John Gill Commentary 1 Kings 12:7

"And they spake unto him, saying, If thou wilt be a servant unto this people this day, and wilt serve them, and answer them, and speak good words to them, then they will be thy servants for ever." — 1 Kings 12:7 (ASV)

And they spoke to him, saying
They gave their advice as follows:

if you will be servant to this people this day, and will serve them ;
condescend to them, behave in an humble manner towards them, for this day however, and gratify and oblige them; though indeed a king is but a servant to his people, and his administration of government a doing service to them;

hence Antigonus ^F6, a king, mild, humble, and gentle, perceiving his son to behave in a fierce and violent manner towards his subjects, said to him, my son, do you not know that our glorious kingdom is a servitude?

and answer them, and speak good words to them ;
give them a soft answer, and speak kindly and gently to them, and make them fair promises, and give them reason to expect that their requests will be granted:

then they will be your servants for ever ;
such conduct would so win upon them, and make such an impressions upon them, that they would for ever after entertain high opinion of him, and be strongly affected and attached to him, and readily serve him.

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FOOTNOTES:

• F6: Apud Aelian. Var. Hist. l. 2. c. 20.