What Does Deuteronomy 18:17 Mean in the King James?
And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
The words are called good even though they name a limit rather than mastery.
THE MEANING
The LORD calls these words well spoken, so a limit you name honestly can be good speech before it is resolved. What you can truthfully name does not have to be concealed to be worthy of hearing.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The lie that naming what you cannot bear makes your words faithless is undone here: the speech is called good.
THE ROOT
דִּבֵּרוּ
dibberu
GROWS FROM
דבר
To speak; the same root also names a word, matter, or thing.
The verse repeats forms of this root for both “spoken” and “that which they have spoken.” Hebrew holds speech and the matter spoken together: these words are treated as something substantial, and the LORD calls that substance good.
ALSO GROWS
davar: Word, matter, or thing.
דָּבָר
The root makes the people’s speech a matter with substance, not mere sound.
dibber: Speak, declare.
דִּבֵּר
This is the speaking action repeated in the verse; the LORD evaluates what the people have actually said.
הֵיטִיבוּ
heytivu
GROWS FROM
יטב
To be good or pleasing; in this verb form, to do well.
“well” in this verse is heytivu. The judgment is that the speaking itself is good. The root can describe what is pleasing or beneficial, so the verse recognizes value in the words as spoken, not only in what may follow.
ALSO GROWS
yatab: Be good, be pleasing, or do well.
יָטַב
This base verb carries the quality the LORD attributes to the people’s speech.
heytiv: Do well or act beneficially; the Hiphil form of the root.
הֵיטִיב
The verse’s form, הֵיטִיבוּ (heytivu), says they have done well in speaking.
THE PATTERN
A spoken need can be heard as good when it gives honest form to what a person can bear.
And the LORD heard the voice of your words, when ye spake unto me; and the LORD said unto me, I have heard the voice of the words of this people, which they have spoken unto thee: they have well said all that they have spoken.A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.THE THREAD
And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die.The connected verse gives the words behind this answer: the people ask Moses to speak with them because direct speech feels unbearable. “Speak” and “spoken” share דבר (d-b-r), meaning to speak and also a word or matter; here, their voiced limit is received as good speech.
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