New International Version
2 Samuel 14:17
17“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.’ ”
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.
- 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.’ ”
- 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
15“And now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king; perhaps he will grant his servant’s request. 16Perhaps the king will agree to deliver his servant from the hand of the man who is trying to cut off both me and my son from God’s inheritance.’ “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.’ ” 18Then the king said to the woman, “Don’t keep from me the answer to what I am going to ask you.” “Let my lord the king speak,” the woman said. 19The king asked, “Isn’t the hand of Joab with you in all this?” The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything my lord the king says. Yes, it was your servant Joab who instructed me to do this and who put all these words into 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 14:20Your servant Joab did this to change the present situation. My lord has wisdom like that of an angel of God—he knows everything that happens in the land.”
- 2 Samuel 19:27And he has slandered your servant to my lord the king. My lord the king is like an angel of God; so do whatever you wish.
- 1 Samuel 29:9Achish answered, “I know that you have been as pleasing in my eyes as an angel of God; nevertheless, the Philistine commanders have said, ‘He must not go up with us into battle.’
- Proverbs 27:21The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but people are tested by their praise.
- Proverbs 29:5Those who flatter their neighbors are spreading nets for their feet.
- 1 Kings 3:9So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”
- Job 6:30Is there any wickedness on my lips? Can my mouth not discern malice?
- 1 Corinthians 2:14The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.
- Hebrews 5:14But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves 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
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