it not the esteem in which they hold you? A parent ought to love his children; and not only a parent but a bishop ought to be loved by his children. Neither ought to be feared. …