And they said to him is literally “And they said to him saying.” But in the context of this dialogue, the verb said may be better rendered “replied” (Good News Translation, New International Version) or “answered” (Contemporary English Version).
The advice of the old men is given in the form of a conditional sentence. According to the punctuation in the Masoretic Text, the second part of the sentence (the “then” part) consists of the words then they will be your servants for ever. Good News Translation, however, begins this part of the sentence with the words speak good words to them when you answer them. The punctuation in Revised Standard Version should be followed since it expresses the Masoretic Text more faithfully here. Compare New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh, which shows the structure of the Hebrew more clearly than Revised Standard Version does: “If you will be a servant to those people today and serve them, and if you respond to them with kind words, they will be your servants always.”
If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them: These two clauses contain several translation problems in addition to the one already raised about the overall structure. First, the future tense (will be) in Revised Standard Version seems to clash with the word today and may be misleading. The idea is rather “If today you are willing to serve…” (Revised English Bible). Further, to be a servant and serve sound redundant and in certain languages they are not suitable to describe the position of a king or a chief. The elders seem to be suggesting that Rehoboam should give in to the request of the people that he lighten their burden. Knox translates “if thou dost defer to them and do their will.” But to translate in this way is to lose sight of the play on words in the text, which says in effect that if Rehoboam will be the servant of the people, the people will be the servants of Rehoboam.
Speak good words to them is literally “speak good things to them.” Evidence from ancient Near Eastern treaty documents shows that “speak good things” was a part of treaty language. Some interpreters, therefore, suggest that speak good words to them should be understood in the context of making treaties and covenants (see also the comments on 2 Kgs 25.28). If that is the situation here, then the old men are advising Rehoboam to enter into a formal covenant with the people, perhaps agreeing to release them from the forced labor that had been imposed on them. However, none of the translations consulted makes this interpretation explicit. Instead, all translations render the Hebrew words here with the general sense of “respond to them with kind words” (New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh) or “speak kindly to them” (Revised English Bible).
When you answer them is left implicit in some translations (Revised English Bible, New Jewish Publication Society’s Tanakh). This may be done in other languages as well if the explicit inclusion of these words is considered redundant.
They will be your servants: This means that the people would be loyal subjects of the king (see the comments on the verb “serve” at the end of verse 4).
For ever is literally “all the days.” The meaning will be better expressed in many languages by an adverb like “always” (New International Version) or “permanently.” Contemporary English Version omits this information and should, therefore, not be considered a good model here.
Quoted with permission from Omanson, Roger L. and Ellington, John E. A Handbook on 1-2 Kings, Volume 1. (UBS Helps for Translators). New York: UBS, 2008. For this and other handbooks for translators see here .