2 Samuel 14:17

New Life Version

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.'"

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 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!'"

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 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 Now Joab the son of Zeruiah saw that the king missed Absalom very much. ² So Joab sent for a wise woman from Tekoa, and said to her, "Pretend to be filled with sorrow. Dress as if you were filled with sorrow, and do not pour oil on yourself. Dress like a woman who has been filled with sorrow for the dead many days. ³ Then go to the king and speak to him in this way." And Joab told her what to say. ⁴ When the woman of Tekoa spoke to the king, she fell on her face to the ground, showing honor, and said, "Help, O king." ⁵ The king said to her, "What is your trouble?" And she answered, "I am a woman whose husband has died. ⁶ Your woman servant had two sons. But they fought together in the field and there was no one to pull them apart. So one hit the other and killed him. ⁷ Now the whole family has come against your woman servant. They say, ‘Give us the one who killed his brother. We must put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed.' So I would be without a son to receive what belonged to his parents when I die. They would put out the last of the fire which is left to me. My husband would be left without a name and with no children on the earth." ⁸ Then the king said to the woman, "Go to your house. I will say what should be done about your trouble." ⁹ The woman of Tekoa said to the king, "O my lord the king, the sin is on me and my father's family. But the king and his throne are without guilt." ¹⁰ The king said, "If anyone says anything to you, bring him to me. And he will not touch 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
Then Jephthah came to his home at Mizpah. His daughter came out to meet him with music and dancing. She was his one and only child. He had no other sons or daughters.

1 Samuel 18:6
When David returned from killing the Philistine, the women came out of all the cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet King Saul, playing songs of joy on timbrels.

2 Samuel 18:18
While Absalom was alive, he had set up stones in his honor in the King's Valley. For he said, "I have no son to let my name be remembered." So he called the stones after his own name. And they are there to have Absalom be remembered to this day.

Proverbs 14:20
The poor man is hated even by his neighbor, but the rich man has many friends.

Proverbs 19:4
Riches add many friends, but a poor man is separated from his friend.

Hebrews 7:1
Melchizedek was king of Salem. He was a religious leader for God. When Abraham was coming back from the war where many kings were killed, Melchizedek met Abraham and showed respect to him.

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.