2 Samuel 14 17

2 Samuel 14:17 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.

2 Samuel 14:17 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.' "

2 Samuel 14:17 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.'?"

2 Samuel 14:17 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!"

2 Samuel 14:17 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."

2 Samuel 14 verses

2 Samuel 14 17 Meaning

The woman of Tekoa's plea to King David in 2 Samuel 14:17 declares her deep reverence and hope that David's decision will bring comfort and resolution. She equates David's capacity to discern between good and evil with that of an angel of God, elevating his judicial wisdom to a divine level. This carefully chosen praise suggests that David possesses profound, God-given insight necessary for rendering righteous judgment, further asserting that the Lord's presence would continually uphold him in his rulings.

2 Samuel 14 17 Context

This verse is part of an elaborate strategy devised by Joab, David's military commander, to persuade the king to bring Absalom, who was exiled after killing his brother Amnon, back to Jerusalem. Joab enlisted the "wise woman of Tekoa" to approach David with a parabolic story designed to elicit a verdict from the king that could then be applied to Absalom's situation. The woman, speaking as a petitioner, feigns a dire family crisis involving two sons and the subsequent need for the king's intervention to prevent further loss of life. Her ultimate goal is to subtly manipulate David into pronouncing a judgment of mercy that would then compel him to recall Absalom. This specific verse (2 Sam 14:17) is a crucial part of her flattery and rhetorical appeal, designed to make David receptive to her hidden agenda by affirming his exceptional wisdom and divine anointing.

2 Samuel 14 17 Word analysis

• Then your handmaid said: (וַתֹּאמֶר שִׁפְחָתְךָ֙ - wattōʾmer šip̄ḥātəḵā) The term "handmaid" (שִׁפְחָה - šip̄ḥâ) denotes a female servant, conveying a humble and subordinate status. This serves to immediately place the woman in a deferential position before the king, creating an impression of humility and dependence. It is a strategic opening to gain favor and trust.
• 'Let the word of my lord the king now be comfortable;: (יִֽהְיֶ֗ה נָ֤א דְבַר־אֲדֹנִ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ לִמְנוּחָה֙ - yihyeh nā dǝḇar-ʾăḏōnî hammělěḵ lîmnûḥâ)
  • word (דְּבַר - dǝḇar): Here, "word" signifies a decree, a decision, or an pronouncement from the king. It carries the weight of royal authority and finality.
  • comfortable (לִמְנוּחָה - lîmnûḥâ): From the root נוח (nûaḥ), meaning to rest, settle, or be tranquil. It implies a decision that brings peace, stability, and resolution. The woman is subtly appealing for a verdict that alleviates distress and allows for rest.
• for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king: (כִּ֣י כְּמַלְאַ֤ךְ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ כֵּ֣ן אֲדֹנִ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ - kî kǝmalʾaḵ hāʾĕlōhîm kēn ʾăḏōnî hammělěḵ)
  • angel of God (מַלְאַ֤ךְ הָֽאֱלֹהִים֙ - malʾaḵ hāʾĕlōhîm): Malak means messenger or angel. It is a term associated with divine communication, wisdom, and judgment. This is an extreme compliment, attributing to David a transcendent, divine-like wisdom. It's not a claim of David being divine, but of his discerning capabilities mirroring God's divine messengers.
  • so is my lord the king (כֵּ֣ן אֲדֹנִ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙): Explicitly drawing the direct comparison between David and a divine messenger. This elevates David above ordinary human judgment.
• in discerning good and evil;: (לִשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ אֶת־הַטּ֤וֹב וְאֶת־הָרָֽע - lišmōaʿ ʾet-haṭṭōḇ wǝʾet-hārāʿ)
  • discerning (לִשְׁמֹ֙עַ֙ - lišmōaʿ): Literally "to hear" or "to understand." In this context, it implies keen judgment, the ability to distinguish and decide between right and wrong.
  • good and evil (הַטּ֤וֹב וְאֶת־הָרָֽע - haṭṭōḇ wǝʾet-hārāʿ): This phrase harks back to Gen 3:5, 3:22, signifying profound knowledge or wisdom, particularly in a moral and judicial sense. It points to a wisdom akin to God's own attribute, implying comprehensive and infallible understanding for judgment. It also echoes Solomon's prayer for an "understanding heart to judge" and to "discern between good and evil" (1 Kgs 3:9).
• and the LORD your God will be with you.' (וֽה׳ אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ יִהְיֶ֣ה עִמָּ֔ךְ - wYHWH ʾĕlōheḵā yihyeh ʿimmāḵ)
  • the LORD your God (וֽה׳ אֱלֹהֶ֙יךָ֙ - wYHWH ʾĕlōheḵā): This direct address reinforces David's unique covenant relationship with God.
  • will be with you (יִהְיֶ֣ה עִמָּ֔ךְ - yihyeh ʿimmāḵ): A traditional blessing and promise of divine presence and favor. By affirming God's presence, the woman seeks to legitimize David's anticipated decision and associate it directly with divine will. It suggests that David's divine discernment ensures God's continued support for his rule.

Words-Group by words-group analysis:

• "Then your handmaid said, 'Let the word of my lord the king now be comfortable;": This opening sets a tone of humble petition and hopeful expectation. The "comfortable word" hints at a verdict that will bring peace and resolution to the underlying family drama she presented, a thinly veiled metaphor for Absalom's situation.
• "for as an angel of God, so is my lord the king in discerning good and evil;": This core commendation is hyperbole intended to appeal to David's ego and his role as God's chosen king. The comparison to an "angel of God" bestows divine insight upon David, especially in judicial matters. The phrase "discerning good and evil" is loaded, referencing humanity's aspirational (and fallen) state regarding knowledge, and positioning David as a uniquely gifted, quasi-divine arbiter.
• "and the LORD your God will be with you.'": This concluding statement functions as a blessing and an assurance. It aligns David's perceived divine discernment directly with God's ongoing presence and favor. It implies that if David acts with such "angelic" wisdom, God's backing is guaranteed, effectively pressuring David to act in a way that demonstrates this purported wisdom—namely, showing mercy.

2 Samuel 14 17 Bonus section

• The woman's statement is a testament to the power of wisdom literature and persuasive speech in the ancient Near East, highlighting how figures could influence monarchs through crafted parables and discerning praise.
• The "angel of God" motif often signifies not just wisdom, but also divine understanding of human affairs or all things, as seen when Joab uses similar language in 2 Sam 14:20 to commend David. This reveals a repeated rhetorical tactic in the narrative.
• The paradox lies in David's later failure to consistently exercise such "angelic" discernment in matters related to his own household, particularly in dealing with his rebellious son, Absalom, showcasing a contrast between ascribed divine wisdom and practical, human flaws.
• This verse anticipates the later portrayal of Jesus Christ, who perfectly embodies the ultimate "angel of God" in His discerning good from evil, possessing all wisdom, and always having God with Him (Jn 1:9, Col 2:3).

2 Samuel 14 17 Commentary

The woman of Tekoa's words are a rhetorical masterpiece, designed to both flatter and subtly pressure David. By likening him to an "angel of God" in his ability to discern good and evil, she attributes a profound, almost divine wisdom to his judgment, echoing themes from the Garden of Eden and later Solomon's prayer for discernment. This exaggerated compliment establishes David's authority as beyond reproach and lays the groundwork for her true request. The accompanying assurance of "the LORD your God will be with you" further binds David's prospective decision to divine favor, implying that any judgment flowing from such wisdom would inherently be God-sanctioned. This strategic flattery seeks to manipulate David into a merciful decision regarding Absalom, appealing to his kingly pride and his spiritual self-perception. The passage is crucial because it highlights the vulnerability of leaders, even divinely appointed ones, to well-crafted persuasion and flattery, and how such rhetoric can shape decisions with far-reaching consequences, as would be seen in Absalom's eventual return and rebellion.