¹³ Then they took their bones^(A) and buried them under a tamarisk^(B) tree at Jabesh, and they fasted^(C) seven days.^(D)

¹⁶ David pleaded with God for the child. He fasted and spent the nights lying^(A) in sackcloth^[a] on the ground.

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.”

²² He answered, “While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows?^(A) The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.’^(B)