English Standard Version
2 Samuel 14:17
17And your servant thought, 'The word of my lord the king will set me at rest,' for my lord the king is like the angel of God to discern good and evil. The Lord your God be with you!"
2 Samuel 14:17 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Then thine handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: therefore the Lord thy God will be with thee.
- New International Version (NIV)“And now your servant says, ‘May the word of my lord the king secure my inheritance, for my lord the king is like an angel of God in discerning good and evil. May the Lord your God be with you.’ ”
- New King James Version (NKJV)Your maidservant said, ‘The word of my lord the king will now be comforting; for as the angel of God, so is my lord the king in discerning good and evil. And may the Lord your God be with you.’ ”
- New Living Translation (NLT)Yes, my lord the king will give us peace of mind again.’ I know that you are like an angel of God in discerning good from evil. May the Lord your God be with you.”
Context of 2 Samuel 14:17
15Now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid, and your servant thought, 'I will speak to the king; it may be that the king will perform the request of his servant. 16For the king will hear and deliver his servant from the hand of the man who would destroy me and my son together from the heritage of God.' And your servant thought, 'The word of my lord the king will set me at rest,' for my lord the king is like the angel of God to discern good and evil. The Lord your God be with you!" 18Then the king answered the woman, "Do not hide from me anything I ask you." And the woman said, "Let my lord the king speak." 19The king said, "Is the hand of Joab with you in all this?" The woman answered and said, "As surely as you live, my lord the king, one cannot turn to the right hand or to the left from anything that my lord the king has said. It was your servant Joab who commanded me; it was he who put all these words in the mouth of your servant.
Read all of 2 Samuel 142 Samuel 14:17 word by word
וַתֹּ֙אמֶר֙ שִׁפְחָ֣תְךָ֔ יִֽהְיֶה־נָּ֛א דְּבַר־אֲדֹנִ֥י הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לִמְנוּחָ֑ה כִּ֣י׀ כְּמַלְאַ֣ךְ הָאֱלֹהִ֗ים כֵּ֣ן אֲדֹנִ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ לִשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ הַטּ֣וֹב וְהָרָ֔ע וַֽיהוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֶ֖יךָ יְהִ֥י עִמָּֽךְ׃ פRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- Then thine handmaidשִׁפְחָהshiphchâh · maidservantH8198
- saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- The wordדָּבָרdâbâr · wordH1697
- of my lordאָדוֹן'âdôn 'âdôn · lordH113
- the kingמֶ֫לֶךְmelek · kingH4428
- shall now be comfortableמְנוּחָהmenûchâh menûchâh · restingH4496
- for as an angelמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
- of Godאֱלֹהִים'ĕlôhîym · GodH430
- to discernשָׁמַעshâma‛ · to hear: hearH8085
- goodטוֹבţôb · goodH2896
- and badרַעra‛ râ‛âh · bad: evilH7451
- therefore the Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 14:17
- 2 Samuel 14:20In order to change the course of things your servant Joab did this. But my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God to know all things that are on the earth."
- 2 Samuel 19:27He has slandered your servant to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like the angel of God; do therefore what seems good to you.
- 1 Samuel 29:9And Achish answered David and said, "I know that you are as blameless in my sight as an angel of God. Nevertheless, the commanders of the Philistines have said, 'He shall not go up with us to the battle.'
- Proverbs 27:21The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and a man is tested by his praise.
- Proverbs 29:5A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet.
- 1 Kings 3:9Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?"
- Job 6:30Is there any injustice on my tongue? Cannot my palate discern the cause of calamity?
- 1 Corinthians 2:14The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
- Hebrews 5:14But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 14:17
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17As an angel of God - Rather, as “the” Angel of God; and therefore whatever David decided would be right.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17just like the angel of God: This expression shows great respect. It is not used for anyone else in the Bible and appears four times in reference to David (see also 2 Samuel 14:20; 19:27; 1 Samuel 29:9). The woman was expressing confidence that David would act with wisdom and justice given by God.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 1-212Sa 14:1-21. Joab Instructs a Woman of Tekoah. 2-21. And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman--The king was strongly attached to Absalom; and having now got over his sorrow for the violent death of Amnon, he was desirous of again enjoying the society of his favorite son, who had now been three long years absent. But a dread of public opinion and a regard to the public interests made him hesitate about recalling or pardoning his guilty son…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 14:17
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 14
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
English Standard Version — © 2001 Crossway Bibles
Commentaries