But he rejected the counsel that the old men gave him and took counsel with the young men who had grown up with him and stood before him — Rehoboam's rejection of the elders' wisdom marks the narrative's turning point, the moment where foolishness triumphs over prudence. The phrase that the young men "grew up" (גְּדוּלִים אִתּוֹ, gedulim ittu) with him suggests they are sycophants, men who have never tasted discipline or perspective, who mirror the king's appetites rather than challenge them. The Deuteronomistic historian emphasizes this choice: Rehoboam actively chooses the counsel of inexperience over tested wisdom.

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