New English Translation
2 Samuel 14:17
17So your servant said, ‘May the word of my lord the king be my security, for my lord the king is like the angel of God when it comes to deciding between right and wrong! May 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.’ ”
- English Standard Version (ESV)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!"
- 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.’ ”
Context of 2 Samuel 14:17
15I have now come to speak with my lord the king about this matter, because the people have made me fearful. But your servant said, ‘I will speak to the king! Perhaps the king will do what his female servant asks. 16Yes! The king may listen and deliver his female servant from the hand of the man who seeks to remove both me and my son from the inheritance God has given us!’ So your servant said, ‘May the word of my lord the king be my security, for my lord the king is like the angel of God when it comes to deciding between right and wrong! May the Lord your God be with you!’” 18Then the king replied to the woman, “Don’t hide any information from me when I question you.” The woman said, “Let my lord the king speak!” 19The king said, “Did Joab put you up to all of this?” The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, there is no deviation to the right or to the left from all that my lord the king has said. For your servant Joab gave me instructions. He has put all these words in your servant’s mouth.
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 14:20Your servant Joab did this so as to change this situation. But my lord has wisdom like that of the angel of God, and knows everything that is happening in the land.”
- 2 Samuel 19:27But my servant has slandered me to my lord the king. But my lord the king is like an angel of God. Do whatever seems appropriate to you.
- 1 Samuel 29:9Achish replied to David, “I am convinced that you are as reliable as the angel of God! However, the leaders of the Philistines have said, ‘He must not go up with us in the battle.’
- Proverbs 27:21As the crucible is for silver and the furnace is for gold, so a person is proved by the praise he receives.
- Proverbs 29:5The one who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his steps.
- 1 Kings 3:9So give your servant a discerning mind so he can make judicial decisions for your people and distinguish right from wrong. Otherwise no one is able to make judicial decisions for this great nation of yours.”
- Job 6:30Is there any falsehood on my lips? Can my mouth not discern evil things?
- 1 Corinthians 2:14The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
- Hebrews 5:14But solid food is for the mature, whose perceptions are trained by practice to discern both good and 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
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