¹⁶ Then she went off and sat down about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there, she^[a] began to sob.^(A)

²⁰ So he got up and went to his father.

“But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.^(A)

Mourning for the One They Pierced

¹⁰ “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit^[a](A) of grace and supplication.^(B) They will look on^[b] me, the one they have pierced,^(C) and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child,^(D) and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.^(E)

⁶ For how can I bear to see disaster fall on my people? How can I bear to see the destruction of my family?”^(A)

²⁶ The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved^(A) out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!”

But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”

⁴ So David and his men wept^(A) aloud until they had no strength left to weep.

¹⁶ When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice,^(A) David my son?” And he wept aloud.

⁹ May the Lord grant that each of you will find rest^(A) in the home of another husband.”

Then she kissed^(B) them goodbye and they wept aloud^(C)