16 David therefore sought God on behalf of the child. And David (A)fasted and went in (B)and lay all night on the ground. 17 And the elders of his house stood beside him, to raise him from the ground, but he would not, nor did he eat food with them. 18 On the seventh day the child died. And the servants of David were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they said, “Behold, while the child was yet alive, we spoke to him, and he did not listen to us. How then can we say to him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.”

Read full chapter

16 David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying(A) in sackcloth[a] on the ground. 17 The elders of his household stood beside him to get him up from the ground, but he refused,(B) and he would not eat any food with them.(C)

18 On the seventh day the child died. David’s attendants were afraid to tell him that the child was dead, for they thought, “While the child was still living, he wouldn’t listen to us when we spoke to him. How can we now tell him the child is dead? He may do something desperate.”

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 12:16 Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint; Masoretic Text does not have in sackcloth.