Commentators note that while Rehoboam was likely 41 years old, he acted with youthful immaturity. His counselors, called 'young men,' were his peers. The issue wasn't their literal age but their shared lack of wisdom compared to the 'old men.' As one scholar puts it, Rehoboam had 'not been old in wisdom when he was young in years,' highlighting that maturity is a matter of character, not chronology.