Lectionary Calendar
Wednesday, December 31st, 2025
the Wednesday after Christmas
Attention!
Take your personal ministry to the Next Level by helping StudyLight build churches and supporting pastors in Uganda.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

Douay-Rheims Bible

2 Samuel 14:20

That I should come about with this form of speech, thy servant Joab commanded this: but thou, my lord, O king, art wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to understand all things upon earth.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Absalom;   Angel (Holy Trinity);   Angel (a Spirit);   David;   Dishonesty;   Flattery;   Intercession;   Joab;   Kindness;   Obsequiousness;   Tact;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Angels;   Flattery;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Absalom;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Joab;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Mediator, Mediation;   Servant, Service;   Charles Buck Theological Dictionary - Angel;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Court Systems;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Angel;   Priests and Levites;   Samuel, Books of;   Wisdom;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Angels (2);   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Absalom;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Jo'ab;  

Encyclopedias:

- International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Form;   Samuel, Books of;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Absalom;   Angelology;   Wisdom;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Joab your servant has done this to address the issue indirectly, but my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God, knowing everything on earth.”
Hebrew Names Version
to change the face of the matter has your servant Yo'av done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the eretz.
King James Version
To fetch about this form of speech hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.
Lexham English Bible
In order to change the situation, your servant Joab did this thing. But my lord has wisdom, as the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all that is on the earth."
English Standard Version
In 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."
New Century Version
Joab did it so you would see things differently. My master, you are wise like an angel of God who knows everything that happens on earth."
New English Translation
Your 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."
Amplified Bible
"In order to change the appearance of things [between Absalom and you, his father] your servant Joab did this thing. But my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know everything that is in the earth."
New American Standard Bible
"In order to change the appearance of things your servant Joab has done this thing. But my lord is wise, like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know all that is on the earth."
Geneva Bible (1587)
For to the intent that I should chage the forme of speach, thy seruant Ioab hath done this thing: but my lord is wise according to the wisdome of an Angel of God to vnderstande all things that are in the earth.
Legacy Standard Bible
in order to change the appearance of things your servant Joab has done this thing. But my lord is wise, like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know all that is in the earth."
Contemporary English Version
but only to show you the other side of this problem. You must be as wise as the angel of God to know everything that goes on in this country."
Complete Jewish Bible
Your servant Yo'av did this in order to bring about some change in the situation. But my lord is wise, he has the wisdom of an angel of God when it comes to understanding anything going on in the land."
Darby Translation
in order to turn the appearance of the thing has thy servant Joab done this thing; but my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all that is in the earth.
Easy-to-Read Version
Joab did this so that you would see things differently. My lord, you are as wise as God's angel. You know everything that happens on earth."
George Lamsa Translation
Because he wanted to do it through me, that is why your servant Joab has done this thing; and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are on the earth.
Good News Translation
But he did it in order to straighten out this whole matter. Your Majesty is as wise as the angel of God and knows everything that happens."
Literal Translation
Your servant Joab has done this thing to turn about the face of the matter, and my lord is wise according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all that is in the land.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
that I shulde turne this matter of this faßshio, this hath Ioab thy seruaunt done. But my lorde is wyse, as the wyßdome of an angell of God, so that he knoweth all thynges vpon earth.
American Standard Version
to change the face of the matter hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.
Bible in Basic English
This he did, hoping that the face of this business might be changed: and my lord is wise, with the wisdom of the angel of God, having knowledge of everything on earth.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For to the intent that I shoulde chaunge the fourme of speach, hath thy seruaunt Ioab done this thing: And my lorde is wyse, according to the wisdome of an angel of God, to vnderstande all thinges that are in the earth.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
to change the face of the matter hath thy servant Joab done this thing; and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.'
King James Version (1611)
To fetch about this forme of speech hath thy seruant Ioab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisedome of an Angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
In order that this form of speech might come about it was that thy servant Joab has framed this matter: and my lord is wise as is the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.
English Revised Version
to change the face of the matter hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.
Berean Standard Bible
Joab your servant has done this to bring about this change of affairs, but my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the Angel of God, to know everything that happens in the land."
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
that Y schulde turne the figure of this word; for thi seruaunt Joab comaundide this thing. Forsothe thou, my lord the kyng, art wijs, as an aungel of God hath wisdom, that thou vnderstonde alle thingis on erthe.
Young's Literal Translation
in order to bring round the appearance of the thing hath thy servant Joab done this thing, and my lord [is] wise, according to the wisdom of a messenger of God, to know all that [is] in the land.'
Update Bible Version
to change the face of the matter has your slave Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.
Webster's Bible Translation
To bring about this form of speech hath thy servant Joab done this thing: and my lord [is] wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all [things] that [are] on the earth.
World English Bible
to change the face of the matter has your servant Joab done this thing: and my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God, to know all things that are in the earth.
New King James Version
To bring about this change of affairs your servant Joab has done this thing; but my lord is wise, according to the wisdom of the angel of God, to know everything that is in the earth."
New Living Translation
He did it to place the matter before you in a different light. But you are as wise as an angel of God, and you understand everything that happens among us!"
New Life Bible
Your servant Joab has done this to change the way things are now. But my lord is wise like the angel of God, to know all that is on the earth."
New Revised Standard
In order to change the course of affairs 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."
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
for the purpose of turning round the face of the matter, hath thy servant Joab done this thing, - my lord being wise, as with the wisdom of a messenger of God, in knowing all that is done in the land.
Revised Standard Version
In order to change the course of affairs your servant Jo'ab did this. But my lord has wisdom like the wisdom of the angel of God to know all things that are on the earth."
New American Standard Bible (1995)
in order to change the appearance of things your servant Joab has done this thing. But my lord is wise, like the wisdom of the angel of God, to know all that is in the earth."

Contextual Overview

1 And Joab the son of Sarvia, understanding that the king’s heart was turned to Absalom, 2 Sent to Thecua, and fetched from thence a wise woman: and said to her: Feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on mourning apparel, and be not anointed with oil, that thou mayest be as a woman that had a long time been mourning for one dead. 3 And thou shalt go in to the king, and shalt speak to him in this manner. And Joab put the words in her mouth. 4 And when the woman of Thecua was come in to the king, she fell before him upon the ground, and worshipped, and said: Save me, O king. 5 And the king said to her: What is the matter with thee? She answered: Alas, I am a widow woman: for my husband is dead. 6 And thy handmaid had two sons: and they quarrelled with each other in the field, and there was none to part them: and the one struck the other, and slew him. 7 And behold the whole kindred rising against thy handmaid, saith: Deliver him that hath slain his brother, that we may kill him for the life of his brother, whom he slew, and that we may destroy the heir: and they seek to quench my spark which is left, and will leave my husband no name, nor remainder upon the earth. 8 And the king said to the woman: Go to thy house, and I will give charge concerning thee. 9 And the woman of Thecua said to the king: Upon me, my lord be the iniquity, and upon the house of my father: but may the king and his throne be guiltless. 10 And the king said: If any one shall say ought against thee, bring him to me, and he shall not touch thee any more.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

fetch: 2 Samuel 5:23

according: 2 Samuel 14:17, 2 Samuel 19:27, Job 32:21, Job 32:22, Proverbs 26:28, Proverbs 29:5

to know: Genesis 3:5, Job 38:16-41, 1 Corinthians 8:1, 1 Corinthians 8:2

Reciprocal: 1 Samuel 16:18 - and prudent 1 Samuel 29:9 - as an angel 2 Samuel 13:3 - Shimeah 2 Samuel 18:13 - for there is no 1 Kings 10:3 - hid from the king

Cross-References

Genesis 9:26
And he said: Blessed be the Lord God of Sem, be Chanaan his servant.
Genesis 14:3
All these came together into the woodland vale, which now is the salt sea.
Genesis 14:4
For they had served Chodorlahomor twelve years, and in the thirteenth year they revolted from him.
Genesis 14:5
And in the fourteenth year came Chodorlahomor, and the kings that were with him: and they smote the Raphaim in Astarothcarnaim, and the Zuzim with them, and the Emim in Save of Cariathaim.
Genesis 14:6
And the Chorreans in the mountains of Seir, even to the plains of Pharan, which is in the wilderness.
Genesis 14:9
To wit, against Chodorlahomor king of the Elamites, and Thadal king of nations, and Amraphel king of Sennaar, and Arioch king of Pontus: four kings against five.
Genesis 14:17
And the king of Sodom went out to meet him, after he returned from the slaughter of Chodorlahomor, and of the kings that were with him in the vale of Save, which is the king’s vale.
Genesis 14:19
Blessed him, and said: Blessed be Abram by the most high God, who created heaven and earth.
Genesis 24:27
Saying: Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not taken away his mercy and truth from my master, and hath brought me the straight way into the house of my master’s brother.
Genesis 28:22
And this stone, which I have set up for a title, shall be called the house of God: and of all things that thou shalt give to me, I will offer tithes to thee.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

To fetch about this form of speech hath thy servant Joab done this thing,.... Feigned a story in such form and manner as had been delivered to the king, that it might be accommodated and applied to the case of Absalom, and to transfer it in a figure to the king, to use the apostle's phrase, 1 Corinthians 4:8;

and my lord [is] wise, according to the wisdom of an angel of God; as not only to understand the design of this fable or parable, but of such sagacity and penetration as to find out the author of it; and even

to know all [things] that [are] in the earth; either in the whole world, or rather in the land of Israel; and it is to be understood not of all actions natural and moral done by men in it, which would be to ascribe omniscience to him; but of all political things, all things respecting civil government; that he had such a spirit of discerning of men and things, that nothing could be said or done, or scheme formed, but he got intelligence of it, and insight into it; and which was carrying the compliment to a great height.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 14:20. According to the wisdom of an angel of God — This is quite in the style of Asiatic flattery. A European is often addressed, "Saheb can do every thing; we can do nothing; none can prevent the execution of Saheb's commands; Saheb is God." See WARD.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile