2 Samuel 14:17

New Century Version

"Now I say, ‘May the words of my master the king give me rest. Like an angel of God, you know what is good and what is bad. May the Lord your God be with you!'"

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Your servant thought: May the word of my lord the king bring relief, for my lord the king is able to discern the good and the bad like the angel of God. May the Lord your God be with you.”

Hebrew Names Version
Then your handmaid said, Please let the word of my lord the king be comfortable; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: and the LORD your God be with you.

King James Version
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.

Lexham English Bible
Your servant also thought, ‘May the word of my lord the king bring rest, for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king, to sense what is good and what is bad.' May Yahweh your God be with you."

English Standard Version
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 English Translation
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!'"

Amplified Bible
"Then your maidservant said, 'Please let the word of my lord the king be comforting, for my lord the king is as the angel of God to discern good and evil. May the LORD your God be with you.'"

New American Standard Bible
"Then your servant said, 'Please let the word of my lord the king be comforting, for as the angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and evil. And may the LORD your God be with you.'"

Geneva Bible (1587)
Therefore thine handmaid sayd, The word of my lord the King shall now be comfortable: for my lorde the King is euen as an Angel of God in hearing of good and bad: therefore the Lord thy God be with thee.

Legacy Standard Bible
Then your servant-woman said, ‘Please let the word of my lord the king be a resting place, for as the angel of God, so is my lord the king to listen with discernment through the good and evil. And may Yahweh your God be with you.'"

Contemporary English Version
I can rest easy now that you have given your decision. You know the difference between right and wrong just like an angel of God, and I pray that the Lord your God will be with you.

Complete Jewish Bible
Then your servant said, ‘Please let my lord the king say something that will give me relief; for my lord the king is like an angel of God in discerning good from bad — and may Adonai your God be with you.'"

Darby Translation
And thy bondmaid said, Let the word of my lord the king now be comfortable; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad; and Jehovah thy God will be with thee.

Easy-to-Read Version
I know that the words of my lord the king will give me rest, because you are like an angel from God. You know what is good and what is bad. And the Lord your God is with you."

George Lamsa Translation
Then your handmaid said, The word of my lord the king shall now be confirmed and shall be like an offering; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and evil; therefore the LORD your God will be with you.

Good News Translation
I said to myself that your promise, sir, would make me safe, because the king is like God's angel and can distinguish good from evil. May the Lord your God be with you!"

Literal Translation
And your servant said, Please let the word of my lord the king be comforting. For as a messenger of God, so is my lord the king, to understand the good and the evil. And Jehovah your God shall be with you.

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And thy handmayden thoughte, ye worde of my lorde the kynge shall be as a meatofferynge, for my lorde the kinge is as an angell of God, so that he can heare good and euell, therfore shall the LORDE thy God be with the.

American Standard Version
Then thy handmaid said, Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be comfortable; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: and Jehovah thy God be with thee.

Bible in Basic English
Then your servant said, May the word of my lord the king give me peace! for my lord the king is as the angel of God in his hearing of good and bad: and may the Lord your God be with you!

Bishop's Bible (1568)
And thyne handmayde sayde: The worde of my lord the king shall now be comfortable: For my lord the king is as an angel of God, in hearing of good & bad: Therfore the Lorde thy God be with thee.

JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then thy handmaid said: Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be for my comfort; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad; and the LORD thy God be with thee.'

King James Version (1611)
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 discerne good and bad: therfore the Lord thy God will be with thee.

Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And the woman said, If now the word of my lord the king be gracious, —well: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king, to hear good and evil: and the Lord thy God shall be with thee.

English Revised Version
Then thine handmaid said, Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be comfortable: for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: and the LORD thy God be with thee.

Berean Standard Bible
Your servant thought: May the word of my lord the king bring me rest, for my lord the king is able to discern good and evil, just like the Angel of God. May the LORD your God be with you."

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Therfor thin hand mayde seie, that the word of my lord the kyng be maad as sacrifice, `that is, that the sentence youun of hym be plesaunt to God, as sacrifice plesith God; for as an aungel of the Lord, so is my lord the kyng, that he be not mouyd bi blessyng nether bi cursyng. Wherfor and thi Lord God is with thee.

Young's Literal Translation
and thy maid-servant saith, Let, I pray thee, the word of my lord the king be for ease; for as a messenger of God so [is] my lord the king, to understand the good and the evil; and Jehovah thy God is with thee.'

Update Bible Version
Then your slave said, Let, I pray you, the word of my lord the king be comfortable; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: and Yahweh your God be with you.

Webster's Bible Translation
Then thy handmaid said, The word of my lord the king, will 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.

World English Bible
Then your handmaid said, Please let the word of my lord the king be comfortable; for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and bad: and Yahweh your God be with you.

New King James Version
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
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."

New Life Bible
Then your woman servant thought, ‘The word of my lord the king will comfort me. For my lord the king is like the angel of God in understanding what is good and bad. May the Lord your God be with you.'"

New Revised Standard
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, discerning good and evil. The Lord your God be with you!"

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
So thy maidservant said, Pray let the word of my lord the king be comforting, - for, as the messenger of God, so is my lord the king, in hearing the good and the bad, Yahweh thy God, then, be with thee.

Douay-Rheims Bible
Then let thy handmaid say, that the word of the Lord the king be made as a sacrifice. For even as an angel of God, so is my lord the king, that he is neither moved with blessing nor cursing: wherefore the Lord thy God is also with thee.

Revised Standard Version
And your handmaid 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 American Standard Bible (1995)
"Then your maidservant said, 'Please let the word of my lord the king be comforting, for as the angel of God, so is my lord the king to discern good and evil. And may the LORD your God be with you.'"

Contextual Overview

¹ Joab son of Zeruiah knew that King David missed Absalom very much. ² So Joab sent messengers to Tekoa to bring a wise woman from there. He said to her, "Pretend to be very sad. Put on funeral clothes and don't put lotion on yourself. Act like a woman who has been crying many days for someone who died. ³ Then go to the king and say these words." Then Joab told her what to say. ⁴ So the woman from Tekoa spoke to the king. She bowed facedown on the ground to show respect and said, "My king, help me!" ⁵ King David asked her, "What is the matter?" The woman said, "I am a widow; my husband is dead. ⁶ I had two sons. They were out in the field fighting, and no one was there to stop them. So one son killed the other son. ⁷ Now all the family group is against me. They said to me, ‘Bring the son who killed his brother so we may kill him for killing his brother. That way we will also get rid of the one who would receive what belonged to his father.' My son is like the last spark of a fire. He is all I have left. If they kill him, my husband's name and property will be gone from the earth." ⁸ Then the king said to the woman, "Go home. I will take care of this for you." ⁹ The woman of Tekoa said to him, "Let the blame be on me and my father's family. My master and king, you and your throne are innocent." ¹⁰ King David said, "Bring me anyone who says anything bad to you. Then he won't bother you again."

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

comfortable: Heb. for rest

as an angel: This is very much like the hyperbolical language which is addressed by the Hindoos to an European when they desire to obtain something from him: "Saheb," say they, "can do every thing. No one can prevent the execution of Saheb's commands. Saheb is God." Though the expression may be imputed to the hyperbolical genius of these countries, yet there was, perhaps, more of real persuasion than we are apt to suppose. Sir John Chardin states, that having found fault with the king of Persia's valuation of a rich trinket, the grand master told him that if a Persian had dared to have done such a thing, it would have been as much as his life was worth. "Know," said he, "that the kings of Persia have a general and full knowledge of matters, as sure as it is extensive; and that, equally in the greatest and smallest things, there is nothing more just and sure than what they pronounce." 2 Samuel 14:20, 2 Samuel 19:27, 1 Samuel 29:9, Proverbs 27:21, Proverbs 29:5

to discern: Heb. to hear, 1 Kings 3:9, 1 Kings 3:28, Job 6:30, 1 Corinthians 2:14, 1 Corinthians 2:15,*marg. Hebrews 5:14

Reciprocal: Exodus 18:19 - God shall 1 Kings 10:3 - hid from the king Job 9:23 - he will Job 32:21 - flattering Isaiah 11:3 - and he shall not Daniel 5:11 - light Zechariah 12:8 - as the 1 Corinthians 2:4 - not Galatians 4:14 - an angel

Cross-References

Judges 11:34
When Jephthah returned to his home in Mizpah, his daughter was the first one to come out to meet him, playing a tambourine and dancing. She was his only child; he had no other sons or daughters.

1 Samuel 18:6
After David had killed the Philistine, he and the men returned home. Women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul. They sang songs of joy, danced, and played tambourines and stringed instruments.

2 Samuel 18:18
When Absalom was alive, he had set up a pillar for himself in the King's Valley. He said, "I have no son to keep my name alive." So he named the pillar after himself, and it is called Absalom's Monument even today.

Proverbs 14:20
The poor are rejected, even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends.

Proverbs 19:4
Wealthy people are always finding more friends, but the poor lose all theirs.

Hebrews 7:1
Melchizedek was the king of Salem and a priest for God Most High. He met Abraham when Abraham was coming back after defeating the kings. When they met, Melchizedek blessed Abraham,

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then thine handmaid said, the word of my lord the king shall now be comfortable,.... Or, "for rest" q; what will give ease and satisfaction not only to her, but to all the people of Israel, when they shall hear of the king's intention and resolution to bring back Absalom:

for as an angel of God, so [is] my lord the king; as they are very wise, knowing, and understanding creatures, so was David:

to discern good and bad; to hear both the one and the other, and to discern the difference between them, and choose and pursue what is right, as in all other things, so in the present case:

therefore the Lord thy God shall be with thee; as to counsel and advise, so to assist in performance, and to prosper and succeed; the Targum is,

"the Word of the Lord thy God shall be for thine help.''

q למנחה "ad requiem", Pagninus, Montanus; "ad tranquillitatem", Tigurine version; "ad quietem", Vatablus, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

As an angel of God - Rather, as “the” Angel of God; and therefore whatever David decided would be right.