²⁰ So David arose from the ground, washed and ^(A)anointed himself, and changed his clothes; and he went into the house of the Lord and ^(B)worshiped. Then he went to his own house; and when he requested, they set food before him, and he ate. ²¹ Then his servants said to him, “What is this that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive, but when the child died, you arose and ate food.”

²² And he said, “While the child was alive, I fasted and wept; ^(C)for I said, ‘Who can tell whether ^[a]the Lord will be gracious to me, that the child may live?’